Fit: Nia'll Free Ya

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IF GOLDILOCKS WERE as finicky about exercise as she was about porridge, she’d probably complain that yoga poses are too boring, dance routines too complex, aerobics classes too inexpressive and martial arts too violent. But perhaps she’d be content with Nia, a technique that blends the four in an attempt to be just right.

» WHAT IT IS: Ever since two aerobics instructors in Portland, Ore., dabbled in various techniques to develop Nia in the early 1980s, their method has drawn fans with its liberated approach to fitness. "We give you the forms, but you have the freedom," explains Angela "Padma" Maxwell, a blue belt in Nia who's been teaching at Petworth's Yoga House since September and just started a class at SomaFit in Glover Park. She might demonstrate a move — a box step, a kick — but it's up to students to decide how to move their arms or which emotion to express.

Although the concept seems loosey-goosey, in practice, it's not. Each class is based on a specific routine developed by one of the two founders, often performed several weeks in a row so students can experience it in different ways.

The concept of "no pain, no gain" is foreign here. Students are never supposed to move in any way that doesn't feel good. "You’re your own inner physician," says Maxwell.

» MOVES: Nia exercises are simple and short -- no complex sequences, no static positions. Classes follow the standard aerobics-class progression of warm-up, cardio, toning and cooldown.

Maxwell starts by giving each class an intention, like stability in the glutes or understanding how to create resistance with your muscles, and then dives into a routine. She might begin with toe raises, then tell everyone to do squats while creating dynamic movements with their upper bodies. Often a flowing step will end with a kick or block from martial arts, which is meant to make the dancers feel stronger and more powerful.

Once their heart rates are up, the class members segue into self-directed movement. Maxwell likes to provide some structure for folks who aren't comfortable with total freedom, though, so every two counts, students strike new poses.

As cardio winds down, Maxwell slips in exercises such as push-ups. If there's time after the cooldown, she likes to end with shavasana, the ultimate in yoga relaxation: lying flat on your back.

» WORK OUT: Your energy level is up to you. If you want to swing your arms lazily and approximate the steps, that’s as much Nia as kicking your legs to the ceiling and punching furiously at the air. "I look like a red tomato by the end of class," says Meg Prior, 29, who likes to push herself to her limits. But even if sweat blankets your brow, you may not realize it until you see drips on the floor. "I've never been athletic. Even yoga is a chore for me," says Anna Amato, 47. "But even when this gets more strenuous, it doesn’t feel hard."

Photo by Claire Duggan