Welcome to this holiday weekend’s Fitness Friday post! Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to complete the following workout and hopefully spark your spirit life a bit. Please know that each of the following moves can be done in a low-impact, grounded manner so as long as you can move and breathe, you’ve got what it takes to do this!
Begin with a simple 5 minute warm up of your choice—you can walk, march in place, jog, rebound, or whatever else you’d like to get your heart rate up a little bit and your muscles moving. Next, you are going to complete what I call a Ladder Circuit—you will complete 5 different exercises in the number of repetitions given. Do them at YOUR pace. There’s no one to race against (which you really shouldn’t be doing anyway— I even have a shirt that reads “Compassion not comparison”) so just do your best. Instructions on how to do each exercise and some low-impact modifications are listed at the end of this post if you have any questions.
Ladder Circuit
50 Jumping Jacks
40 Alternating Front Kicks
30 Skaters
20 Jacob’s Ladders
10 Jump Squats
After completing one circuit, say this verse out loud:
“Love God, your God, with your whole heart: love Him with all that’s in you, love Him with all you’ve got!”–Deut. 6:5 (MSG)
Repeat Ladder Circuit 3-4 times, repeating the verse aloud at the end of every circuit. Then, take a couple of minutes to cool down, stretch, rest in the Father’s presence, and personalize the verse for you. What would it look like if you lived every moment as though you loved God with your whole heart? What would be different about your life if you truly loved Him with all that’s in you? How would your time, money, resources be used if you truly loved Him with all you’ve got?
I truly hope you take a few minutes to try this workout and while you are building up your body, your spirit will be renewed as well. I know that saying a verse out loud while working out may sound weird, but there’s something to be said about speaking God’s truth when your body is tired. God truly works in and through our weaknesses. So give it a try. Leave a comment and let me know how it went. And embrace your FREEDOM that comes through Christ alone this weekend!
*Jumping jacks—if you want to keep it low impact, instead of jumping, tap your foot out on one side and then bring it back to the starting position and then tap out the opposite foot to the other side, while focusing on stepping out wide and keep the hand motions the same as a regular jumping jack.
*Alternating Front kicks—Stand with your legs hip-width apart. Kick one leg forward. Return to starting position; repeat with other leg. Continue to alternate sides as quickly as possible,
*Skaters—This is a wide lateral step. From a standing position with feet hip-width apart, leap or step out with the left foot, crossing the right leg behind the left, while reaching across the body with the right hand. Repeat on the opposite side. Continue to alternate sides as quickly as possible.
*Jacob’s Ladders (Alternating High Hands & Knees)—Reach high with the left hand while bringing the right knee up. Switch sides. Continue to alternate sides as quickly as possible. During this move, focus on the upward movement. Reach high with both your hand and knee. These can be done either as a march to keep it low-impact or brought into a run.
*Jump Squats—In this move, you will squat with your feet hips-width apart, reaching hands towards the floor. Then as you come up from the squat, reach upward as high as you are able. If you would like, add a jump so your feet leave the floor as you are reaching upwards. Also, focus on the upward movement during this move. Repeat.
