Some of the most incredible outcomes happen in the most unlikely of places. Take my gym for example. They have several group exercise rooms, a spin room, the cardio room, and another room with selectorized weight machines and various other gear. Then there’s the free weight room. AND THEN there’s the iron pit or what we now fondly call the gym confessional.

To get to the iron pit you go past the water fountain, down the hall and at the back of the building you literally go down steps into the “pit”. There you’ll find more free weights along with squat racks, deadlift platforms, sleds and more -A LOT MORE! Here, even though there’s AC, you’ll find a big shop fan blowing. Gym chalk isn’t just allowed it’s encouraged. – so that you can grab hold of your greater potential. The pit is known for some serious lifting by both men and women and for some seriously tough gym attitude too. It’s a place with it’s own culture, which is why the gym confessional became such a powerful counter culture.

You’ll find my friend Chet Priest in the iron pit usually 3 times per week. Guy’s call him “Priest the Beast” and for good reason. He’s huge. He’s never pursued getting his pro card. Said he didn’t need it – didn’t want it. Maybe that’s why people are often surprised to discover that he’s even a huger Christ follower, with, I can tell you, the hugest amount of humility and grace.

The iron pit was on the verge of being closed by management. Frequent and loud profanity, wandering eyes, lots of lust topped with arrogance, lies and mean spirited behavior was the reputation of the pit. Yeah it was bad and some of the worst there were puzzled how Priest could push so hard right along with them and yet never join in any of the ugliness. It drove ‘em crazy.

One day, with a guy spotting him and several others watching, the Beast squatted a new personal best — barely. In the midst of his lift, Andre, yelled from behind, “Come on man, for Christ’s shake, show us what your F***in’ made of!” With the lift successfully complete, and everyone now cheering, Chet returned the weights to the rack, looked at Andre and gently said, “For your sake, Christ died.” The room got real still – real fast. Priest then looked at everyone and continued, “Christ died for all of us that we could be made new.” Then he started to walk out of the room.

Andre scoffed with a smirk on his face, “Bless me Father, for I have sinned. It has been … too long – maybe never, since my last confession.”

Priest slowly, quietly and yet deliberately turned around and looked directly into Andre’s eyes. Everybody thought he was going to beat the crap out of him. In that long silent moment we all stood stunned and caught off guard. The fan roared. Andre’s head dipped as he repeated the grave truth, “I… I HAVE sinned.” Chet walked up to him and gave him a big bear hug – and I swear I’ve never seen Andre weep like he did that day, first with pain and regret, then with repentance, and most notably with joy as he experienced God’s grace that day. To this day Andre still calls that moment his personal best.

That was a few years ago and all of us since then have found that the gym confessional isn’t just a place to lift heavy. It’s become our place to be accountable to each other, repent and grab hold firmly to God.

THINK ABOUT IT

1. Your gym may not be the ‘iron pit’ but chances are you’ve seen more going on than just physical exercise. In fact, if you’re honest, some of what’s going on is going on inside your own head. Take a moment to look directly into you. Give it a long silent moment. What is the culture of your heart?
2. In this story humility and grace are two qualities identified that give Chet Priest a reputation of loving Jesus. What Jesus qualities do you want people to see in you? How do you communicate and demonstrate those qualities?
3. Sometimes life circumstances can come together to create a pivotal point. On a spiritual level that point can be the Spirit of God calling you to be obedient and be used of God for His purpose. In this scenario it was Andre’s choice words spoken in the presences of others as Chet was in a physically challenging moment that led to Chet speaking faith-building life-giving words. What extreme or dramatic moments with others have you experienced? In those moments how has God’s Spirit moved on you? How did you respond? What was the outcome?
4. The concept of making a sincere confession, whether to God alone or in the presence of someone is difficult for many. What challenges do you face in this regard? What does it mean to have a mindset that is freed by God? Identify the qualities you would need in an individual or small group to pursue deeper fellowship and accountability. How would you grow in God if that was a consistent part of your lifestyle?

The post The Gym Confessional appeared first on Faith & Fitness Magazine.

