Today’s COREconnection: 8/10/2010

FITNESS FOCUS:  Side-lying leg kick (up/down)  Ok, so the inner thigh…what is the use?  Literally, why is the inner thigh important to our entire body? It seems like such an small muscle, can it really be that necessary?  The answer, simply….

YES!  Not only does the inner thigh help keep the legs in toward the midline of the body for proper alignment, but the muscles of the inner thigh work together to stabilize and integrate the movements of the legs and pelvis.  Everyday activities like walking, running, standing, climbing, and squatting are all supported by the inner thigh.  Usually, during an exercise to tone this area,  a person’s larger muscles in the quadriceps and outer thighs “take over” not allowing the inner thigh to be properly strengthened.  In order to make sure that you are focusing your efforts on the proper muscles of the inner thigh, proper alignment, activation, and focus are necessary.  Practice this inner thigh exercise, remembering the Pilates principles, to strengthen this key muscle group.

Here’s How:

Lie on your side and prop your head up on your hand.  Keep your elbow, shoulder, and hips in a line.  Bring your legs out to the front corner of the mat.  Be sure to keep your hips stacked.   Keep lifted in the torso and ribs keeping the spine in proper alignment. (Don’t sink in the obliques.)   Rest your top hand on the mat in front of your chest to help stabilize, but don’t depend on it. Rotate the legs out slightly from the hips, in Pilates stance (heels together, toes slightly turned out.)   Shoulders and hips are in a line and the knees and ankles are a little in front. Make sure that your abdominal muscles are pulled in and up.  Lengthening from the crown of the head all the way down through the leg- point the toe.  Lift the leg up toward the ceiling as you inhale.  Keep the hips stacked and the pelvis from rocking.  Exhale as you flex the foot and lower the leg back down to meet the bottom leg.  Do this with a slow, controlled movement.  Repeat the kick series for a total of 8 times.

FAITH FOCUS:  The muscles of the inner thigh work to stabilize and integrate all of the movements of the lower body.  Although these are very small muscles, they serve a tremendous purpose as they align our bodies and support us in our everyday movements in life.  Integrating prayer into our daily lives helps keep us in alignment with God’s will and provides us with the  stabilization and support we need to walk, run, and otherwise move through the way of faith-strong and upright. 

God, whom I serve with my whole heart in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you in my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God’s will the way may be opened for me to come to you. I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong—  Romans 1: 9-11

Today’s COREconnection: 7/23/2010

FITNESS FOCUS:  One Leg Circles  This is one of the fundamental Pilates mat exercises.  It is a great way to not only tone and stretch the inner thighs and legs, but also requires much focus.  One Leg Circles require you to focus on engaging and strengthening the core muscles by using the breath.  Flowing through the exercise with precision and control strengthens the core which anchors and stabilizes the body. 

Steps for One Leg Circles:

PreparationLie on your back with legs extended on the floor, arms by your sides.  Keep your hips level, spine in the neutral position (small space in the lower back, but not arching.)  Press your shoulder back and down, lengthen through the crown of the head.

Inhale and on the exhale, pull the navel to spine (imagine the ribs sliding down toward the hips) , anchoring the pelvis and shoulders. Extend one leg toward the ceiling.  Do not lift your hip.

Keep a slight bend in the knee if your hamstrings are tight. It is more important that your hips stay stable and grounded on the mat than it is for your leg to be straight.

Inhale as you start to make a small clock-wise circle with the raised leg.  Exhale as you complete the circle.  Remember to lenthen the leg.  Keep your shoulders and pelvis level, this is where the abdominal muscles get their work!  Your hips should not rock off the floor.  Use the exhales to sweep the leg up during the second part of the circle.  Do 5-10 circles then reverse direction.  Inhaling to start your circle, exhale to complete it.  Switch legs.

You should feel a great deal of work in the leg and core abdominal area. 

