Today’s COREconnection: 9/20/2010 STAND UP!

FITNESS FOCUS: Standing for Fitness  A recent article on the RealAge website entitled, How Your Rear End Helps You Live Longer discusses the health benefits of standing more than you sit.  According to the article, “Compared with people who sat for less than 3 hours a day, those who sat for at least 6 hours per day dramatically increased their risk of dying from any cause.”  Ok, no need to panic!  We all have times when we need to sit for work, traffic, waiting in the doctor’s office (what I happen to be doing right now!) or just because we are tired from work or waiting!  Sitting is inevitable, necessary, and sometimes beneficial for us.  However, when our lives dictate we sit for long periods of time, it is important that we create times where we stand in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle.  The mere act of standing can increase strength in your core, legs, glutes, and back.  So stand up, check your alignment (see standing neutral spine info under the COREbasics tab), and, if you choose, move around a bit!  You will feel better, have more energy, and perhaps live longer!

FAITH FOCUS:  Standing for faith  According to the above article, the simple task of standing will increase your health, strength, and potentially your life.  This s is amazing to me that something so simple can have such widespread benefits.  It is also amazing to me that something so simple can be so difficult at times.  After sitting in the office all day, in the car running errands, etc, you would think we would be ready and willing to move out, take a walk with a friend, play with the kids in the back yard, anything!  But what do we do instead?  We sit and stare at the tv, computer, or curl up with a good book and relax.  (Now, do not want to imply that any of these things are bad.  There is a time and place for such activities…just bear with me for the purposes of this devotion.:)  I think the same is true for our spiritual activity, or inactivity as the case may be.  As a person seeking to follow Christ, I need to remember that the first thing I must do is STAND UP in my faith and for my faith.    It seems so simple, I am aware of God’s mercy and grace over my life, I know He has called me to share this with others, and yet, I sit.  I sit in the church pew making out my grocery list, I sit in Sunday School as my mind races about my ‘to-do’ list, I sit in traffic listening to Christian radio, barely listening, trying to tune out the ramblings of my two children in the back seat.  I do a lot of sitting, and some of it in the name of seeking Christ, but how often do I STAND UP for faith?  Perhaps, even if it is just figuratively, I can STAND UP in church, by being aware and centering on His presence.  I can STAND UP in Sunday School by focusing on God’s Word, His plan for me.  I can STAND UP in the car and activate not only my CORE in Christ but practice it with my kids’ as well by singing, listening, and hearing.  And finally, I can STAND UP for faith by allowing this awareness, centering, focusing, practice, to flow from me out into my encounters with others as the Holy Spirit controls my life keeping me in alignment with God’s Will.  In doing so, He will guard my life, increasing my spiritual strength AND my spiritual life.  Will you join me?

Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. (1 Corinthians 16:13)

 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. (Romans 5:1-2)

Today’s COREconnection: 8/3/2010

Note:  I apologize for the delay in posts.  I am finally getting “centered” after being at a conference. 

FITNESS FOCUS:  Leg Pull Front  This exercise starts by engaging the muscles of the shoulders, back, arms, and core while holding a plank position.  However, this exercise adds the challenge of maintaining stability in the torso and pelvis as you lift a leg slightly off the floor.  The abdominals are forced to engage when the instability is introduced.  The benefits of this exercise go beyond just strengthening the shoulders, back, and core.  By training our muscles to engage when we face instability, we will be prepared when our bodies face the instabilities of the day.  These would include simple things like uneven sidewalks, lifting unstable and heavy items, as well as when injury forces us to use one part of our body more than the other.

Steps for Leg Pull Front:

Start on your knees. Place your hands on the floor in front of you, fingers pointing straight ahead. Keep your arms straight and your elbows unlocked. Your wrists are directly under your shoulders which are pulled back and down.  With your abdominals lifted, extend your legs back so that they are straight and together. Your toes are curled under so that some weight is on the balls of your feet. (This is the Plank Position) Your ears, shoulders, hips and heels should be in one long line.  Engage your abdominals to  keep your body in this stable position.  Don’t let the shoulders creep up toward the ears or the hips sag.  This takes a lot of abdominal work…engage them by taking deep inhales and exhales, pulling the navel to spine.  Lengthening through the crown of the head, keep your gaze toward the floor.  Extend through the leg as you lift it off the floor, no higher than the hip. Return your foot to the mat and extend the other leg.   As you extend, lift, and replace the foot back down on the mat, remember to keep lifted in the hips, shoulders back and down, hips level, and lengthened through the crown of the head.  Repeat 5 times on each side.

FAITH FOCUS:  Unfortunately, we are all too familiar with the instability of this world.  Everything from our bank accounts and bills, to our waistlines and our relationships fluctuate.  The ups and downs, unexpected changes of this world make our lives a bit unstable at times.  What are we to do about all of this?  How can we prepare for what we cannot expect?  The key is to practice engaging our CORE in Christ so that when faced with instabilities that inevitably come our way.  The Bible tells us how to make sure we can withstand the unexpected things of this world:

 The LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul.  It is the LORD your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him.  (Deuteronomy 13: 3-4)

 Teach me to do your will,  for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground. For your name’s sake, O LORD, preserve my life;  in your righteousness, bring me out of trouble.  (Psalm 143: 10-11)

 We give thanks to you, O God, we give thanks, for your Name is near; men tell of your wonderful deeds. You say, “I choose the appointed time;  it is I who judge uprightly. When the earth and all its people quake,  it is I who hold its pillars firm.  Selah  (Psalm 75: 1-3)

