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THE PRAYFIT DEVOTION

Jimmy Peña 4/25/10 Jimmy Peña 4/25/10

NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH

April 26, 2010Read: Mark 12

"Love thy neighbor as yourself." --Mark 12:31

Sitting on our little porch, I'm watching Loretta add potting mix, dirt and water to plants and shrubs. The smell of barbecue from a nearby condo fills the air. Somebody's cookin' out. The neighborhood seems alive tonight. Sun-filled cheeks on neighborhood kids is evidence of a fast-approaching summer. It seems God has dropped me in an episode of Leave it to Beaver. Somehow you'd expect Wally to come strollin' by. But I know better. This is no Pine Street.

I know better because I know myself better. When was the last time we visited a new neighbor? Or went to see the widow down the street? Or invited the single dad to church? Not sure if you can relate, but we have more in common with Mrs. Kravitz than we do June Cleaver. In reality, however, our homes, apartments and condos are as much an opportunity to witness as gyms, offices and schools. Let's make it a point this week to do something in Jesus' name for those we live around.

--J.P.

KNOWING YOUR REP MAX

Many of the programs you read here at PrayFit are based upon your ability to estimate your one-rep max, or 1RM, the amount of weight you can lift on an exercise one time.

But research shows that if you don’t know your 1RM, you can still estimate it with accuracy as long as you can determine at least your 5RM. So we’ve provided an equation of determining your 1RM through your 5RM. Since many of you might train alone, and the ability to test your 1RM might prove difficult, this could be your best way to go. To test yourself, choose a weight with which you can do five reps to failure. Then plug that 5RM weight (in pounds) into the following equations.

Upper body exercise: (5RM x 1.1307) 0.6998 = 1RM

Lower body (5RM x 1.0970) 14.2546 = 1RM

Jimmy Peña 4/23/10 Jimmy Peña 4/23/10

IN THE SAME BOAT

April 23, 2010Read: Luke 8

"The disciples went and woke him saying, 'Master, Master, we're going to drown.' He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided and all was calm." --Luke 8:24

I wonder if the disciples were the ones who coined the phrase, "We're in the same boat." I'm curious because theirs wasn't the only ship on the raging sea that night. All the other vessels battled the same wind and the same waves, but the difference was the boat's manifest. So maybe it was an epiphany. Amidst the crushing waves, "Hey, wait a minute, we're in the same boat as God!" Or maybe it was disbelief at the storms audacity. "Surely the storm should spare us since we're in the same boat with the Lord."

Either way, without Him the disciples stood no chance with no other choice. So they woke the only one who could put the sea to sleep. Which makes me think, maybe it was Jesus who first said it. When the sun peaked through the clouds and began warming faces on a glassy sea, maybe Jesus said, "Don't be afraid. I wouldn't let anything happen to you. We're in the same boat."

--J.P.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Is drinking diet drinks a smart idea? First of all, I'm of the mindset that diet drinks are so full of all things artificial that they'll do as much harm as good ol' sugar, if not more. Secondly, diet drinks tend to give a false sense of hope. Recent studies have shown that people who drink diet sodas have a higher occurrence of being overweight compared to those who don't drink them. One of the reasons they state is that when people drink diet soda, they feel it gives them license to eat poorly in other areas and times during the day. Drink them if you must but next time you're thirsty, you might want to reach for some H2O instead!

Jimmy Peña 4/20/10 Jimmy Peña 4/20/10

LOVE WORKS

April 21, 2010Read: John 13 "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, that you have love for one another." --John 13:35

Not sure what the commercial was selling, but I'm sold on their greater message. A baby drops a blanket, a man picks it up, and that act is witnessed by another who selflessly helps someone else; so on and so forth like a good deed domino effect. Some call that "karma," or maybe how the "energy of the universe gives back", but God just calls it love.

The person sitting next to you in class, the last customer of the day, the slow driver, the stubborn boss. Someone around us just might be questioning the inconceivable and unbelievable love of God. Will they find their answers in the gospel according to us?

--J.P.

FIFTEEN MINUTES TO FIT Mix in this progressive power workout to get trim (and fast)

Want a jump start to your day? If you've got 15 minutes, we've got a way to spend 'em.