In a world of AI, vegetarian hamburgers, baby formula, vanilla scented candles, protein supplements, Photoshop, Genetically Modified Organisms, even BMI – a measurement of fitness, many people in today’s culture find RAW to be revulsive. As we elevate ourselves to be God-like, food, faith, lifestyles and more that are in a natural condition, not processed or refined strike caution, fear, resistance and even hate in all kinds of people. Would you drink raw milk?

Tommy Wheatley and best friend (since kindergarten)/business partner Luke Kidwell founded Raw Milk & Deadlifts. They’re farmers who have a passion for fitness, health and wellness, and God! AND yes, they love RAW milk.

Watch this Faith & Fitness Magazine video to learn more about how bringing together raw milk and deadlifts transforms your mindset about fitness and nutrition.

IT’S DELICIOUS AND…

If you’re a raw milk lover, Tommy says there’s a good likelihood that you’re into overall wellness, good food and trying to take care of your body to the best of your ability. If you’re an ‘iron addict’ (you like to exercise and lift weights regularly) then, once you get drinking raw milk, you’re going to discover just how much it will help your workouts.

Raw milk delivers some powerful benefits to your workout:

• It is nutrient dense
• It is full of healthy fats
• It provides good healthy calories

FIND RAW MILK NEAR YOU

Thirsty for some real dairy goodness? Tommy and Luke recommend that you use the locator on the A Campaign For Real Milk website to find possible local sources of raw milk near you. Once you’ve had some, post a comment below and share about it with the Faith & Fitness Magazine community.

MORE ‘RAW’

We think RAW is a mindset worth lifting up before you. So, check out these other links to raw goodness!

Faith & Fitness Magazine article: Revert To Raw: 7 Snacks You Can Eat Anytime – Anywhere!

Theology in the Raw is a ministry that helps Christians think Christianly about theological and cultural issues. Sounds like a no-brainer but it’s just as challenging as it is to get people to want to drink raw milk. We think it is a ministry, podcast and conference you should consume as a healthy way toward greater spiritual wellness.

Faith & Fitness Magazine article: The Raw Truth Of Faith And Fitness

WORSHIP IN THE RAW

Raw milk is basic, authentic and unadulterated food. The deadlift, often called the king of lifts, is likewise a very classic move. So, we offer the song below to you as a way to worship and reflect on some of the core tenets and truths of the Christian faith.

The post Raw Milk & Deadlifts appeared first on Faith & Fitness Magazine.

For more from Tommy and Luke go to their website Raw Milk & Deadlifts.

This video is Copyright 2024 by Faith & Fitness Magazine and Lifestyle Media Group, https://lifestylemediagroup.com stock music: Aoustic Crossing by Les FM, https://lesfm.net, under a free use creative commons license. stock photos and video by Raw Milk & Deadlifts

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Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.

We can’t escape our thoughts. 

I don’t know about yours, but this mind of mine can be an unwelcome place. Thoughts and ideas tend to pop in unannounced and then stay there. Other times, I can get focused on a negative event or negative words and not let go. Destructive thoughts can take over quickly.  

During those times, I know that’s not the mind of Christ. But how can I have the mind of Christ? 

If you’ve found yourself with the same battle in your mind, know that you are not alone. There is hope. There is a way to “let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” It starts by filling your mind with His Word. Daily Bible reading, scripture memorization, and prayer are all actions that will make your mind a more welcoming place to be. The Bible is filled with His thoughts on you as well as on how to live your life.  

It’s easy to get distracted by setting our minds on the here and now. Our thoughts focus on that which is right in front of us or has us troubled. Those things gain our full attention. Doing so only keeps us in a cycle of defeat and constant battle in our minds.  

A war is waging in your mind, but Christ in you can win that war. 

Does your mind focus on negative thoughts and feelings towards your body?  

Do you worry about weight and plan everything around how to lose that weight? 

If you’re struggling to implement healthy habits that you can stick to, head to God’s Word. He has so much to say about you. Until you start looking at yourself through the lens of His Word, you won’t stick to a plan that is sustainable.  

Anything you want to change in your life on the outside will only change when you start by addressing what’s going on inside in your mind.  

