Since 2009
THE PRAYFIT DEVOTION
STANDING UP STRAIGHT
November 28, 2011 Read: Psalm 84
"No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly." --Psalm 84:11
Isn't it interesting that at the mere mention of the words 'good posture', we automatically pull our shoulders back? (Admit it, you just sat up a little taller in your chair as you read that sentence.) Well, if it helps, I sat up as I wrote it. Many of you don't know, but a little over a year ago, I had spine surgery; a couple of fusions and an artificial disk were all my neck needed. Okay, basically I have a brand new neck. And of the many rehab mandatories, a lifetime of maintaining good posture is at the top of the list. That's why I'm constantly asking my wife to remind me of it.
Good posture. Physically and spiritually. Isn't that the goal each day? Am I eating right? Am I reading my Bible? Am I walking uprightly in my pursuit of abundant living? When it comes to my very small, brief life, there's a lot I think I need, but I want nothing more than a backbone for Christ, while protecting the frame He designed around it.
I just want to stand up straight.
Have a good week everyone. In Jesus' name, we train.
--Jimmy Peña
WORKOUT OF THE WEEK: BACK ISSUES
Speaking of good posture, a strong back can help. Next time you're at your gym, try this workout. It'll help target all the major muscles of your back.
Lat Pulldown: 3 sets x 10-15 The lat pulldown is great as a warm-up as well as the start of your working sets. Do a few light warm-up sets with very light weight before reaching failure at the designated rep range. The lat pulldown targets the upper part of the lats, the wide, wing-shaped muscles that extend from your armpit down to your lower back.
Wide-Grip Seated Row: 3 sets of 8-12 Close-Grip Seated Row: 3 sets x 8-12 The wide-grip seated row will zero-in on your upper lats, while also hitting your middle back (rhomboids, middle traps). When you switch to the narrow grip, you shift the focus to the lower lats.
Pull-Up: 4 sets x To Failure Close-Grip Pull-Up: 4 sets x To Failure Finish your quick yet effective back workout with pull-ups and chin-ups, to failure, four sets each. Do as many wide-grip pull-ups as possible then finish with the underhand chin. Your biceps, which come into play more with this grip, will help you tax every remaining fiber in your back.
--Rest 60-90 seconds between sets and exercises. --Perform this workout once per week, preferably as one of the first in your schedule of workouts. --Do 5-10 minutes of general warm-up work, such as jogging or jumping jacks, in order to increase blood flow and elevate your core temperature. Follow each workout with a few minutes of back stretches to maintain flexibility in these crucial postural muscles.
COMING SOON!: December 6 marks the official release of PrayFit's first DVD, now available for pre-order on Amazon and other retail websites.
LOVE STEPPED IN
May 9th, 2011Read: Romans 3
"It comes freely unto us, but Christ bought it and paid the price." --Romans 3:22
This last Saturday night, the much-anticipated fight between Manny Pacquiao and Shane Mosely came and went with the expected outcome. But there was another fight that night that caught my attention. In one of the undercard bouts, a fighter in the late rounds was taking too many blows, unable to defend himself. His corner didn't wait for the ref to stop it, but threw in the towel knowing their fighter had enough. Come to find out, the fighter's cornerman was also his dad. As one announcer said, "Love stepped in." He just couldn't bear to see his son endure such a beating.
In the fight for our future, Jesus went the distance. While He could have stopped the fight, God knew we could never defend ourselves, so He let the battle rage. I guess you could say, "love stepped in," until our fight was over.
--J.P.
WORKOUT OF THE WEEK: Dumbbell Complex
So many of us have to take our workout time where we can get it -- before work, at lunch or after work. There's a reason they call it "rush hour" at the gym. Unfortunately, time efficiency can be difficult during these times and a good, full-body workout that takes you from one station to the next might just be out of the question (unless you have two hours to spare). No problem. This week's workout is right up your alley, as it has you working the entire body, in one spot, at the same time.
The complex, which can be performed with dumbbells or a barbell, allows you to train multiple muscle groups in succession without adjusting the weight. The order of the exercises can be altered to suit particular training goals. Your goal here? A solid, full-body workout that helps you build or maintain strength, while also keeping your fat-fighting furnace adequately stoked.
What you're going to do is pick a light-to-moderate set of dumbbells -- one that allows you to do around 20 reps on most isolation moves like lateral raises and curls. The reason we're going lighter is because we're going to begin each round of exercises with isolation moves. After we've hit certain bodyparts with laser-like accuracy, we'll move to a few exercises that require multiple joints and muscle groups, which allows you to raise the intensity without increasing the weight. By the end of the set, what once felt light will actually feel heavy.
Don't let lack of space or time ever stand in your way for a tough, proven workout.
For this workout, do 20 reps of each exercise, resting only as long as it takes to get into position for the next move. At the end of the last exercise, rest 1-2 minutes and repeat the sequence. Three total trips through the complex, 2-3 times per week is plenty. You'll have trained your entire body in a fraction of the time it would have taken otherwise.
Bent-Over Lateral Raise | Target: Shoulders (emphasis: rear delts) Lateral Raise | Target: Shoulders (emphasis: middle delts) Standing Dumbbell Overhead Press | Target: Shoulders (emphases: front, middle delts) Bent-Over Dumbbell Row (two-hand) | Target: Back (emphasis: lower lats) Biceps Curl (simultaneously) | Target: Biceps Dumbbell Squat | Target: Legs (emphases: quads, glutes, hamstrings)
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"YA GOTTA HAVE GANAS"
September 7, 2010Read: 1 Samuel
"Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." --1 Samuel 16:7
Last week I had the honor of spending some time with the leaders of the Boys and Girls Clubs of El Paso -- an amazing group of people that I promise you'll hear more about in the months ahead. And while touring one of the facilities, a teenager's t-shirt caught my attention. It read, "Hay Que Tener Ganas." As I read it out loud, I was given a shrug and a head tilt, "Ya gotta have heart." (And mine stopped). To say the moment motivated me would be like saying Picasso painted or Mozart made music; an understatement to say the least. And as it turns out, it's their motto.
So because of those kids, this week is all about that very thing. How we take care of the bodies God gave us is a heart issue, is it not? At PrayFit, we believe how the body responds in weight loss is merely a byproduct of obedience. It's the daily diligence to eat right and exercise that takes true desire and guts. The kind of guts Omar, David and Clutch showed me last week. "They're the true dreamers" -- something I think their director, Mrs. Maldonado, would be the first to point out. JP
PRAYFIT WORKOUT OF THE WEEK: BACK This workout is made up of the tried-and-true basics of back training, from the strength-and-power staples like the bent-over row and deadlift to the challenging simplicity of the traditional pull-up as an intense finisher. If you prefer, you can switch the order of the row and deadlift from workout to workout, which means that both exercises get the benefit of going first when you’re freshest and have the most energy to lift heavy poundage. Same idea goes for the wide-grip pulldown and seated cable row. Post your experiences to the comments section below, or in the forums.
Exercise Sets Reps Bent-Over Barbell Row 5 6, 6, 8, 8, 10 Deadlift 4 6, 8, 8, 10 Wide-Grip Pulldown 3 10, 10, 10 Seated Cable Row 3 10, 10, 10 Pull-Up 2 To failure