Pick a point about 50 yards away and after a brief warm-up, sprint (or walk or jog as fast as you can) to that point and walk back to the start. As soon as you're back to the start, repeat the sprint. Using a stopwatch or clock, continue this sprint/walk regimen for 15 minutes. Make sure you remember how many times you're able to make the up-and-back trip, because you'll need to beat that number for the next five days. If you do it 10 times today, you'll need to do at least eleven tomorrow, and so on.

This interval-style workout will help you build speed and stamina, while burning fat. Done on an empty stomach, it can do even more for your fat-burning furnace.

Jimmy Peña 4/19/10 Jimmy Peña 4/19/10

THE STANDARD

April 20, 2010Read: Hebrews 13 "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever." --Hebrews 13:8

There's a great scene in the classic movie, Hoosiers, where the aging coach (Gene Hackman) leads his young team onto an empty court hours before the state championship. The intimidating arena was something the young team from Hickory had never dreamed of, let alone seen.

As the team's collective jaw dropped at the enormity of the venue, Coach quietly took out a tape measure to determine the distance from the basket down to the floor. With the team huddled around him, Coach revealed that the measurements matched those of their humble court back home, and the kids quickly realized the lesson: No matter how daunting or unexpected the surroundings, the standards of the game remain the same.

Aren't we glad that no matter how much the world changes around us, God's word--the standard--never does.

--J.P.

TOP OF THE MORNING

Yesterday, we espoused the virtues -- which are many -- of oatmeal. However, that high-fiber, cholesterol fighting breakfast staple is not alone in the category of powerful morning fuel. Here is another complete breakfast option.

2-3 eggs A perfect protein source, eggs are a great way to start your day. Not only do they provide muscle-building amino acids, but they can also stave off cravings that may come through between breakfast and lunch. You can reduce the number of yolks you have if cholesterol is a concern.

2 slices of Ezekiel bread 1 Tbsp natural peanut butter Ezekiel bread is great because like quinoa, Ezekiel bread has all of the essential amino acids (essential meaning your body needs them from food). That means that it is not only a slow-digesting complex carb, but it is also a complete protein. Opt for the regular version of Ezekiel bread as opposed to the non-sodium version and refrigerate it to extend its freshness. Ezekiel is a great choice, even for those on low-carb diets. The peanut butter provides healthy fat and good protein and will help you feel fuller longer and help curb your appetite.

Chase it all down with some water to hydrate and a splash of orange juice to quickly stock your muscles with fuel and you're good to go.

>> WHAT'S ON YOUR BREAKFAST MENU? Share your healthy breakfast combos and tips in our recipes section!

Jimmy Peña 4/18/10 Jimmy Peña 4/18/10

BIG HEART

"Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." --1 Samuel 16: 7

Secretariat was fast.

As one of the top three thoroughbreds of all time, Secretariat was in a class by himself. In fact, no other horse has ever run 1 1/2 miles faster than Secretariat. ESPN's Top 100 Athletes of the 20th Century ranks Secretariat at 35th, and is one of only three non-humans on the list. The other two were also horses, Man O' War (84th) and Citation (97th). Of the greatest sports performances of all time, Secretariat's run at the Belmont Stakes is ranked second only to Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game. And on his way to a still-standing Kentucky Derby record, Secretariat ran each quarter mile faster the one before it, unheard of before or since.

Like I said, Secretariat was quick.

And while Secretariat was the only horse to dawn the covers of Newsweek, Time and Sports Illustrated, no accolade or award comes close to what separates him from all others; he was all heart. His exuberance when he ran was justified by what doctors found when he couldn't. After suffering an incurable hoof condition, the autopsy of Secretariat revealed his heart weighed an astounding 22 pounds, the largest ever recorded for a racehorse.

I wanted to share the story of Secretariat as I sit and wait for another run at the Triple Crown. Are we running the race harder than yesterday? Are we committing ourselves to spiritual and physical health with all our hearts? If so, or if not, tell it to beat. And...we're off!

--Jimmy Peña

Jimmy Peña 4/4/10 Jimmy Peña 4/4/10

FINDING SHADE

April 5th, 2010Read: Luke 5 "And he withdrew himself into the wilderness and prayed." --Luke 5:16

The understatement of the year would be to say that we at PrayFit have been blessed. Your faithfulness, encouragement and prayers have overwhelmed us. We've just completed a major PrayFit endeavor and we want to publicly give the Lord all the glory. We thank Him for who He is, for what He's done, for what He's doing right now, and for what He will do in the weeks and months ahead.