Today’s COREconnection: 7/27/2010

FITNESS FOCUS:  IMPRINTING

Imprinting the spine to the mat is an important skill in Pilates.  Although not part of this Fundamental routine, it is necessary to understand and practice this during the Pilates Mat series.   Imprinting will help to center your body on the core area, lengthen and relax the spinal column in order to prepare you for the routine.  Begin by lying on your back with your arms by your sides, knees bent, legs hip width apart, and feet flat on the floor. Make sure you are in the supine neutral spine position (see above).  Now, pull the shoulders back and down allowing them to relax on the mat.   Lengthen through the crown of your head to elongate the neck.  Do not allow your ribcage to pop up toward the ceiling, rather imagine that, with each breath, your ribs are pulling toward your hips.  Keep your knees in line with your hips.  Now, visualize your spine lengthening and sinking down to the mat, lightly imprinting.  To do this, inhale, and on the exhale, pull the navel toward the spine which will imprint the spine on the mat.  Do not allow the glutes and hips to help you.  This should be done with the breath and the activation of the abdominals only.  Inhale to release back to supine neutral spine, and exhale to imprint.  Practice this for several breaths.

FAITH FOCUS:  There is another type of imprinting that is important in order to center us and engage our CORE.  The Bible tells us in Deuteronomy 18-21 to, “Place these words on your hearts. Get them deep inside you. Tie them on your hands and foreheads as a reminder. …. Inscribe them on the doorposts and gates of your cities so that you’ll live a long time…”  Just like the imprinting of our spine to the mat prepares and protects us by engaging our CORE, so too does imprinting God’s Word deep inside us.  Getting His Word deep into our CORE will protect us like doorposts and city gates and provide strength to carry out His Will for our lives.  The goal of such imprinting is long life in the land of God’s promise.

Today’s COREconnection: 7/8/2010

FITNESS FOCUS:  Chest Lift  While it may appear to look like a sit-up, this movement focuses on the upper abdominals, core stabilization, and incorporating breath with movement.  While practicing this move, deep focus on engaging the core with the breath is key to strengthening the targeted muscle groups.

Lie on your back with your legs bent and feet on the floor, legs hip width apart. Neutral spine with hips level, lengthening through the crown of the head.

On the inhale, draw your shoulder blades back and down, while keeping your ribcage and pelvis anchored to the floor.  Place the hands behind the head for support, but still keep the shoulders out of your ears..

On the exhale, nod the chin to the chest, gently rolling up to lift the head and shoulders of the mat.  Although you want to tuck the chin, try to still keep the neck long and the chest lifting up toward the ceiling.  The lower part of the shoulder-blade should be barely touching and elbows should stay out wide.  Remember to pull your navel to spine to imprint the back into the mat.

Inhale as you  hold this position.

Exhale as you roll back down slowly and with control returning to the starting position. Neutral spine, lengthening through the crown of the head.

Repeat movement 5-10 times.

FAITH FOCUS:  Often we do not focus during our daily lives.  We tend to go through the “motions” of the day without considering how these movements affect the overall spiritual core.  Like the chest lift which is a small, focused move, our daily small tasks can reap certain benefits or consequences.  Performing the chest lift without engaging the core with the breath can result in pain in the lower back and strain in the neck not to mention it will not work to strengthen the desired muscle group!  In order to reap the benefits of our life with Christ, we must focus on engaging our spiritual CORE with the BREATH of the Holy Spirit.  We must focus on His will for us daily, learn to listen to that Holy Spirit whisper guiding us in our movements.  When we place His Word in our heart, our CORE, we will be sure to move with stability as we practice His daily purpose for us.

My son, pay attention to what I say;  listen closely to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to a man’s whole body. Above all else, guard your heart,  for it is the wellspring of life. (Proverbs 4: 20-23)

Today’s COREconnection: 7/6/2010

FITNESS FOCUS:  The Push-up  Now don’t get scared, push-ups are not impossible!  By using the breath and engaging the core, the push-up is a great way to strengthen your chest, shoulders and arms muscles.  Push-ups can be intimidating, but worth the effort to learn and perform properly. 

Here’s how:

Face down and kneel in the table top position:  hands under shoulders and knees under hips. Finger tips are facing forward, elbows are facing toward your knees. 

Slide your shoulders blades back and down to stabilize your shoulders.  No hunching!

Lengthen through the crown of the head.  Your gaze is at the floor.   Pull your navel to spine engaging the abdominals to stabilize the torso and lift the rib cage.

 You can stay in the table top position to complete the push-up OR, for an added challenge slowly move your knees away from your torso. Lengthen your spine and upper thighs like a plank. Keep the neck long and make sure the hips are not higher than the shoulders.

Inhale and bend your elbows (elbows should be bending toward your hips, not out to the sides) and lower your chest closer to the ground.  (By doing the push-up this way, you are working the triceps.   If your elbows are going out to the side, that will work the biceps)

Exhale and push your body back up.  Repeat 5-10 times, then press hips back to rest on the heels in prayer position.

FAITH FOCUS:  Sometimes we think we are incapable of something.  Maybe it’s a small task like doing push-ups or starting a new routine like a daily quiet time.  Maybe its something more like starting a new career or sharing your faith with someone who needs to know Jesus .  We often are too afraid of failure to try something difficult.  But just like with the push-up, the first step is to DO IT.  True, you can’t fail if you don’t try, but you also can’t reach the goal if you don’t start!  It may be difficult at first, but eventually you get better at it.  Soon what you thought you was impossible, becomes part of your regular life.  Remember though, as with everything else, proper form is key:  allow the Holy Spirit to engage your CORE in Christ as you attempt to press on and push up!

 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3: 12-14)

For nothing is impossible with God.  (Luke 1:37)