FAITH FOCUS:  Just like this Pilates exercise tests our core strength, incidents in our lives sometimes test the strength of our CORE in Christ.  These tests of faith require us to focus on God’s truths from His Word.  In order to do this, we must engage our CORE in Christ by allowing the breath of the Holy Spirit to flow through us, centering and stabilizing our movements.  Allowing God to control our movements with precision allows us to strengthen our CORE, our faith in Him.

James 1:2-4 

 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,  knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

Today’s COREconnection: 7/18/2010

FITNESS FOCUS:  Side Kick    This Pilates movement forces the hip AND abdominal (core) muscles to work together to complete the exercise.  Because you are on your side, these two parts of the body need to engage simultaneously to hold you in the proper positioning.  The side kick strengthens the core muscles while at the same time works  the outside of the back and hip. 

Steps to The Side Kick

1.  Lie down on your side, aligning you body to the back of your mat.  Lengthen your arm out under your head and rest your head on the extended arm.  Body should be in a straight line, hips are stacked one on top of the other.  Place the top hand on the floor for the stability.  Inhale and exhale to lift both legs and take them out to a 45 deg. angle in front of you and place them back on the mat.  Keep the hips stacked and stay lifted in your torso- don’t let it just relax on the mat.

2.  Lift the top leg to hip-height and flex the foot.  Inhale as you bring the leg forward, point the foot.  On the exhale, swing the leg back behind you slightly.  As you bring the foot forward and backward, do not allow the hips to rock back and forth.  Use your breath to engage the core muscles and stay lifted in the torso.  Repeat for 10 kicks, then switch sides.

FAITH FOCUS:  In order for us to strengthen our faith, all of our spiritual “parts” must work together.  We must activate our CORE in Christ by ‘breathing’ in the breath of the Holy Spirit.  We must keep this CORE engaged by reading God’s Word.  Also, we maintain proper alignment through each movement of our day by focusing on His will for us.  As believers we each are a part of the body of Christ and have a responsibility to work together.  Pilates is most effective when all of the parts of the body work together by engaging the core to support, stabilize, and strengthen the body.  Our spiritual lives and the life of the Church are also most effective when we engage our CORE in Christ which supports, stabilizes, and strengthens us.

” The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—…and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.  Now the body is not made up of one part but of many….But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be…..Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.”                           (1 Corinthians 12)

Today’s COREconnection: 7/10/2010

FITNESS FOCUS:  Seated Spine Twist   In order to avoid strain and injury of the back,  the spine and muscles of the trunk must be  flexible in different directions. Not just front to back, but side to side as well.  When our core is weak and the muscles are not strengthened, we are immobile in the trunk area.  As our range of motion decreases, our risk of injury or pain increases.  The seated spine twist  improves the range of motion in the upper body.  It strengthens the core which stabilizes the pelvis.  This, in turn allows the trunk to spiral on the central vertical axis which maintains the proper alignment of the body during movements.

Steps for Seated Spine Twist:

Sit up tall on your sit bones.

Pull your navel to spine, lengthen through the crown of the head, shoulders back and down.

Flex your feet and extend legs out straight in front of you.   

Extend your arms directly out to the sides,  even with your shoulders ( which stay back and down)

Sit up long and tall through the spine- pull the navel in, press shoulders down, lengthen through the crown.

Think of your spine being on one axis and your arms on the other.  Arms do not move from the position even with your shoulders.

Inhale, and on the exhale, rotate on your central spinal axis toward the right.  Do not let the arms swing out of position.  Only rotate as far as you can without strain or compromising your alignment.  Remember not to lean back or sink down: STAY TALL.

Inhale in the side position then exhale to return back to center. 

Repeat, alternating sides, 5 sets.

FAITH FOCUS:  Moving without strain or injury to our lives also requires a central axis, a foundation or core that anchors all of our movements.  When our actions are driven by this stabilizing CORE, we can move with purpose, in proper alignment with God’s will.  As you practice this spine twist, let us remember that God’s Word is stabilizes our core that holds us upright as we move through each day.

Isaiah 30:21 “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, ‘this is the way, walk in it.”

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)