With that promise, we are going to follow His lead into our own wilderness for time of prayer, rejuvenation and rest. The next PrayFit entry will be Monday, April 19. We hope you have an awesome week -- maybe catch a few season-opening baseball games, while staying true to your workouts and quiet times. (Okay, ballgames optional, I guess.)

Blessings to everyone.

Team PrayFit

Jimmy Peña 4/1/10 Jimmy Peña 4/1/10

AND YET HE DIED...

April 2, 2010Read: Luke 23

"And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom. Jesus answered him saying, today, you will be with me in paradise." --Luke 23:42-43

"You and I are tiny. Miniscule. Transient. Microscopic. A momentary and infinitesimal blip on the timeline of the universe. A seemingly undetectable alliance of dust particles held together by the breath of God.

The sum of our days is like a vapor -- our accumulated efforts like chaff in the wind. Among us, even the richest of the rich owns nothing. The strongest of the strong can be felled in one faltering heartbeat. We are fleeting mortals. Frail flesh. Little specks. Phantoms.

If this fact makes you just a tad bit uncomfortable, you're not alone. Invariably, when I talk about the vastness of God and the cosmos, someone will say, 'You're making me feel bad about myself and making me feel really, really small,' as if that's the worst thing that could happen. But the point is not to make you feel small, rather to help you see and embrace the reality that you are small...

Really, really small."

--Louie Giglio, excerpt from I Am Not But I Know I Am

We talk a lot at PrayFit about embracing our smallness, but of course, it's not about how small we are but all about how big God is...really, really big. And yet despite how tiny we are relative to the cosmos, God, who can line up every planet of every galaxy in the palm of His hand, sent His son to willingly die on the cross as penalty for my mistakes -- and for yours. All because a great, big God loves us.

All we have to do is accept the free gift of salvation by believing that Jesus was exactly who He said He was, and by asking Him to forgive us of our sins. On this Friday, this good Friday, will you make that decision? If you haven't already, let today be the day you accept Jesus into your heart and life. Then you can begin living like heaven is just around the corner, because you never know -- it just might be.

Jimmy Peña 3/31/10 Jimmy Peña 3/31/10

THE PELOTON EFFECT

April 1, 2010Read: Roman 15 "May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” --Romans 15:5-6

In the Tour de France, the most grueling bike race in the world, there’s almost always a small handful of riders who will break away from the pack early in the day. On a typical stage of over 120 miles, they may even get more than 15 minutes ahead of the rest of the riders!

That’s why the rest of the riders form a large pack called a peloton. The riders group together for the primary purpose of saving energy so they will be strong to the finish. The reduction in wind resistance, or drag, is dramatic with riders in the middle of the pack saving up to 40% of their energy.

According to studies done by Nike, a bike racer consumes almost 80 percent of his energy cutting through the air and only 20 percent moving his bike. The peloton effect is similar to what birds experience when they fly in formation. It helps them fly much farther than they could alone.

Conserving energy by sticking together is the only way for a racer to survive the brutal physical strain of a Tour de France – the metabolic equivalent of running 21 marathons in 23 days.

And the same is true for our life as Christians. We are much better together. We are designed to work together as a team, to bear one another’s burdens, and to push each other to do great things. When we are united by the love of Jesus and our mission to share His truth with others, we accomplish much more than we could on our own.

Sounds like a great way to compete and to live!

Pastor Jimmy Page serves as the Vice President of Field Ministry and National Director of Wellness for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA). For nearly 20 years, he has been a leader in the medical fitness industry, operating wellness facilities affiliated with Sinai Hospital and Johns Hopkins. He currently hosts a daily radio segment and podcast called Fit Life Today, offering a blend of spiritual and physical health principles that promote abundant life. In 2010, Jimmy published Wisdom Walks: 40 Life-Changing Principles to Live and Give. Wisdom Walks is a field manual for mentoring the next generation and can be found soon at www.wisdomwalks.org.

UP IN ARMS So far we've touched on how to hit the long heads of both the biceps and triceps. Today we move to the lateral head of the triceps and the inner head of the biceps.

All this talk of "target" training makes me want to remind everyone of what we said earlier in the week -- that it's virtually impossible to completely isolate any one particular muscle, but you can emphasize parts of your arm depending on the angle of your arm and/or th grip of your hands.

