Training: Mind, Body & Soul

I do best when I have a goal in mind. I work best under pressure. How about you?

I have the pleasure of participating in a backpacking trip with Big City Mountaineers for their Summit for Someone program in April. The mountain is Mt. Whitney, a whole different kind of backpacking or hiking endeavor than I am used to pursuing.  I will have snowshoes and ice crampons as part of my arsenal and experience after this trip.  If you are not familiar with Mt. Whitney, it is the highest peak (at 14,505 ft) in the lower 48 states and located in California.

In order to deal with the elements, including; altitude, pack weight, vertical assent, snow/ice and many more, training began back in January. Although this is not my first 14,000ft mountain (I've bagged 9 in Colorado), it will be the first during winter conditions. Because of the added elements to this climb, extra gear and training are necessary.

Here is what the last 8 weeks looked like:
1. 5 days a week P90X lean routine (nightly enjoyed with my wife and 2 friends)
2. 3 days a week strength training at the gym (I have my own routine if you're interested comment or email)
3. 3 days a week running (increasing a half mile each week)
4. Friday am to Sunday pm are my rest time

This is a pretty rigorous routine with little time to rest or recover.  There are a couple of reasons for this. First, when you are on a mountain you don't get a day to recover. Second, you can't simulate altitude when you live in Houston. Third, our bodies can be pushed much more than we give them credit for being pushed.

I'll give more specifics on what this training looks like and what results I have achieved in the process.  But here is some food for spiritual thought.  What if I had a plan for my spiritual growth that was as rigorous as my physical training. I know we don't want to be legalistic about our time with God...but it is so easy to get out of the routine with our reading, prayer, sabbath rest, fasting, and the list could go on. 

Here is what I have found: as I discipline my body, I find it easier to discipline my spiritual life.  In other words when I am disciplined in one aspect of life it helps me to be disciplined in other aspects.  Is that how it works for you?  Do you find yourself out of discipline in you physical life? In your spiritual life? In your life? What do you do to correct it? How do you stay disciplined?

1 Corinthians 9:25
²⁵ Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.

1 Timothy 4:8
⁸ For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.