The 5th Pillar of Catholic Fitness is Exercise. Think about this: what we call “exercise” in 2015 is more or less a set of ideas and movements people have used for generations to simply survive, work and play.
People had to walk, run, lunge, etc out of necessity … hunting for and literally picking their food for each meal. Long ago people had to be physically active and capable just to make it through the day. Today we can earn a paycheck, socialize, buy food and entertain ourselves all from our couch or desk chair. Most people realize the problems this scenario causes … hence, we have created this thing called exercise.
Proper exercise is not just for health nuts or accomplishing vanity goals, but rather can be for fully expressing the natural strength, mobility and vitality God has blessed each of us with.
Here are the 5th Pillar resources:
- (PDF) Week 5 Worksheet – Fifth Pillar: Exercise
- (PDF) CatholicFIT Stretching Principles
- The Strength & Stretch Moves are highlighted below with videos.
Beyond the common recommendation to simply “exercise more”, being CatholicFIT is about maintaining (or restoring) your body’s natural human movements. (This quality over quantity principle is key for reaching your faith and fitness goals.) Each week we cover one of these natural movements.
I cannot tell you what fitness is until you tell me what you want.
Remember, fitness is defined as the ability to perform a task. If you want to be “fit” then, consider what specific tasks you want to perform.
- Are you a LIFE Runner preparing for your next 5K?
- Are you a mature adult who wants to remain in your house for another 10-20 years?
- Are you a golfer who wants to continue driving the ball well?
- A gardener who needs to reach high overhead and get down on the ground often?
- Are you a mother who wants to pick up your children as is pictured to the right?
- Are you a dad who is coaching (and therefore demonstrating skills for) his child’s sports team?
Catholic Fitness is about being fit to serve others. Building a strong body in order to build a strong church.
- So what does “fitness” mean to you?
- Where can you use your fitness to serve others?
- Are you balancing your focus on staying fit (self love and care) with using your fitness to serve others (love your neighbor)? This is another way of looking at the Golden Rule, right? We can only take care of others in our life if we take care of ourselves.
Strength & the Fundamental Human Movement
God designed our bodies to perform tasks for survival, work and play. Today in the 21st century, what has come to be known as fitness, exercise and physical therapy is merely our attempt to restore our natural physical abilities (see the videos below for a few examples.) These abilities were originally intended to perform specific tasks required for survival. If you focus on this idea when planning your exercise routine, it will carry more purpose. Purpose breeds motivation! Your daily exercise can improve your ability to perform daily tasks while also serving to honor and express your physical gifts.
In the fitness world, we say, “strength fixes most things.” Here is a quote from Proverbs with a similar idea in describing the traits of a “worthy woman”:
She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong. Strength and dignity are her clothing, And she smiles at the future. Proverbs 31:17,25
Being strong in mind and body may allow you to smile at whatever tomorrow may bring. Begin building your strength with these moves below.
Strength Move 1: Standing Rubber Band Pull
“Everyday strength” is what we are trying to improve. “Pulling strength” helps us pull open heavy doors, tug back at your dog when he runs off towards another dog, start the lawn mower or snow blower and more. This Rubber Band Pull can also help improve our balance and posture.
Strength Move 2: Band Assisted Pull Up
Remember testing pull ups and pull hangs in school? This is a new assisted variation we now do, and many of our PE Teachers are doing these with their students. This video is me with one of my Figure Skater student-athletes.
Strength Move 3: Lying Fit Ball Hamstring Curl
Have a fit ball lying around the basement you aren’t using? Well here is one of many exercise we do … this bridge and hamstring curl strengthens your core and muscles of your hips and lower back.
Stretch & Mobility Exercise: Push Up Plank & Spinal Mobility Exercise
(Do not have an updated video right now. Sorry … come out to the next workshop or email me about this and I will send you one right away. Thanks … Dave)
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