BECOME HEART-HEALTHY.
Nia offers a wonderful cardiovascular training.
In Nia we focus on how to move 'our body's way', which is basically moving mindfully and feeling our bodies during dynamic movement to music. As this 'arriving'/increase in awareness in/of our bodies naturally promotes and improves our fitness we often don't make it our focus....as it simply happens.
So I am writing this for those of you have perhaps never had or taken the opportunity to experience a Nia class, and simultaneously I am also writing to all of you that regularly attend Nia to remind you of the amazing benefits we can reap when we are aware of our Heart Muscle.
On this note I would like to leave you with a wonderful description, shared by a Cape Town based Nia instructor Shelley.
“When I go to a Nia class, I want my heart to have a workout. I
want that blood-pumping little muscle to have to work, to pump blood and
oxygen to my whole body. I want my lungs
to be expanding and contracting fully, so that afterwards they feel cleaned out
and clear. I want to feel the warmth in my face and belly – my skin oxygenated
and envigorated – and sometimes looking like a tomato!
Why do I want this? Mostly because I love the sensations it brings
to my body, but also because I know it’s important. The heart is a muscle: it
needs to be challenged in order to become stronger and more efficient. Higher
levels of cardiovascular fitness is associated with a 50% reduction in heart
disease, and reduces the risk of many caners. The other huge benefit that a
heart workout has is that it lifts your mood.
Endorphins get released into the bloodstream and give you that
happy high!"
May this article invite you to really focus on dancing your Heart muscle this week and for those of you that have never been to a Nia class, come and experience a very joyous way to do build your cardiovascular fitness.
warm regards
Jeanne
