THE GUIDING LINE

May 11, 2010Read: 1 Corinthians 2

"However, as it is written: 'No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.'" --1 Corinthians 2:9

No matter how much I've studied the field of exercise physiology and regardless of my life's experiences, the last few days have reassured me of one undeniable fact: I can't swim to save my life. I was reminded of that today after reading one of Prayfit VP Eric Velazquez's amazing articles on swimming and then hitting the pool myself for some rehab.

Not only can I not swim, but I never knew how important the solid black was at the bottom of the pool. To a land dweller, those lines mean nothing. But to a swimmer, amidst the waves, adjacent athletes and countless other distractions, it's a life line. Disregard it, and not only do you risk wasting time, but you miss the warning of the fast-approaching wall.

Lord, help us keep our eyes fixed on you. There's nothing worse than coming up for air to find we've drifted off course.

--J.P.

CALLING MR. SMITH

For those of you who hit the weights each day, this one's for you. Time to answer a few questions on one of the most helpful pieces of equipment in the gym: the Smith machine. This pulley-controlled system can help you gain muscle and strength but do you know why?

1. T or F:You can lift more weight during a Smith machine bench press than a standard bench press. 2. T or F:You can lift more weight during a Smith machine overhead press than a standard barbell overhead press.

EXTRA CREDIT! Think you got both answers right? The first one to list your answer below in the comments section, complete with "the why," and you could win your choice of a PrayFit hat or t-shirt! Remember -- the winner must get both answers right and be correct on the reasoning.