Action Step

Take note of the thoughts roaming in your mind. Declare, “This mind of mine is yours, Lord.” Then, use His Word to chase away any unhelpful thoughts. Find a scripture to memorize this week. 

The post This Mind of Mine appeared first on Faith & Fitness Magazine.

Are you angry, hurt, frustrated, confused, lonely, addicted, stressed, proud, poor, broke or broken?

All that stuff going on inside of you isn’t just your personal battle with some really bad junk that you don’t need. It’s exactly what is holding you back. AND – it’s not just holding you back physically but also mentally and emotionally and especially spiritually.

HOLD ON, THAT’S WHY I’M WORKING ON MY MINDSET…

If you want to improve your mindset you need only search on Instagram to subscribe to any or all of the following:

• mindset.therapy – “You are the greatest project you’ll ever work on”
• motivated.mindset – “Its on you to get you where you want to be”
• mindsetofgreatness – “helping you achieve greatness in life”
• alphamindset05 – “never be afraid to treat people the way they treat you – mirror their vibe”
• juliachangcoaching – “unleash your inner warrior – bust through your fears”

Tony Robbins invites you to step into your power and become unstoppable. But mindset gurus in the fitness culture can help you go even further. There’s no end to the can-do, push-push-push, positivity, “til you puke’ ad nauseam coaching. That’s the good stuff on which you should feed and fill your mind, right?

It’s not just the bad that’s bad, it’s the things we pursue with obsessive relentless desire that also hijack our mindset. Things like strength, beauty, money, success, advantage, acceptance, respect, position, influence, and simply happiness. Yeah, seriously they all become idols when we elevate them in our day to day life. If we’re not on guard we give them greater importance than God.

If it doesn’t point you to Christ, it’s a product of warped philosophies in a massively corrupt culture.

Both the negative things and the positive things that take you away from a selfish God are not of God. They have no place when God is present. They can’t be in you when God is in you.

OOOOOK, SOOOO …?

Let’s get back to the really good news. God is the only one who can give you decidedly different tools to smash and tear down barriers and to clear away the obstructions. Through Christ alone can you achieve beyond you and everyone and everything else. Only in God’s Spirit can you truly be joyful, healed, encouraged, clear, befriended, grounded, peaceful, humble, wealthy, capable and restored.

What you want to be – all that God intended for you to be can’t until His son, Jesus sets you free.

This isn’t nirvana, an enlightened way of being motivated. It isn’t a higher state of mind, a can-do attitude that guarantees ultimate achievement and success. Mindset: Spirit Free is transformation through salvation empowered by God’s spirit filling you and dwelling in you.

This is better than your greatest physical prowess, gained wisdom, evolution to your fullest potential even magic. This is life in a totally different realm. It looks a lot different than any of the highly celebrated positive mindset outcomes that people are telling you that you need and want to have.

And if all that sounds a bit too ultra-spiritual for you (after all you just wanted to check out a fitness magazine for a few exercise ideas and wellness tips, right?) think again.

Self-improvement begins AND ends with self. Big gainz are big roadblocks to loosing everything you thought you needed for Christ’s sake. You can go further, get better, do more and live your best life OR you can BE LIFE – the life of Christ.

This is Mindset: Spirit Free. Pursue God and see His greatness.

The post Mindset: Spirit Free appeared first on Faith & Fitness Magazine.

God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him.

This verse is written about beautifully in a devotional I’ve been reading this year. Part of it said this:

We are unique reflections of God’s nature. With that in mind, we should celebrate the way we see the world. No one else has our DNA. How boring it would be if we were all the same, and yet so many of us try to shape-shift to blend in. We were born to be ourselves. We come fully alive in the love of Christ, and we don’t have to look the same as others to do this.

God is Love: 365 Devotions from the Gospel of John, by Brian Simmons

You are free to be you because you were made in Christ. When we truly embrace how we were fearfully and wonderfully made, how could we ever want to be anyone else? He delights in you and in the way He made you. He had a plan and a purpose for you when He created you. 

Everything about you – God created it. All you have and all you are is a blessing from God. It’s all by His design. And because of that, you are free to be you, the wonderfully, uniquely created you! 

