The Nia Technique

Book excerpt: the strength of Pilates, the flexibility of yoga, the muscle tone of strength training, and top-notch aerobic fitness—all through the revolutionary pleasure-based fitness program that gets you in shape from the inside out! The hottest new trend in mind-body wellness, Nia—which stands for Neuromuscular Integrative Action—is the most advanced form of fusion fitness, blending martial arts, healing arts, dance, and spiritual self-healing to create a high-powered, synergistic workout that no isolated exercise technique can match. Created by fitness pioneers Debbie Rosas and Carlos Rosas, Nia presents an entirely new philosophy of exercise—one that will not only keep you in fantastic shape, but will also help you rediscover the joy of movement and being at home in your body. The Nia Technique is the first and only book to share the workouts so popular at gyms and spas across the country, outlining the basic Nia moves—or katas—that can be performed easily at home and adapted to your own level of fitness. With moves drawn from nine fitness disciplines, including tae kwan do, tai chi, yoga, Feldenkrais™, jazz dance, and modern dance, Nia promotes strength and muscle definition without the use of weights, and its freeing, dance-like regimen provides a medium for self-healing. You’ll tighten, tone, lengthen, strengthen, and lose pounds and inches—and have fun doing it! You’ll learn to follow “the body’s way”—a breakthrough fitness concept that teaches you to move in the way that most benefits your individual body; and you’ll learn to use visualizations and vocalizations that enhance the benefits of each workout. The overall regimen is phenomenally effective because its holistic approach unites the body and the mind, and creates an exhilarating path that anyone can follow toward a healthy, fit physique, lasting weight loss, and an unlimited sense of your fitness potential. With simple, step-by-step instructions, The Nia Technique also shares the inspiring stories of people whose lives have been transformed by the practice of Nia. With Nia, a new body is just the beginning—the ultimate goal is a new life!