Nia Classes Offer Physical, Spiritual Exercise

The key to lifelong fitness is finding a form of exercise that you like. One class at the Buck Recreation Center in Littleton is offering more than just a physical workout.

The class is called Nia, and the Rec center has been offering it for about 6 years.

"It's great," said instructor, Peggy McLain. "It's so much fun."

The fun is in the variety. Nia is a combination of dance, yoga, and martial arts movements, coming together to make a total body workout.

"You don't even know that you're getting that cardiovascular benefit. It's more about that emotional expression and who you really are…your unique spirit," McLain explained.

McLain says participants unique spirit comes out through the movements, the music, and the sounds they make – primal screaming is encouraged.

"They get a special awareness of their body, mind, spirit, emotions, all four realms of self, not just the physical," McLain added.

Karen Thurmen found the class by accident 3 years ago and she keeps coming back.

"I hate to exercise," Thurman said with a grimace. "And it's the only thing that I've stuck with, and it's changed my body, my attitude, my mood."

Thurmen says the happiness she finds in class translates to more happiness in the rest of her life. Thurmen has also lost 20 pounds, and added some muscle mass.

Buck Recreation Center offers Nia classes on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. The Rec center is also offering savings in September. You can get 10% off personal training sessions as well as discounts on entrance fees.