So, on to the triceps lateral head. This is the most visible part of the triceps since it lays on the outside of your arm. Keeping your arms in front of your body, as in triceps pushdowns (arguably the most popular triceps move) will help target that lateral head with the most success. Anytime you keep your arms at your sides or slightly out in front you, that's the muscle that absorbs most of the work. But while we're at the triceps pushdown station, we might as well discuss the medial head of the triceps. The medial head lies underneath the other two muscles, and is responsible for helping balance and manage most all triceps exercises. However, it is most active whenever you flip your grip on the bar, say, during the pushdown, and any other triceps move where you reverse your grip.

The inner head of the biceps -- the one you see when you flex your biceps in the mirror -- is emphasized whenever your arms are high or out in front of the body, as in preacher curls or high cable curls. Surprisingly, it's because the tension on the long head is lessened during those moves, forcing much of the work to the short, inner head. It's not necessarily because the two muscles fight for superiority and the short head wins, but in reality, the biomechanics of the exercises lessen or heighten one over the other.

So if you wanted a blitz of both the lateral and medial triceps heads while also blasting the short head of the biceps, try this workout on for size (or tone).

You'll go back and forth between triceps exercises and biceps moves:

Exercise Triceps pressdown Dumbbell preacher curl Reverse grip pressdown High cable curl Lying triceps extension Wide-grip barbell curl

--Do 3-4 sets of 8-15 reps of each exercise and rest one minute between sets.

Jimmy Peña 3/30/10 Jimmy Peña 3/30/10

IS IT IN YOU?

March 31, 2010Read: Romans 8

"You, however, are not controlled by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you.” -- Romans 8:9

I love watching the Gatorade© commercials. They show athletes giving everything they have to either train for sport or in the heat of competition. And, you can actually see the neon green or orange Gatorade© pouring out of them as they sweat!

The commercials always end with their tag line, “Is it in you?” The implication is that somehow this drink is going to make you perform better on the field. Do you have what it takes to be a champion? Do you drink Gatorade©? Is it in you?

As a Christian, God tells us that the Spirit of God, the very essence of Christ, is in you! The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead comes to dwell in you. And this isn’t some kind of temporary thing. When you give your heart to Jesus, the Holy Spirit breathes life into your spirit. He literally brings you back from the dead – spiritually that is. Sin brings death, but the Spirit brings life.

And the really cool thing is that the Spirit gives you power! Power to choose God’s road over the road of sin – to perform better in life! He makes you a champion over sin!

Every day you are given a choice. Will you be led by the sinful nature or will you be led by the Spirit of the Living God. And when you choose God’s way, it will be obvious to everyone that there is something different about you!

Is it in you?

Pastor Jimmy Page serves as the VP of Field Ministry and National Director of Wellness for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA). For nearly 20 years, he has been a leader in the medical fitness industry, operating wellness facilities affiliated with Sinai Hospital and Johns Hopkins. He currently hosts a daily radio segment and podcast called Fit Life Today, offering a blend of spiritual and physical health principles that promote abundant life. In 2010, Jimmy published "Wisdom Walks: 40 Life-Changing Principles to Live and Give." Wisdom Walks is a field manual for mentoring the next generation and can be found soon at www.wisdomwalks.org.

LONG-ING FOR BETTER ARMS How to target the outer head of the biceps

Yesterday we focused on the long head of the triceps, the one most responsible for the shape (and size) of the back of the arm. Today, we move to the other side and work the long (outer) head of the biceps.

This particular muscle of the arm is at work most when the arm is stretched backward, behind the body. Imagine sitting on an incline bench with your arms hanging straight down to the floor. By having your arms in that position, it puts a pre-stretch on that head of the biceps.

Incline cable curls, close-grip barbell curls, incline dumbbell curls and drag curls are all good examples of moves that will help target that particular muscle. And for a frame of reference, if you flex your biceps, the muscle at the very peak of the biceps musculature is today's long head. So, in essence, this muscle is the one most responsible for how high a biceps looks in its flexed position.

Next time you're at the gym, try this peak-focused workout which will highly stress the long head.

