Pietra, meaning rock in Italian, is a word that reminds us of the importance of having a solid foundation when building anything that is to have strength, stability, and longevity. At Pietra Fitness, our whole-person workouts are built upon this concept. Every class incorporates physical exercise to promote core strength as a solid physical foundation for the rest of the body. For the soul, the workouts include prayer and meditations built upon the strongest of foundations: the rock of Christ and His Church. This powerful combination truly benefits the entire human person—restoring harmony and wholeness to both body and soul.
Pietra Fitness exists to help people increase their faith and improve their health and well-being through Catholic prayer and spirituality and stretching and strengthening postures. You can improve your health, wellness, and happiness by strengthening your mental, physical, and spiritual foundations. We have worked hard to develop a program with a solid foundation in each of these areas so that, with God’s grace, you can rejuvenate, refresh, and restore your whole person—body, mind, and soul. It is our goal to help you achieve your optimal health regardless of your age, physical limitations, and state of health.
Foundation
UPON THIS ROCK . . .
The wise man built his house on a rock.
- The body is a dwelling place of the Holy Spirit—a house of God. St. Paul wrote, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you . . .” (1 Cor. 6:19a).
- God is the architect of the human body, as well as of the soul (CCC 362-366). Therefore, He is the sole designer of and authority on human form and function. As stewards of these amazing gifts, we must each strive to care for both our body and our soul. “Therefore glorify God in your body”(1 Cor. 6: 20b).
- Many forms of exercise—some of them ancient—have provided effective ways to strengthen the body, heal illness, and promote longevity. We recognize the good and true wherever it is found and do well to utilize physical movements that are helpful.
- We must take great care to point out, however, that a good source for exercise is not necessarily a reliable source for spiritual truth. The source may be unhelpful at best—and dangerous at worst. Because the human person is both body and soul, we dare not take lightly the implications of following guidance not rooted in and centered on Christ. “. . . no town or house divided against itself will stand” (Mt. 12:25). The soul, being greater than the body, should be properly formed and direct how the body exercises because what the body does affects the soul.
- It is easy to test the effectiveness of various physical exercises, but is it possible to identify a true authority for spiritual truth? Yes! Christ himself established the Church as the specific and ultimate spiritual authority on earth. He said, “And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Mt. 16: 18-19).
- Pietra means rock in Italian. Pietra Fitness was created as a way to renew both soul and body by building each on a strong foundation of love and truth. We utilize tried-and-true physical exercises to develop core strength, providing a solid foundation for the rest of the body. To nourish the soul, we incorporate Scripture and meditations completely consistent with the teachings of the Church that Jesus founded on the rock of St. Peter. We believe this powerful combination truly benefits the whole human person—body, mind, and soul, in unity and integrity.
Logo

San Damiano Crucifix
The San Damiano Crucifix was chosen to be the Crucifix that will be present in every Pietra Fitness Class. It is an icon, a sacred work of art rich with meaning. It is the crucifix of conversion. Saint Francis of Assisi prayed repeatedly before this Crucifix, and one day while praying, the Holy Spirit gave St. Francis a mission:“Go and repair My House which, as you can see, is falling into ruin.”
