Join Jill in this brisk, 24-minute, level 1 class that makes old moves feel new with different variations and sequences. You may experience new ways to gain strength on your hands and knees when you follow along with Jill’s variations. Alternating back extension, pike, angle, airplane, and revolved angle will give your whole body a good workout. As you relax in a reclined inner thigh stretch, you will hear a meditation prompting you to consider whether your soul is a house of prayer or a marketplace.
Fr. Ben O’Cinnsealaigh, Pastor of Our Lady of Victory Parish, Cincinnati, OH, based on his column for the week of March 7, 2021.
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Do you have a limited time to exercise but want to increase your physical performance? This class combines various strength exercises to target the major muscles of your body for an effective total body workout. The meditation helps you to focus on St. Joseph.
Fr. Ben O’Cinnsealaigh, Pastor of Our Lady of Victory Parish, Cincinnati, OH, based on his column for the week of March 14, 2021.
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
This gentle spine mobility class is perfect for those who would like a restful start to your day or if you would like a low impact routine that prepares your spine to get going for whatever activities you have planned. The meditation will help you to focus on St. Joseph.
Holy Family School of Faith, Daily Rosary podcast, St. Joseph’s Place, March 4, 2021.
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Maintain and CHANGE your fitness in this workout by quickening the pace or slowing it down when you need to. All about the Speed! is a full-body, low impact class for all fitness levels, and will strengthen your muscles while burning fat! Feel free to use light hand weights (Betsy is using 3 lb dumbbells) to take this workout to the limit!
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
PowerFull is an intensive class that focuses on building core strength while working all the major muscle groups! You are sure to get your heart rate up while gaining strength, flexibility, and coordination. The meditation will help you to contemplate Lent and learning to put others first.
Fr. Ben O’Cinnsealaigh, Pastor of Our Lady of Victory Parish, Cincinnati, OH, based on his column for the week of Feb. 28, 2021.
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Join Erin for this 38 min class that focuses on whole-body strength with movements that are unhurried and intentional. Holding High Lunge places stress on your hamstrings, glutes, and quads, strengthening those muscles while challenging your balance. The meditation helps you to focus on love as a gift.
Clare Schiller, Foundation 3 Pietra Fitness Instructor
Composed by Jennifer Dirkes, www.jenniferdirkes.com;
If you want a full-body workout that also gives you the opportunity to practice a couple of the more advanced balancing poses, Live from Home: Strengthen Your Balance is for you. This level 2 class begins standing and includes a variety of lunges before Jill gradually instructs you to enter extended leg reach and standing linked backbend. The music is relaxed and the spiritual focus is on how we spend our time during the season of Lent.
Holy Family School of Faith, 45 Days to Deeper Prayer Lenten Volume, pg. 80
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
“Arms of Love” will get your heart pumping and your arms burning. In this 20-minute high-intensity interval training class, Betsy will energetically guide you through a variety of cardio exercises with a focus on the arms and shoulders. The upbeat instrumental music will help keep you going as you warm-up your arms for three minutes without letting them rest (three minutes may feel longer than you expect!) The workout portion of class includes shuffles in a pike-like position, one-armed push-ups, one-armed planks, modified push-ups, and tricep push-ups. You will repeat the warm-up series before winding down with a few short stretches and finishing in prayer. You may like to strengthen your arms to achieve a more defined look--but did you know that stronger arms also means safer joints? Your shoulders, elbows, and wrists are better protected by stronger muscles. Because this is not a traditional Pietra Fitness class, we encourage you to consider rounding out your workout today by enjoying a Gentle stretching and strengthening class, such as TOB Stress Relief or Your Rhythm.
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Our goal here is that in just 23-short minutes, you will be stretched, strengthened, more relaxed, and more open to God. If this is your goal too, join Jill for “Hips and Abs in a Flash.” This level 1 class begins seated for deep breathing, gratefulness, side-bends, and twists, followed by a few rolls into a standing hanging position. After opening your arms for your first bodily prayer posture and asking God, “Lord, teach me to pray,” you will swan-dive right into pike pose and some low-lunges with rotations. Although the workout includes exercises to stretch and strengthen every major muscle group, you may notice a focus on your hips (in kneeling side extension with added variations) and your abs (in seated positions reminiscent of V-sit). You will enter a modified upward plank and seated hip-release to relax and stretch the areas you have strengthened. During your seated inner thigh stretch, Jill will read a meditation about how prayer puts you in touch with God Who alone can satisfy your desire for happiness.