Do 2-3 sets of each exercise, performing 10-15 reps each set. Rest as little as 30 seconds and no more than 2 mintues between each set. Try taking your last set to absolute failure. Barbell Curl Close-grip barbell curl Incline Cable Curl Smith Drag Curl Preacher Curl

Jimmy Peña 3/29/10 Jimmy Peña 3/29/10

CULTURE WARS

March 30, 2010Read: Daniel 1

“Then the King ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring in some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians. The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king’s table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king’s service.” --Daniel 1:3-5

One of the most effective ways to capture an enemy is to surround them. This gives them no viable way of escape. If you have ever seen a SWAT team in action, you know that they will generally secure the perimeter before they go in. When Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were brought into Babylon by Ashpenaz, they were literally surrounded by the culture of Babylon. They were to be immersed and indoctrinated into the ways and beliefs of Babylon at the height of its economic influence and power!

We are surrounded by a Babylonian Culture of our own. And at the core of this culture is Self; it is relentlessly hammering the ideology of self-indulgence, success, sensuality, and status. It appeals to the very core of our fleshly nature – our desire to be the center of attention, to be important, to be noticed.

We are bombarded with images that make us think that we are entitled to a life of comfort and ease; that we deserve it.

The enemy always wants to put us back into the bondage of sin. He hates the freedom we have in Christ so he will try to lure us back to our old, self-centered ways. And he will use the temptations of the culture around us to bring us down. Daniel shows us how we can remain free to influence our “Babylon” with lives of discipline, devotion, and integrity.

GO LONG FOR BETTER TRICEPS Raise your hands if you want to tax this meaty part of your arm

The triceps represents the majority of your upper arm musculature. This three-headed muscle includes a lateral head, a medial head and a long head. And of those three, it's the long head that takes up the most real estate.

This head, when it's not in shape, is the one most responsible for that jiggle when you wave. To put the long head in its strongest position means putting your arm overhead. Anytime you do overhead exercises, such as overhead extensions, that longer head is maximally involved. Not sure what an overhead extension is? Reach up and back as if you're trying to scratch your upper back, right at the base of the neck. That arm angle will help engage that long head to the greatest degree.

No weights? No problem. Next time you're in your kitchen, grab a soup can with one hand, then raise your arm up, directly overhead. Then, bending only from your elbow, try and lower the soup can to your upper back/base of your neck, then back up the arm straight overhead position. Once you feel tired in that arm, switch arms and repeat on the other side.

If you hit the gym regularly, the overhead extension can be done with dumbbells, cables and bands. You can do these one arm at a time or with both simultaneously. By doing them single-arm, you'll use your core musculature a bit more as you work to maintain your balance.

Jimmy Peña 3/28/10 Jimmy Peña 3/28/10

THE LORD NEVER PANICS

March 29, 2010Read: Isaiah 55

"As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” --Isaiah 55:9

Things on the ground look pretty small from 35,000 feet. I know, because that’s where this entry was written. Halfway through a five-hour trip cross country, the flight attendant announced, “If there is a physician on board, please come to the back of the aircraft.” She repeated it three times.

Immediately two young men, including a man sitting in my row, jumped from their seats and rushed to help. The rest of us simply sat and watched as a huddle formed in the back of the plane. After maybe a minute, a grey haired man from the front of the plane walked passed us, almost casually, and joined the effort at which time, the man from my row returned to his seat and explained that a young lady had suffered a panic attack.

Curious, I asked him if he was a physician. “No," he said. “There was only one doctor among us back there. Two of us were firemen, another had some medical training, but only one doctor -- an older man. When he showed up, we all stepped back to let him work.”

Get me a laptop, stat.

In life, we tend to panic, and the world responds will all sorts of solutions. But like today, I know I can’t run to the rescue. Only God can. Isn't it assuring to know that He is never rattled or stressed? He's always in control and is never late. And the problems that find us, even at 35,000 feet, are well under His.

Now I think I’ll sit back and relax. We still have a ways to go.

--J.P.

ARMED FOR THE WEEK

This week we will be working on something everyone wants: better arms. Whether you're a student wanting to better fill out your shirts, or you're trying to firm up your arms for a favorite summer dress, this week's focus will be biceps and triceps and how best to work them.

Anatomy Biceps: So named for the two muscles that make up the front of the upper arm. The long (outer) head and the short (inner) head. Triceps: Named for the three muscles that make up the back of the upper arm. The long, lateral and medial heads.

