Nia is personalized to your body's way

Nia is the "feel good" fitness technique. The sensation of bliss in motion is your own internal, personal trainer! If it feels good, your body will tell you, "yes, this is what I need".

In Nia class, you'll learn to recognize this healing, energizing, relaxing, and empowering sensation that we Nia teachers call the Joy of Movement. As a result, you get a complete, holistic workout without stress.

We each have a life story in the structure of our bodies, old injuries for example, or patterns of tension. By being sensitive to what makes your body feel good, you are moving in your body's way, not a cookie-cutter imitation of the instructor or anyone else in the room. You are encouraged to personalize your Nia experience!

Many people have found Nia to be a very effective part of their physical therapy after injury or illness. Let your your Nia teacher know if you have some special conditions, such as arthritis in the knees, etc., and he or she can give you some pointers.

Nia is usually done barefoot to improve balance and stability. With bare feet, our proprioceptors give us more information. (Proprioceptors are special nerves which relay information to the brain about our movement and position.) Shoes "muffle" the messages from our feet, and can overshadow the subtle learning process that helps you develop stronger arches, more stable ankles and knees, and better posture. I encourage everyone to do at least part of the Nia class barefoot. However, follow your body's way: you are welcome to wear shoes, orthotics, arch supports, etc. if you need or prefer. (Ballet slippers, jazz shoes, or other flexible soft-soled shoes are good options). I often wear Yoga Stick-e socks to keep my feet warm and relaxed, while still allowing my toes to spread and my feet to have a solid connection with the floor. If you wear socks, they should have nubs to prevent slipping. Some people like to wear Bare Paws or Foot Undeez, which give a little padding for barefoot dancing.

Nia can also be done seated, a wonderful option for those in wheelchairs, or with knee or foot pain.

See the post below about Barefoot Conditioning for tips for healthy, happy feet!

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Foot fitness & barefoot conditioning

For the complete article about healthy feet and barefoot conditioning, see my holistic health site.

For years I had chronic ankle and arch (plantar) pain that limited my enjoyment of hiking and other activities. In 2005 I started taking Nia classes, and within the first 3 weeks the pain in my ankle was greatly relieved and my foot felt more relaxed than it had in years. I continue to learn about foot care, and in addition to Nia, I've found these things to be helpful: a daily foot-massage, trigger-point therapy, and foot soaks. See below for recommendations.

For those with plantar fasciitis, weak ankles, etc. Nia will help increase the strength and flexibility of your feet and the stability of your lower extremity joints. It's gentle on the joints (non-impact), and will teach you to heal yourself through the sensation of pleasure. Nia is usually done barefoot, but if you need or prefer, you can wear a flexible-soled shoe with orthotics, or arch support bands. Comfort is the key.

Recommendations:

Give yourself an Ayurvedic foot massage (pad-abhyanga) in just a few minutes a day. Ayurveda is a Sanskrit word meaning 'science of life,' and is the most ancient system of natural health care (from the same tradition as yoga). See www.MAPI.com for the Rejuvenation massage oil for feet and legs - wonderful stuff!

See the Trigger Point Therapy Workbook, a guide to self-care pain management, for many common conditions including plantar fasciitis. Based on medical research, this book has helped me, my family, and friends relieve pain in the hips, knees, shoulder, back, and foot problems including gout!

Contrast hydrotherapy foot soak, alternating HOT then ICE COLD several times, for 5-10 minutes. End with the hot soak.

A great aromatherapy foot soak called Savoir is available at Nest Organics on Lexington Ave. in Asheville.

Acupuncture and reflexology can also be very helpful.

Stretch your calves, flex your feet, spread your toes, and roll your ankles before you get out of bed. This is especially helpful for plantar fasciitis. Do this frequently during the day.

Try a Prostretch calf stretcher to prevent and treat plantar fasciitis, shin splints, knee pain, etc.

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