May 14, 2010ReadL Psalm 121 "My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth." --Psalm 121:2

It's Friday. The ninth inning. The fourth quarter. The last period.

When coaches encourage their players to "leave it all out on the field," it's not to sure-up a victory or avoid defeat, but more so to prevent regret either way.

Of all people, Jesus understood Friday. If anybody ever had cause to hesitate before Friday's first step, He did. But He finished the game. He suited up and took on the best the world had to offer by offering himself for the world.

Kinda takes the sting out of our Friday, doesn't it?

--J.P.

FORM RULES Next week, we'll begin providing a "Workout of the Week," and before we do, we always like to stress the importance of body alignment during a lift. No matter what, remember there's nothing more important than safety, and it all starts with spinal alignment.

Proper alignment consists of a slight curvature in the lower back, a slight outward protrusion in the thoracic spine, and a slight, natural curvature (reverse S curve) of the cervical spine. One way to maintain such alignment throughout a training session is to constantly make sure that your chest is up, back is flat and your head is neutral. For example, as you prepare to get into position for a bent-over row, you should be reminding yourself, “Chest up, back flat, head straight.” The more you make this a practice, the more it’ll become second nature. And such a reminder should be applied to practically every single exercise, because doing so ensures not only your safety, but also puts you in the strongest possible position for the lift. Unless you’re performing a stiff-legged deadlift, which allows for the slight rounding of the lower back, you should always keep to this axiom.