Are you living your purpose? Are you passionate about the life God has entrusted to you? Are you embracing your age and stage of life? Now is the time to step into your one life. 

Action Step

Whose life are you living? God created you in a special way for a special purpose. You are free to be you. Go do it!

The post Free To Be You appeared first on Faith & Fitness Magazine.

For in him we live and move and have our being.

Recently, I listened to a ​business podcast​ titled, “Do not pander.” The message of the podcast was not to cater to the whims of other businesses and to the algorithm. Those of us in the online space have to deal with changing algorithms and then try to figure out what kind of posts, etc. that Facebook and Instagram are “rewarding” and looking for. By doing this, you can easily get caught up in chasing success and people-pleasing only to lose yourself in the process. All this leads to burnout. But what the podcaster said next had me not only thinking about business but also about our approach to healthy living:

Burnout is not doing enough of what you love.

Oftentimes, we think of burnout as doing too much, being too busy. In fact, dictionary.com says it’s fatigue, frustration, or apathy resulting from prolonged stress, overwork, or intense activity. Instead of staying tired and frustrated, how about we ask ourselves what we love to do and if we’re doing enough of that.

Why is it that people can start a diet or extreme exercise program at the beginning of the year only to fizzle out by February or March? They’re tired and frustrated. They’re either not getting results, or they’re over what it is they must do to get the results. They didn’t take into consideration what they liked to do. They didn’t ask themselves how they like to move or what food they like to eat. Instead, they signed up for a random plan, no questions asked. Now they’re realizing they don’t really like eating according to a clock, two-a-day workouts are exhausting, or drinking a gallon of water a day just makes them feel water-logged.

When you start honoring your body the way God uniquely created you, you can sustain the way you choose to care for it. Yes, it’s important to move regularly. Yes, you’ll function better when you’re filling your body with nourishing foods. Yes, drinking plenty of water is essential for your body to function and feel well. But only you know you. And you were created with unique tastes and preferences. Start there.

• How do you like to move?
• What foods leave you feeling satisfied and energized?
• How much water does your body operate best on?
• Do you like the way you eat and move and spend your days? What are your favorite things to do?

This scripture in Acts reminds us that all we do is in Him. It’s by His power that we move and that we even exist. He uniquely created each of us, and we must honor that. This chapter in Acts reminds us that we are God’s children, created in His image. He knows all the details about you, and He created you the way you are for a reason. Don’t try to be someone or do something that doesn’t align with the Lord and the way He made you. He loves you, and He wants you to love and embrace the life He has planned for you. 

If your current healthy living approach is leaving you tired and frustrated, ask yourself the questions above. When you start doing more of what you love in regards to how you care for your body, you’ll start feeling better. You’ll want to do those things. It’ll be easier to continue that approach for a long time to come.

Do something you love today!

Action Step

Ask yourself the questions above. Are you honoring the unique body God entrusted to you? Choose to honor God by making healthy decisions that honor your unique body.

The post Do More of What You Love appeared first on Faith & Fitness Magazine.

He brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness, and broke away their chains.

My weight loss struggles began at a very early age as a result of a mother who had her own weight and body image issues, and therefore projected those onto me. In her heart of hearts, she felt as if she was helping me not to experience the struggles that she did, but she only made that area of life harder for me.

But this isn’t going to be me wallowing in that or bashing my mom. {Before I go on, my mom and I are good. In fact, we’re great. I love her dearly. I shared some things I learned from her in a post a few years back. You can read it here.}

This message is about making a choice. No matter what happens in life, we get to decide how we respond and what we do with the experiences. Will you be the heroine or the victim?

Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim. ~ Nora Ephron

For a long time, I did allow myself to be the victim. I shied away from life and gave into worry and anxiety about my body. I didn’t think I’d ever earn the love of another man. I easily fell into the comparison trap and constantly judged myself. I was able to put on a front and go through life as if I was doing okay, but on the inside I was in a constant battle with my body and my thoughts.

All the while, I did have a relationship with the Lord. I read my Bible and prayed. I wanted to be free of this struggle. I didn’t want to be chained to these worries and to focus only on my body. Eventually, I allowed Jesus to set me free. I finally allowed Him to have access to every part of my life including my weight and body image. As a result, I gained confidence in who I was and Whose I was. I stopped being the victim of my early years and took control of this area of my life by surrendering it to Jesus.