Each muscle of the arm, either biceps or triceps, are optimally worked depending on the angle of the arm to the body. That's why we train them with so many different exercises. Some might think it's for variety, which is a valid reason, but angles put stretch on the muscles differently, allowing for a slightly modified response.

So get ready for a week of angles, grips and exercises, along with how heavy or light you should be working your arms in each session depending on your goals.

Jimmy Peña 3/18/10 Jimmy Peña 3/18/10

APART FROM ANY OTHER

Read: Ephesians 2 “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” --Ephesians 2:8-9

The greatest thing about Christianity, the thing that sets it totally apart from every other religious system, is grace. Jesus is the only God we can serve who offers us salvation apart from our own efforts -- the only one who views us individually as though we have already achieved our full potential, rather than looking for flaws and reasons to discount us. The only One Who invites us to cross the bridge into perfection He already laid down, rather than requiring us to build one ourselves. The only One Who invites us to rest in the knowledge that He already did it -- and all that’s left for us is to trust and obey.

–Karla Dial

PrayFit guest writer Karla Dial is a freelance journalist based in Colorado Springs, Colo., and has been an avid fitness enthusiast for 10 years. You can check out her PrayFit workout journal by clicking here.

HIGH INTENSITY FOR BETTER RUNS It may be time to swap out your old running routine for this time saving approach

American ultramarathoner Josh Cox, when asked what the best approach is for people who want to start running races, said to "just get out and run." Can't deny that game plan. After all, no one wins 10Ks or marathons from their couch. But once you muster the ambition to get out and pound the pavement, what works best? Simply aiming for max mileage or taking a more "scientific" approach?

A recent study performed by researchers at the University of Copenhagen, runners cut their 10K times by a full minute by reducing their total weekly mileage and incorporating high-intensity intervals.

In the study, runners cut their average weekly mileage down from 34.2 to 20.6 miles. Then, 2-3 times per week, they performed 8-12 sprints at 95% effort, resting 3 minutes between sprints. The study author attributes the drastic improvements in their 10K times to the rise in a protein that regulates the endurance-sapping potassium that builds up around muscle fibers during intense exercise.

So regardless of whether you're just running to get in shape or to compete, you'd be best served by trying some sort of high-intensity interval training a few times per week. You'll save time while improving your overall athleticism.

Source: Men's Health (04/10)

RUN FOR FUN: Share your running tips, thoughts, goals and experiences in the official PrayFit Runners Forum.

Jimmy Peña 3/17/10 Jimmy Peña 3/17/10

STAND UP, HOOK UP AND JUMP

March 18, 2010Read: Matthew 16 "For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." --Matthew 16:25

I recently watched a documentary about the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, also known as Easy Company -- arguably one of the most elite group of soldiers of World War II. Those who didn't lose their lives shared their stories of bravery, battles and brotherhood, the likes of which had this weak shell of a writer in a flood of tears.

But prior to D-Day and long before the beaches of Omaha, Utah, Juno, Gold and Sword, the group of men who would come to be known as the angels from the sky had to first prove their readiness. After months of testing and training, only those left standing were given their wings. Interestingly, while their worries were few, the one common fear they all had was whether their chutes would open correctly -- as they were responsible for packing their own parachute the day before each jump.

Please forgive the comparison, but if you and I were responsible for providing a safe landing from our fall, we'd live in fear too. But since God's love reaches lower than our worst mistakes and higher than our greatest accomplishments, we have a green light to stand up, hook up and jump.

Which reminds me, once those boys boarded the plane, despite it all, they couldn't wait to hit the ground and fight. That took uncommon valor. But when Jesus took our place on the cross, it took a miracle of love and grace.

--J.P.

3 STEPS TO A BETTER STRIDE Protect your feet, run easier and conserve energy with these tips

I'll leave more testimonials to the avid runners, but in grad school, we spent semesters studying the mechanics of a running stride. Pretty detailed stuff. Maybe that's why I headed to the weight room. But if you feel you're running inefficiently and a bit out of control, your entire body could need adjusting. Your best plan should be to have an experienced runner or fitness professional examine your gait. Have them watch you and give you credible advice. A few things he or she will be looking for are:

Foot Plant One of the most important phases of running mechanics is the position of your foot when it lands on the ground. When your foot strikes the ground it will land toes first, ball of the foot first, flat footed or heel first. Many runners make the mistake of reaching out in front of their body and landing heel first. Your most efficient foot plant is one in which your foot lands directly under your hips or your center of gravity. You may land on the ball of your foot or flat footed. The ideal landing position is slightly toward the outside edge of your foot, just behind your little toe.

