Since 2009
THE PRAYFIT DEVOTION
Deeply Rooted
Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong. --Ephesians 3:17
Read: Ephesians 3
If there were ever any doubts that I was sentimental, yesterday's scene removed them. Looking over the wall at the construction site next door, my heart sank. Not at what they were about to build, but at what they had to remove to do so. For days, they've been laying the dirt for a massive new set of condos and shops, and they're almost done clearing the four football fields' worth of space. The last thing that needed to go was the foliage. For the 50-foot excavator, most of the weeds and bushes were no match. But at the top of the hill stood a very old, very strong tree. The trunk was easily 8-10 feet in diameter, and likely the first tree in the field many years ago, and thus, the last one out.
The massive excavator backed up for a running start and tore into it, ramming it over and over and over again, but it wouldn't budge. It just wasn't ready to go. Eventually, the breaking of the trunk sounded like thunder, because something so deeply rooted is not so easily moved.
Deeply rooted. If you're battling something physical today, and forces beyond or within your control work to tumble you, stand firm. Yeah, I'm sentimental, but just like my tree yesterday, you can say, "Not yet," because your health is something to protect. And spiritually, the more we love and trust Him, the deeper our faith grows. With Jesus in our hearts, we're His family tree and there's salvation in the soil; and from that you cannot be removed.
--Jimmy Peña
Q&A WITH ELITE ULTRAMARATHONER JOSH COX
When it comes to running, few in this country are better at it than ultramarathoner and PrayFit supporter Josh Cox. Today, you'll get to know Josh a bit better through this candid interview. In it, he discussed his father's battle with cancer, time at seminary and what it means to give back. He also chats about what it takes to achieve a better running stride and the best thing you can do to run faster race times.
>> Click here for the full interview.
“Jimmy and the PrayFit team embody the words Paul penned to Timothy, ‘For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.’ (1 Tim. 4:8) Their daily devotional feeds my spirit and inspires my sweat!” –-Josh Cox, elite ultramarathoner, American record holder in the 50K
>> Click here to read the endorsements from other PrayFit supporters.
A Peyton Manning Moment
"But Jesus said, 'You feed them.' They answered him saying, 'But we only have five loaves of bread and two fish, unless we go and buy food for all these people.'" --Luke 9:13
Read: Luke 9
Seeing as we're in the middle of football season, I've declared this Peyton Manning week. Of all the great things that Peyton is known for in the National Football League (NFL), changing the plays at the line of scrimmage is one of them. More often than not, he breaks the huddle, approaches the line and, based on what he sees in the defense, he yells out a different plan. He calls an audible and, in doing so, changes the game.
Now, for Peyton to be able to read the defense is a gift, no doubt. But I'm as impressed with how his offense adapts so quickly to his changing mind. One thing is for certain, you can't work with Peyton and expect routine. As for me? I'd prefer Peyton to simply remember what we agreed on in the huddle; 'Just stick to the original plan, would ya?' I love my daily routine. I can deal with the expected.
You know, Jesus was known for calling a few audibles of his own. Like we see in today's passage, asking the impossible, he'd watch his disciples go from scratching their heads in wonder to rubbing their eyes in awe. Maybe that's why Jesus so often asked where their faith was. I know He'd ask me the same. Can anyone relate? Anyone else having a week of unfamiliar routes and last-minute audibles? Anyone else rubbing their eyes yet?
--Jimmy Peña
MASTERING YOUR BODYWEIGHT How a simple increase in intensity can maximize your workouts
At PrayFit, we rely a lot on bodyweight exercises. In many of our weekly workouts, you'll see maybe a plyometric push up or a jump squat. Those moves are incredible for developing lean muscle. But I want to explain why. Take the plyo-push up for example. During the plyo-push up, you lower your chest toward the floor slowly, then you press yourself up as powerfully and explosively as possible in order to let your hands come off the floor. Some of you can even do clap push-ups, clapping your hands on each rep.
Well, there's a lot of science behind that simple move. See, during a typical push-up (and any standard rep on anything in the gym for that matter) we decelerate the move so that our hands remain in contact with the floor. Same thing with, say, the bench press. We decelerate the bar as we press up so the bar doesn't leave our hands. BUT, during plyo-push ups, we forget about deceleration and allow our hands to leave the floor. Doing so causes more fast-twitch muscle fibers to be utilized. Fast-twitch fibers are those muscle fibers most responsible for tone for the ladies and muscle mass for the guys. The explosive nature of the plyos calls those fibers into play.
So the next time you see a jump squat or plyo-push up, you know why. AND, when you get too tired during any of those sets, simply resume the exercise with the standard version of that move and you'll help tighten and tone even more.
>> For video demonstrations of plyo push-ups and jump squats, click here.
Gumption
"Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air."— 1 Corinthians 9:26
Read: 1 Corinithans 9
I'm definitely old-fashioned, but who reading this remembers tryouts? I thought of it yesterday when I asked, "Who won?" to a young boy and his mom as they came back from his soccer game. They replied, "Oh, we don't keep score. In this league, we don't keep score and everybody plays." Hmm. I tried to hide my confusion, but had she replied in Yiddish it would have made as much sense.