I’ve worked with women in their 40s, 50s, 60s, even 70s who were still struggling with negative influences from their early years like I was. Whether it was unkind words or early examples of women constantly pursuing weight loss, they were still victims of feeling not enough. Feeling like they must pursue a certain body type to find acceptance. Like me, these women knew they were too old to still be struggling.

I was 40 before I stopped being the victim and stepped into the heroine role of my life. There’s still time for you to change your perspective and embrace this age and stage of life. You can live with confidence in who you are and Whose you are. Because I allowed the Lord to break those chains in my life, I was free to pursue my passion and my purpose in life. I soon realized that my passion was to help women find the freedom I found so that they too are free to pursue their passion and purpose. I can help you be the heroine of your life no matter your age. I can help you start living fit and free!

If you’re ready to make the change, some places to start:

• The Bible. Read God’s Word and know what He says about you. I wrote some devotionals to help you with that.
• Join my free Facebook Group where I share faith-focused fitness inspiration and motivation.
• My Faith and Fitness Support and Accountability Community will help you stop circling that mountain of diet, gimmicks, and quick fixes and truly start living fit and free.

God wants to break the chains in your life. He doesn’t want you to be in bondage to negative self-talk or an unhealthy relationship with food and your body. He loves you. He created you. He wants you to celebrate who you are in Him.

Action Step

Give your worries to the Lord. Let go of what’s holding you back and gain the confidence to embrace this age and stage of life. Reach out to Him, and He’ll be there to lead you out of the darkness and to break the chains that have you bound up. It’s time to start living fit and free so you can embrace your passion and your purpose. 

The post Break the Chains appeared first on Faith & Fitness Magazine.

When you are a busy mom finding time to work out can sometimes feel daunting. Raising kids requires getting them to school, daycare, and after-school activities on time. It requires planning meals for them, helping them with homework, and taking time to worship as a family. With these responsibilities stacked on top of other household and professional responsibilities we have as adults and mothers, it is no surprise that our own physical health can sometimes take a back seat. However, a good workout routine doesn’t have to take hours and there are plenty of great functional exercises that help moms increase their quality of life to raise their children and worship God for a long time. These three exercises are the perfect routine to help busy moms add exercise to their busy day.

THRUSTERS

This is one of my favorite exercises for functional fitness. We use the motions in thrusters daily, from lifting our kiddos to emptying the dishwasher and putting the dishes in the overhead cabinet.  Strengthening these muscle groups with these movements will increase our quality of life both short-term and long-term.

1. With your hands stationary in the original position, squat down until your knees are at a 90-degree angle.
2. Once you are in this position, immediately fire up to standing, extending your arms straight overhead, in full extension as you stand.
3. Squat back down, bringing your arms back down to the original position, right above your shoulders. And repeat.

Try to make this movement as fluid and explosive as possible, fully extending your arms each time, and keeping your core tight and hips tucked in when you’re in the full standing position. 

If you are just starting your exercise journey take it slow and focus more on getting the form right over workout intensity.

To increase the intensity, add a dumbbell in each hand you can go as light or heavy as you can, making sure not to compromise the form of the movement.

For an even more advanced workout, you can use a barbell with plates and increase your weight that way. Again, make sure whatever weight you use, you maintain proper form to reduce the risk of injury.

PLANK PULL THROUGH

This is another great function movement that helps to stabilize the core, helps moms improve balance (a huge factor in our quality of life as we age and still want to play with our kids), and strengthens our back and shoulders.

Place your palms and toes on the floor, and make sure your legs are fully extended, with your feet either side by side or you can have them about hip-width apart (to help with stabilization).  Your head should be relaxed and looking at the floor. Have one dumbbell (try to go heavier with the weight if you can) on the floor on the outside of your right wrist.

With your left hand, grab the dumbbell and slide it across the floor until it is to the outside of where your left wrist was resting on the floor. Once your left hand is back in its original position,  use your right hand, grab the dumbbell that is now on the left, and slide it back to the right where it was originally. Keep doing this, sliding the weight back and forth from the left and right with your opposite hands.

