A Perfect Storm

Something fun, fresh, and transformative in nature inside the loop.

         Bombarding us with advertisements, marketing materials, and signage, gyms demand we “get fit for summer” and try the latest “bikini workout.” The problem is, for many of us, a big bowl of ice cream and a white flag are profoundly more appealing than the thought of a gym membership as the only torturous solution.

         Well, what if there was something different, a fun and entertaining way to work out — perhaps even a regimen to look forward to, rather than dread or avoid? If an invitation to “feel sexy,” “have a ton of fun,” and “experience something new” while “watching the pounds fall off” sounds just too good to be true, surprise. It’s not magic, but it is right here in the loop.  

         Nia (pronounced “knee-ah”) is quite an experience. It’s a dynamic exercise program that combines carefully selected movements and concepts from yoga, tai chi, tae kwon do, aikido, and jazz and modern dance to formulate a total body workout. While this seems an unlikely combination, it is actually an exciting and funky method to fully stretch your body and move in a purposeful way. “I love watching participants leave with big smiles on their faces and seeing how the distance between their ears and their shoulders is visibly longer,” says Helen Terry, international Nia celebrity and co-owner of NiaMoves in the Heights.

During The Perfect Storm inside the Loop, Terry recently hosted the Biggest Ever Nia Jam at the Wortham Center downtown. With more than 150 movers and led by a team of 13 black-belt Nia teachers from across the country, the July 26 event invigorated the mind, body and spirit. Yet, if you missed it, don’t fret! Nia Moves, 3221 Houston Avenue, has a dynamic schedule of Nia and other progressive movement classes/events all year round from beginners to intensive Nia White Belt training, Hoopdance, Bellydance, High Heel Boot Camp, and beyond. Why not take a vacation from the typical exercise routine? To get more information or the schedule, visit NiaMoves.com or call 832.567.4550.