Since 2009
THE PRAYFIT DEVOTION
A Little Ditty
"For physical training is of some value, but training in godliness has value now and in the life to come." --1 Timothy 4:8
I'm likely giving away my age when I remind you of one of my favorite praise and worship songs, "I Just Came To Praise The Lord." Anyone?...Anyone?
"I just came to praise the Lord. I just came to praise the Lord. I just came to praise His holy name. I just came to praise the Lord."
Classic, right? On more than one occasion, I've felt like that in church. Shake hands, wave at friends, but get me to my seat, I need to talk to Jesus. I felt like that on my walk yesterday. I didn't set any land speed records, but I logged 3.12 miles. It's always such a good time talking to the Lord, cleansing my heart, clearing my mind, praying for family, asking for wisdom, planning excellence. Far beyond the physical benefits the walking is doing to my recovery -- being over a month removed from major back surgery -- my training has always been an extension of my quiet time. Sure, each stride sends vital nutrients to aid in healing, but my "walk" is more important.
Try it. Next time you hit the gym or go for your jog, remember today's little ditty. As you raise those weights overhead, remember the ultimate burden He lifted. As you run your miles, recall the distance He went to call you His own. And I know, the world will demand that you "focus" on the goal, the reason you're in the gym or on the road. And your response can either be spoken or sung, because in truth, you are focusing on the goal and the reason you're in the gym.
--Jimmy Peña
A Little Ditty with Jimmy: Old habits die hard, because 20-plus years ago -- during my really heavy lifting days -- my best lifts always came when my heart was right, my mind was focused and my motives were pure. If I was worried, convicted, or struggling somehow, I just wasn't my best. The habit of praying before each workout became a habit I would take into each set and each rest period, until my training became an extension of my quiet time. Trust me, while I had the Rocky soundtrack blaring in my ears, I had grace and forgiveness coursing through my heart. I even remember specific prayers, mantras even, that I'd say to the Lord. Funny, I still do. Even as I blaze through -- okay, limp through -- my 3.12 miles.
EXERCISE IN FOCUS: Double Crunch
One of the most challenging exercises that you can do for your abs is the double crunch -- which is featured in our workout of the week -- because it hits your abs hard from top to bottom. Here's how to get it right.
Double Crunch | Focus: Upper abs, lower abs | (VIDEO) Lie down on the floor with your legs straight, feet together. Place your hands gently behind your head and raise your feet off the floor roughly six inches. Crunch your upper body off the floor while simultaneously bringing your knees toward your torso, so that your upper body meets your lower body in the middle. Squeeze and return to the start, allowing your legs to remain above the floor throughout.
The Water's Edge
"One day Jesus was walking along the shore..." --Matthew 4:18
Read: Matthew 4
Although the weather was gloomy last weekend, Loretta and I decided to drive to the coast to relax. As we walked onto the sand, we immediately noticed a sea lion laying on the beach. When the wildlife rescue team arrived, they said it was probably sick and needed to rest, which is why it came ashore. Had it not, those able to save it said it would have surely died at sea.
Now, if you've been on PrayFit for any length of time, you know by now that I'm a little sentimental, so you'll forgive the analogy. But some of the greatest men and women have been rescued near the water. Moses needed courage on the banks of the Red Sea. David needed wisdom as he chose five stones. And on the beach in Galilee, Andrew and Peter met their Purpose face-to-face. Courage, wisdom, a Savior.
Are you facing some heavy work issues? Are you or someone you love in dire need of physical healing? Or maybe you just need a little rest. No matter your needs as we start a new week, His favorite place to run is to our rescue. Let's remember that our only hope in the world is waiting for us at the water's edge.
--Jimmy Peña
10-MINUTE WORKOUT: LEGS
Wanna change your entire body? Start at the bottom and work your way up. By training the large muscles of your lower body with greater intensity, you stand to burn more calories and raise your metabolism. This 10-minute training plan, which attacks your legs with bodyweight exercises only, is designed to set your whole body on a path to transformation. Click below to get started.
The Water's Edge
"One day Jesus was walking along the shore..." --Matthew 4:18
Read: Matthew 4
Although the weather was gloomy last weekend, Loretta and I decided to drive to the coast to relax. As we walked onto the sand, we immediately noticed a sea lion laying on the beach. When the wildlife rescue team arrived, they said it was probably sick and needed to rest, which is why it came ashore. Had it not, those able to save it said it would have surely died at sea.
Now, if you've been on PrayFit for any length of time, you know by now that I'm a little sentimental, so you'll forgive the analogy. But some of the greatest men and women have been rescued near the water. Moses needed courage on the banks of the Red Sea. David needed wisdom as he chose five stones. And on the beach in Galilee, Andrew and Peter met their Purpose face-to-face. Courage, wisdom, a Savior.
Are you facing some heavy work issues? Are you or someone you love in dire need of physical healing? Or maybe you just need a little rest. No matter your needs as we start a new week, His favorite place to run is to our rescue. Let's remember that our only hope in the world is waiting for us at the water's edge.
--Jimmy Peña
10-MINUTE WORKOUT: LEGS Wanna change your entire body? Start at the bottom and work your way up. By training the large muscles of your lower body with greater intensity, you stand to burn more calories and raise your metabolism. This 10-minute training plan, which attacks your legs with bodyweight exercises only, is designed to set your whole body on a path to transformation. Click below to get started.