Be sure to keep your core engaged, and your hips tight and as stable as you can. You want to try to keep your lower body as still as possible during this movement, only moving your arms and shoulders.

If you are a beginner, you can do this movement from a knee plank position and use a lighter dumbbell.

For a more advanced workout they can lift the opposite foot off the ground opposite from the hand that is on the ground. If the right hand is on the ground to stabilize, raise the left leg while the left arm pulls the weight across. Then put that leg down and raise the other leg with the opposite arm is stabilizing.

WEIGHTED DEAD BUGS

This is another movement that helps to stabilize the core and works for multiple muscle groups at once.

Lay on your back, with your core tight your back as flat to the floor as possible, and your legs raised and at a 90-degree angle. To ensure you are in the correct position, see if you can put your hand between your lower back and the floor. If you can, you’re core isn’t engaged. Adjust your abs and back so you cannot get your hand between the floor and your lower back.

Once you are in the correct position, extend your arms straight up in the air. Slowly lower your right arm over your head to the floor while you are extending your left leg all the way to the floor.

Try to hover both above the floor without touching it if you can. Then raise your right arm and left leg back to their starting positions and extend your left arm to the floor while extending your right leg. You are always moving your opposite appendages simultaneously.

Beginners can do this exercise using only their body weight, adding dumbbells to the routine once you improve your fitness.

For a more advanced option, add a dumbbell in each hand and perform the movement the same way. 

WE USE EXERCISES TO BETTER WORSHIP GOD

When I am working with moms to reach new goals on their fitness journey it is important to remind ourselves that our faith is a constant influence in our spiritual and physical health. Two verses come to mind when discussing the importance of maintaining our health in service to God.

Psalm 139:14 states “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know full well.”

1 Corinthians 6:19,20 states “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.”

These two passages compel us to take the utmost care of our bodies. The Lord took the time to create every one of us in a unique and special way and then paid the ultimate price for us on the cross. Sacrificing his body is the reason why we have a responsibility to take the best care of ourselves. Exercises are the best way to take care of our physical body and a small way to thank God for his sacrifice.

We are entrusted with one body in this life and we must be good stewards of our physical form. We are taking care of the temple that God thoughtfully created. Don’t take that responsibility lightly.

Simply put, how we treat our bodies both in the ways we exercise and the foods we eat reflects our attitude toward God’s creation. Remember that whenever you exercise or cook for your family. Our physical health helps bring us closer to God and shows our children that there is a relationship with God through physical health.

The post 3 Functional Exercises To Help Busy Moms appeared first on Faith & Fitness Magazine.

Natural bodybuilder Michael Wittig has an outdoor workout loaded with big benefits.

It’s too easy to stay in our comfortable surroundings and never venture out. The fear of having to learn something new, do extra work, or ultimately fail may be the cause. The thing we have to remember is that God is always with us so how can we fail? Having the ability to go to your home gym is a blessing. You have access to your favorite machines and be able to chat with your friends between sets. You know where everything is and it’s comfortable. The question I want to ask you is what do you do when the gym is unavailable?

Do you just skip the workout or find a way to get the job done? What if I told you the ability to workout intensely does not reside in a location, but in your heart and mind. You can get a quality workout in anywhere, anytime if you have your mind set to get it done.

One of the best places to get the heart rate going is in the beautiful outdoors. This is especially true if you have a busy schedule and cannot make it to the gym, or traveling. Outdoor workouts are also great during deload (recovery) weeks and just changing up your routine for something fresh.

In addition to getting your workout in there many great benefits to being outdoors including: 

• Improves mood
• Reduces stress
• Strengthen immunity
• Boosts energy
• Clears skin
• Improves Sleep
• Reduce inflammation
• And much more

While it’s easy enough to get a great outdoor workout using just our body weight with movements like push ups, burpees, and lunges, there is also a way to get a muscle building, gym quality workout using resistance bands. They are inexpensive, easy for travel, and can provide enough resistance to challenge you for most movements. I recommend picking up a set of bands with handles that come in a variety of resistance levels from light, for movements like lateral raises, to very heavy for back rows and curls. Using a little creativity you can replicate most dumbbell and cable movements anywhere you find yourself. Complement your push ups with this outdoor banded shoulder workout that will set your delts on fire. 