Posture Keep your hips pressed forward and your butt tucked in. Visualize standing face first against a wall. Press your hips forward so that the bones of your hip touches the wall. Running with your hips forward will help your knee lift higher, with less effort.

Arms The main purpose of an arm swing is to provide balance and coordination with the legs. The arms should hang loose and relaxed, close to the body. Avoid excessive movement. You want to avoid any tenseness in the shoulders. Also, allowing your arms to cross in front of your body even slightly can cause excessive and unnecessary twisting of your spine, forcing you to work harder -- futher incentive to keep them close to your sides.

Source: www.runningplanet.com

Jimmy Peña 3/14/10 Jimmy Peña 3/14/10

WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE

March 15, 2010Read: Psalm 32 "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you." --Psalm 32:8

Not sure if you've seen this guy, Bear Grylls, in The Discovery Channel's Man vs. Wild series, but he's a former military guy with some serious survival skills. Each show begins with a helicopter dropping him in the middle of some uncharted land where his mission is simple but brutal: Get through the dangerous, unfamiliar territory until he's lifted to safety. And while each episode finds him in a different death trap, his advice always has a familiar theme: stay nourished, use the sun as your guide, look for shelter before the weather hits, and seek the higher ground.

I particularly enjoyed one segment when he revealed what keeps him going when the going gets rough; before each journey, he hides a laminated photo of his loved ones in the sole of his shoe. Hmm...love in his sole. (Sometimes the Lord just tees it up for us, doesn't he?)

When our days are like the jungle, I say we take Bear's advice. Let's stay nourished with God's word, allowing the Son to guide us. He's our shelter in the storms of life and one day, if we seek His higher ways, He'll be back to lift us all to safety.

--J.P.

RUNNING MAN

Any runners out there? Bikers? Well, this week we'll discuss all kinds of great things about endurance training. We'll share a few programs for you to try, including some fat-burning sessions of both the long and short variety, as well as how to incorporate them into your normal routine. But today, let's just share a quick overview of this thing called cardio.

Aerobic fitness or cardiovascular fitness is the ability of the body to perform exercise over an extended period of time in the presence of oxygen. Such activities rely heavily on slow twitch muscle fibers and include activities such as distance cycling and marathon running. These activities help increase the red blood cells as well as make the heart stronger and more able to deliver blood to the various organs.

Of course, a training program which combines cardiovascular fitness and muscular fitness allows more oxygenated blood to be delivered per beat and increases the amount of myoglobin, an oxygen-mover, in the muscle so that it can take up more amounts of oxygen, allowing more work to be done.

Source: American Heart Association

Jimmy Peña 3/11/10 Jimmy Peña 3/11/10

FILL IN THE ________

March 12, 2010Read: Hebrews 9 "Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sin." --Hebrews 9:22

My dad once told me to never give God anything that costs me nothing. In effect, Dad was telling me that we have to give out of our heart's sacrifice and not what's easy or convenient. Otherwise, we can't call it giving.

When I think about God offering Jesus as a sacrifice for our sins, well, it gives giving meaning. So let's try something. Speak your name in each space, and I'll see you when we're done:

God saw ____________ and loved ___________ so much that He sent His only son, Jesus, to die for ____________. The sins ___________ committed and the shame and struggles _________ faces, God completely forgives and forgets. Does _________ deserve it? Has _________ ever done anything good enough to earn heaven? Could ________ ever? Despite of ________, when God sees _________, He sees Jesus.

It sure isn't easy to hear our names in those blanks, but because each name fits, someone had to die. So instead of _________ dying forever, Jesus died once and for all.

--J.P.

RUNNING AHEAD This week we've focused on breaking tough habits, but next week is all about creating new ones. Calling all road warriors. Any runners, walkers or bikers (road or mountain, of course) in the room? We want to hear from you and learn from you. Share with us your workouts, your routines, your routes and since spring is in the air, want your enthusiasm and commitment to be the spring in our step.

CLICK HERE FOR THE PRAYFIT RUNNERS' FORUM

>> PRAYER REQUESTS: As you close the week, take a moment to stop in the prayer requests forum to see what needs others in the PrayFit community have this week.