>> NEW!!! For a more comprehensive target training routine plus motivation and biblical encouragement, try the NEW PrayFit 33-Day Body Toning System DVD, exclusively through Thomas Nelson Publishing and its family of retailers. Find out more or place an order by clicking here.
GRACE FOR IMPACT
August 18, 2011Read: Matthew 18
"For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." -- Matthew 18:20
Yesterday, my friend Allison King Earnst -- in just a few words -- wrote a novel's worth of wisdom. She alluded to the fact that God will often plot a course for believers to meet and team-up for the cause of Christ. She called it a "spiritual collision." The expression (appropriately) knocked me back on my heels.
Friends, in the area of health, we need each other. If we're gonna to live abundantly like God intended, we need moms and dads, brothers, sisters, spouses and friends, to help us hit life head on. And when we do, God is more than near, He's here. So let's do more than just meet. Let's collide! With a running start, let's push our faith into the battle. God Himself designed these bodies of ours and the world won't take them without a fight. So...I'll see you in the middle? Remember, it's not the battles we lose that should bother us, it's the ones we don't suit-up for. Thankfully, in the times we break through, and when we ultimately break down, God promises grace for impact.
-JP
DID YOU KNOW? High blood sugar can sour your mood. In a recent study, researchers found that people who drink two and a half cans of soda daily are three times more likely to be depressed and anxious than those drinking less pop. What's more, the depressed have a heightened risk for Type II diabetes. The reverse also holds true: Diabetics are twice as likely as others to suffer depression.
COMING INTO FOCUS
December 9, 2010Read: Psalm 25
"Show me your ways, O Lord." --Psalm 25:4
Earlier this year, Eric asked me to join him at a photo shoot. It had actually been a while since I'd been to one, but because I directed shoots for all those years, I felt right at home. I knew the exercises Eric wanted, the general feel of the article and even knew the photographer from way back when.
And as we were trying to get a particular shot, we realized that we were using the wrong lens for the exercise. The only way to get the shot we wanted, allowing us to see the entire move, was to use a wide-angle lens; we were too close to what we wanted to see, that what we needed was way out of frame.
Aren't we like that? We get so close to our days, jobs, and goals that we have no periphery. Our tunnel-vision eyes are so keenly fixed on what's dead ahead that the DEAD END AHEAD comes into view far too late.
So let's make sure we start each day kneeling, asking for His wisdom, seeking His guidance...and wanting His point of view.
--J.P.
FITNESS & NUTRITION UPGRADES
For over two years, PrayFit has provided volumes of great information on healthy living. High-powered workouts, tasty recipes, fitness headlines and research, exercise tips and more, all delivered to your inbox or accessible with the click of a mouse. Now, we've gathered that info and pooled it into easy-to-find locations on the site so you can get all the wisdom you need for fitter, healthier living. We've also created permanent homes for exercise descriptions and videos so you can practice spot-on technique for faster, lasting results.
NEW! FITNESS: Workouts, fitness news and research, exercise tips
NEW! NUTRITION: Healthy recipes, nutrition news, kitchen tips
NEW! VIDEOS: Visual aids for technically sound reps, every time
NEW! EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS: A detailed, step-by-step guide to getting your form right
Note: Fitness and Nutrition are both accessible at all times from the revamped left navigation on each page of the website.
CORNERMAN
July 28, 2010Read: Matthew 11
"Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened and I'll give you rest." --Matthew 11:28
We've all heard the phrase "God is in your corner." Sounds comforting, no? But if you've ever seen a cornerman at work, the phrase takes on new meaning. Especially if you compare what he does to what we know of God, the similarities are striking.
Let's see: He has his fighter's best interest in mind. He knows what his fighter can handle. He never takes his eyes off his fighter. He knows his fighter's strengths and weaknesses. He knows the opponent's strengths and weaknesses. He treats his fighter's wounds. He gives wise advice on how to win the fight. He knows when his fighter's had enough. Win or lose, he's always there to pick him up.
(Now, compare all that to what a cornerman does.)
Come to think of it, have you ever seen a fighter avoid his corner between rounds? Me neither.
--J.P.
PRAYFIT TIP: THE TIMING OF IT ALL You need your abs and core fresh during your entire training session, especially during bent-over moves like Romanian or stiff-legged deadlifts, and during all types of squatting moves. And that goes for both men and women!
Many of you might be working with a trainer who has you going from an abs move into a bent-over move or squat-type of exercise in superset fashion, and I realize he or she is doing it to keep your heart rate up, to keep it fun with lots of variety, etc. But realize that you could be putting yourself at risk of injury by doing so.
During squatting moves or bent-over moves, your core and abs work to stabilize your spine -- think of them as an inner weightlifting belt -- but if they’re weak and fatigued, you won’t be able to generate the necessary pressure inside to hold your spine in perfect alignment. The result: a weaker lift and a more unstable core.
Please don’t buy into the notion that you “fire up” the abs and core by training them first. That makes no sense and it won’t help you achieve your goals and, it bears repeating, could be promoting injury.
Finally, why put anything in a situation where you won’t be at your very best? By sacrificing your strength on multi-joint lifts that involve more muscle, you are working with less strength and building less muscle. You can always fatigue your abs last, when the need to have a stable core is not imperative.
>> CORE QUESTIONS?: Drop your thoughts and questions on core training in our forums by clicking here.