You know, if Paul were in sports, I think he would have enjoyed keeping score. The way he talked of disciplining his body like an athlete, or how passionately he wrote of running the race. Something tells me, Paul would have understood the "thrill of victory and the agony of defeat." Of course, Paul would be the first person to teach us of grace and forgiveness, but a record of wrongs is not the issue at stake. The issue is more about the kind of fight we have in us for the faith, as well as for the body. Like Paul, it's time to follow our instincts.
Truth be told, if our health was required for Heaven, well, we'd be in bad shape. And if God kept score on our day's losses, we'd lose outright every time. But it's because of those things that we might as well toughen up. Who knows how effective we could be for the kingdom if we exercised a little more Godly gumption. Not in order to win favor, but because we have favor.
Oh, and I have to report, as my neighbor disappeared into her home, the little boy stuck his head out the front door, put his hand up to the side of his mouth as if to tell me a secret from across the street: "We won 11 to nothin'!" he yelled with a whisper. Atta boy, I thought. Gumption. He's a carrier. And so are you.
--Jimmy Peña
NEWS: ACTOR TERRY CREWS ENDORSES PRAYFIT
You may recognize Terry Crews from his roles on TBS's Are We There Yet?, UPN/CW's Everbody Hates Chris or the action blockbuster The Expendables. You may also recognize him from his hilarious commercial spots for Old Spice. But this faithful, action-comedy star also happens to be one of the fittest men in Hollywood...and a fan of PrayFit.
"Jimmy Pena has been doing his thing in fitness for decades, but with PrayFit, he's taken things to a whole new level," Terry said in his endorsement. "If you're looking to build a stronger faith while also getting healthier, then this is the resource for you."
Crews joins a powerhouse list of endorsers that includes actor/producer Tyler Perry, TV host Mario Lopez, actor/entertainer LL Cool J, 2010 American League Most Valuable Player Josh Hamilton, two-time boxing champion Robert Guerrero and actress Rachel Cannon.
PASSING THE FAITH ALONG
July 21, 2011Read: John 14
“You know the way to the place where I am going.” --John 14:4
Hope nobody’s tired of this week’s marathon theme, because I’m definitely not running out of topics (Ouch!). But I did see something at the race that made me tilt my head and squint my eyes just a bit; something that seemed out of place–a relay team.
I never thought of a marathon as a team sport, but as it turns out, you can run relay-style. Every few minutes or so, I’d see someone run by carrying a baton they’d received from their forerunner, and I realized they’re not in the race alone; for them to be running, there needed to be a hand off.
As believers, it’s neat to think that as we run, we’re collectively carrying a light that Jesus himself lit miles and miles ago. My forerunner was a sweet man named Henry Powell. Because of him, I’m in the race. And although I haven’t always kept pace, because of my ‘preacher man’, I know where I’ll be when I run out of road.
Who was your forerunner?
–J.P.
SO YOU WANNA RUN A MARATHON? (continued)
So if you have managed to stick to the site all week, you will have noticed a developing theme. First, we discussed how beginners should approach their training. Here, we'll speak to the intermediates and our more advanced runners who are looking to make a serious impression on the course.
INTERMEDIATE: If you regularly run 20 to 30 miles a week, and have done so for a year or more, you’re an intermediate. Intermediates also likely do a weekly long run of 8-10 miles and have some experience with tempo runs or intervals. They’ve run 10K races and maybe even finished a half marathon. The rare, elite category of intermediates may have already run a full marathon but are now ready to set more challenging goals for their race times.
>> The Plan: “Long runs are the basis of marathon training, but at this level it’s important to add some intensity to the program,” says anaerobic management coach John Sinclair (www.anaerobic.net). So, you’ll gradually increase the length of the weekly long run to adapt your mind and body to the rigors of running nonstop for several hours. But running 18 to 20 miles at a time isn’t all you need, so you’ll supplement these runs with some higher-effort running twice weekly, including sustained tempo runs at your half-marathon race pace. These promote aerobic strength and efficiency and will help you find that groove you’d like to be in when you run a longer race, according to Sinclair. You’ll also be doing a smattering of speed work. For more specific tips, visit www.runnersworld.com.
ADVANCED: Advanced runners are veterans — those who have been at it for at least three or four years that routinely log 35 to 40 miles a week, with a splash of interval training mixed in for good measure. Advanced runners have likely run the full gamut of races from the 5K up to the marathon. But even elite runners want to score that most prized runner’s achievement — the PR, the absolute fastest 26.2 miles you’re capable of. They may also have ideas of crossing the tape first in a given division.
>> The Plan: “You’ll have to be willing to hit 50 miles a week,” Sinclair says. “For an advanced marathon effort, inadequate miles just won’t cut it.” At this level, your goal is to learn how to maintain a strong, solid pace for several hours. So, along with the standard long runs, you’re going to spend two days a week developing stamina at half marathon, 10K, and 5K race paces. On Thursdays, you’ll be served a marathon goal pace/tempo/cruise combo platter — an extended effort that develops focus, strength, and the capacity to hold a strong pace as fatigue sets in. “Long runs and mileage get you to the finish line,” says Sinclair. “Intensity in your training will get you to the finish line faster.”
Source: Runner’s World
HEARD: “Not only is Jimmy Pena one of my best friends, but whenever I want to get dialed-in for a role or photo shoot, he’s my only call. And I love starting my day at PrayFit.com, building spiritual and physical muscle. A one-of-a-kind concept from the best in the business.”
–Mario Lopez, host, EXTRA
>> To hear what others are saying about PrayFit, click here.