Resistance Band Shoulder Workout Outdoor Edition

When working shoulders it’s important to touch on each of the three muscle heads:

• anterior
• medial
• posterior

When working with minimal equipment like bands exercise order can be important to get an effective workout. Rest 60-90 seconds between each set. Do 3 sets of 12-15 reps for each movement.

BANDED LATERAL RAISE

This is an isolation movement that targets the medial head of the delts. In the gym one would normally do this movement after a heavy compound exercise like overhead presses. When working outdoors with bands the lateral raise is a great movement to get started with in order to pre-exhaust the shoulders so you can press effectively with lighter resistance. 

How to do it: Stand in the middle of a lighter resistance band holding each handle with your arms straight down at your sides. As you raise your arms up to shoulder height, work to keep your elbow slightly higher than your hand and your thumb point more downwards. Think about raising your elbows out rather than lifting your shoulders upward. You want to isolate the shoulders and try to keep your traps out of it. Then slowly lower your arms. 

Do 3 sets of 12-15 reps

BANDED OVERHEAD PRESS

Now that the shoulders are warmed up with the lateral raises, let’s move on to this classic compound movement that works the anterior and medial head of the delts as well as the triceps. 

How to do it: Stand in the middle of a medium to heavy resistance band. Grab the handles and lift your arms up to get into starting position. Your upper arms should be parallel to the ground and your palms facing forward. Keep your core tight and your chest lifted up. Press your arms straight upward and lower slowly back to starting position. 

Do 3 sets of 12-15 reps

SHORT ON TIME? Another way to do this workout when in a time crunch is to do Giant Sets. Do each of these movements back-to-back without rest for one giant set. Rest 90 seconds then repeat. Do 3-4 giant sets for a challenging workout. 

BANDED UPRIGHT ROW

This is a great movement to work the front delt/pec tie in, side delts, and trapezius. Do this with a wider hand placement to work the medial head of the shoulders slightly more. 

How to do it: Stand in the middle of a medium resistance band holding each handle with your arms straight down in front of your thighs. Keeping your elbows high, raise your hands to the sides of your lower chest. Your elbows should be higher than your hands. Slowly lower your hands back to the starting position. 

Do 3 sets of 12-15 reps

BANDED PULL BACKS

Working the posterior head of the shoulder is important for muscular and aesthetic balance. This is a great movement to isolate that rear delt head. 

How to do it: Grab a light to medium band shoulder width apart, or slightly less than. Hold your arms straight out in front of you shoulder height. While keeping your arms straight with palms downward, pull your arms apart until they are straight out at your sides. Then slowly return to the starting position. Adjust the space between your hands to get the resistance at a challenging level. 

Do 3 sets of 12-15 reps

RESISTANCE BAND TIPS:

• Where you stand on the band will greatly affect the resistance. Stand with your feet together for a lighter lift, step on the band in a wider stance to increase the resistance.
• If you are exceptionally strong at specific movements you can use two bands to dramatically increase the resistance. 
• Bands can be wrapped around secure objects like poles, trees, or heavy furniture to unlock many more movements. Many band kits will come with a door attachment for indoor use as well. 
• Respect the bands and be careful how you use them. While snapping yourself may not cause critical harm, it doesn’t feel very good. 

TRAINING YOUR MIND AND HEART OUTDOORS

One of the best things about training outdoors is that it puts you in a bigger place that is more open often with less noise and distractions. That makes your workout more conducive to focusing you mind and heart on God. Instead of putting on the headphones or earbuds just let the quieter sounds of the outdoors be the background that helps your spirit to be quieter too.

Our bodies are a gift from God and it’s our duty take care of it. He called us to go out and spread the Word (Bible passages, Jesus’ teachings and the Christian lifestyle) . That can be hard to do if we are in declining health and have limited movement. Exercise so you can fulfill your mission, be a good example for your family and friends, and to respect the gift God has given you.

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