I like to integrate my personal faith into my fitness and weight training. It can be a challenge. I hope to provide some insightful training tips to allow more easily the expression of beneficial feelings. These feelings when used with weight training techniques/cardiovascular training will help the practitioner reach new heights in emotional and Physical well being.
I like to do a chest workout that is comprised of three spiritual exercises and four physical exercises. The spiritual exercises develop focus on God through breathing, practicing compassion by controlling aggression and developing discipline by embracing the sufferings of Christ. The physical exercises are broken into four sets with varying rep ranges. The exercises include the dumbbell fly, dumbbell press, decline bench press and the diamond push up.
“GOD breathed into man the breath of Life, and man became a living Soul”, (Gen 2-7)
The connection between the soul and the body is the breath. Before any type of training I will always take a moment to be thankful for that breath. I will open my lungs for 5-10 deep breathing cycles. I then stretch from head to toe. This prepares the body for the workout and opens the conscious connection between the muscles and the brain.
DUMBBELL FLY
The dumbbell fly is preformed on a flat bench or incline/decline bench depending on your area of emphasis.
I recommend using very light weight dumbbells to start as you will need to asses your range of motion and strength. Begin by taking a deep breath as the dumbbells rest in your hands and on top of your knees as you sit on the bench. Then, fall back onto the bench as you exhale holding the dumbbells in the air together over your chest, as if you were closing curtains in front of you. Then, while inhaling with your back arched on the bench pad and your shoulder blades flat, open the movement by lowering the dumbbells wide to either side of your body. Feel the chest stretch as you inhale and begin the exhale and squeeze as you bring the dumbbells back into the original position, just like closing the curtains. After performing enough light reps to warm up the muscle you can move on to your second set
*(I use dumbbells flys as a pre-exhaust method because the triceps are not involved and will remain strong for all pressing movements. Pre-exhaust is a method in which the primary muscle group is being isolated without the assistance of secondary muscles that are saved for more strenuous lifts. Notice, the triceps are not used in the dumbbell fly, but are used in the heavier dumbbell press. They can also be used for finishing a chest workout)
Your Second set should be in the 10-15 rep range
Your third in the 10-12 range
Fourth in the 8-10 range
Remember, your breathing should always stay in rhythm with the movement, never loose form because of your desire to go heavier in weight. Your goal is to work your chest so remember to never bring a fly down to far as this can hurt your shoulder and take tension off your chest.
One of the side effects for males when working out is increased aggression. That is something to be very aware of as you pursue to be like Christ. As the complete embodiment of God he had both male and female traits. This can be hard for some “macho” males to be comfortable with as feelings can be seen as weakness. Christ taught us to use the feminine aspects of nurturance and compassion to promote growth and progression. When we see that what we want in life can be given to others first, then can be experienced by us, we are drawn closer to Christ. This is less of a “me/ I” ego and state of mind and more of a surrender to the will and plan of Christ.
DUMBBELL PRESS
I begin at the bench with both dumbbells equal to half my body weight to warm up. The following sets I will increase weight till I reach my body weight and sometimes higher. I have always remembered the phrase “carry your own weight”. That is why I make lifting my body weight with large muscle groups,(chest/back/legs) a personal strength goal. Weight should vary based on your goals. Shaping and endurance are a lower weight higher rep technique, where the strength will be reached in lower-rep heavier lifting. I think that depending on your goals, weight should vary. My personal goal is to work with my body weight as much as possible.
Perform the press movement much like the Fly. Start in the same position and as you fall back on the bench turn your wrists parallel with your lower part of your chest. Bring the dumbbells down as you inhale. Then as you exhale, push and squeeze. Consistent tension and flow throughout the movement is recommended.
First set should be 12-15 rep range
Second should be 10-12
Third 8-10
Forth 6-8
*(Tip, for a number of reasons keep you resting between set at a minute. This will increase focus and keep heart rate up)
Sometimes as I go through my day I get the sense that the world is against me. Instead of being discouraged I accept this as a natural condition for me as a Christian. Certainly the whole world was against Christ. So this actually enables me to feel closer to him.
I feel close to Christ as I prepare for a very heavy lift. I remind myself that the spirit of Christ within me is greater then me. I remember that no force in the universe is stronger than the love he has placed in our hearts.
With faith in the love of Christ, I trust in him to move the challenging spiritual mountains before me. There is a spiritual war within each of us. With the help of Jesus Christ we can fight that internal battle. When we do, we’ll first find peace within ourselves. Then that peace can overflow to others.
We rarely see things as they are… we see things as we are. If we address the Christ in all of those around us then we can be the bridge between heaven and earth.
DECLINE BENCH PRESS
This exercise is preformed on a bench or machine. Much like the Dumbbell press in range of motion. I use a Hammer strength machine. The machine is safer, as the previous two exercises have worked the stabilizers. Use the mind-muscle connection as you work your way through the sets.
MIND-MUSCLE CONNECTION: It has been said that Arnold used to imagine and visualize huge mountainous peaks while he performed his bicep curls. This image in his mind helped him to completely focus on his muscle and in a way guide it to become bigger and stronger, just like the huge peaks imprinted in his mind.
If you think of Jesus Christ and his willingness to carry the sin of the world…..the weight of dumbbells becomes quite a bit lighter!
Many bodybuilders have adopted this theory and have used it to reach past their genetic potential. It’s not easy and you may feel silly doing it at first. However, using positive visualization and the mind-muscle connection can benefit your training and help you achieve the goals you are reaching for. This approach increases the response of the muscle and therefore stimulates growth.
The burn in the muscle should be really apparent because your muscles are producing lactic acid and ammonia. These are fatigue products from working out. They are trying to slow you down and protect you from strains. This is where water and the breath of life are so important to dilute and counter the effects. In most cases of growth and gains, no strain means no gain. Toxic by-products are a part of intense training and so the saying goes, “The Hotter the Fire …the stronger the sword”. The burn is the force of adaptive dormant muscle repartitioning. We should always be aware of the balance between muscle tissue stimulation and over doing it. Safety should always be the first priority. A good partner will help you with pushing yourself past your goals.
First set 12-15 reps
Second 10-12
third 8-10
fourth 6-8
DIAMOND PUSH-UP
You can perform this last movement on the floor or on the edge of a bench at a higher angle. I sometimes use a dumbbell to increase the challenge. Take the standard push-up position, then move you hands together and form a diamond with you index fingers and you thumbs. This will put tension on you middle and upper chest and is great for finishing up. The objective of any finishing exercises is to do light weight reps with high frequency to force as much blood and nutrients to the muscle to get that “PUMP”. I look at the diamond that is made with my hands and think of how hard that stone is. That is how hard I want my chest! The involvement of the mind in the shaping of the body is most important. I also think of all the time, pressure, and living material that goes into making a diamond. Food for thought!
Speaking of food! You should always get a quickly digestible meal consisting of carbs and protein no later then 30 minutes after your training. This is so important for recovery and if neglected your gains will not come. I use a combination of waxy maize starch and whey protein and some peanut butter!! YUMMY!
David Morin is the father of two boys, Jacob and Jeremiah. He is a fitness model and the head of sales for UspLabs (Sports Nutrition supplements). He likes to play music and practice healing art. His personal relationship with Jesus Christ grows stronger daily as he reads the Bible and acts upon the teachings of Christ. Visit David on the web at www.getmorin.com . You can email him at david.morin@USPLabsdirect.com 