Holy Family School of Faith, Daily Rosary Meditation, Why Pray?, February 7, 2021. Used with Permission.
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Live! from Home: Building a Strong Foundation is a 40-minute, level 1 class that begins and ends on the mat, but is otherwise full of many standing poses that will work the major muscle groups and drive the heart-rate up a bit. Betsy designed the class to prepare you to engage in a strong and effective way in a standing half-linked backbend, which you will try near the end of the class. This pose can be difficult as it challenges our balance while strengthening the legs, ankles, and back, and stretching the shoulders, chest, thighs, groin, and abdomen. Throughout the workout you will engage in pike pose, low-lunge with backbend, twists, side-bends, plank, side-plank, forward-folds, and quad-stretches, which will help you build the strength and flexibility needed to successfully enter a standing half-linked backbend. You may like to take note of how you feel in this pose...wobbly? strong?...and remember to take note of what improvements you notice next time you try it. The long-hold position is a reclined inner-thigh stretch during which you will hear a meditation about being transformed by the loving gaze of Jesus. The music you will enjoy during this class is peaceful, perfect for allowing you to focus on both the physical and spiritual aspects of the class. We hope "Building a Strong Foundation" gives you the confidence to start where you are, the encouragement to challenge yourself to try new things, and the time to allow Jesus’ loving gaze to pierce your heart.
Pope Francis, Gaudium et Spes, 19
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Do you want greater strength but are short on time? In this 25-minute, level 2 class, Jill brings you the essentials of stretching and strengthening all of your major muscle groups. You may notice a focus on plank pose throughout the workout. Did you know that, when held properly, plank pose is one of the best exercises to increase core strength? In addition to helping build solid abs, plank pose strengthens and tones the arms, shoulders, upper back, chest, and thighs, while stretching the calves and arches of feet. The plank and forearm plank poses are woven seamlessly into this workout amidst pike, lunge II, reverse lunge II, side reach, open arabesque, angle pose, and push-ups. After a forward fold and upward plank, you will relax into a reclined inner-thigh stretch for your long hold and listen to a beautiful meditation about Jesus as the Light of the world. The classical, stringed music is reminiscent of the peace, joy, and energy we feel in the presence of light--such as we might feel in the invigorating sunshine after many days of clouds. In quiet pose, you will have the opportunity to reflect on how you can let the light of Christ shine through you to the world.
Fr. Ben O’Cinnsealaigh, Pastor of Our Lady of Victory Parish, Cincinnati, OH, for the week of January 31, 2021. Used with permission.
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Are you looking for a short and effective workout you can squeeze into your busy schedule? This level 1 class has all the components of the regular Pietra Fitness classes that you love, all in 21 minutes! You will begin in standing posture for deep breathing and gratefulness before entering some Pietra Fitness flows to get the blood moving and gently wake up all the major muscle groups of the body. The workout portion of class includes pike pose, lunge II, reverse lunge II, high lunge, and extended-leg reach. Did you know that in extended-leg reach pose you strengthen your spine, legs, ankles, and quads while you stretch your hamstrings and shoulders? Not to mention strengthening your balance! After a quad stretch, you will enter an inner-thigh stretch for your long-hold position and listen to the meditation about growing in strength from your trials. You may notice that the bodily prayer verse, “I love you, Lord, my strength” is the secret to living the Scripture for today’s class (James 1:2-4). We can persevere joyfully in trials because He is our strength!
Holy Family School of Faith, Rosary Meditation for January 29, 2021, I Need Patience! Used with permission.
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Are you looking for an opportunity to perfect your standing postures while building greater strength? Live! from Home: Polish Your Postures is for you! In this slower-moving, level 2 class, you will begin seated for your warm-up before transitioning to the standing postures that make up the majority of the workout section. Jill offers numerous cues as you spend time in each posture, giving you the opportunity to polish your postures as you gain strength. The lunge II-reverse-lunge II-angle pose-open arabesque series will strengthen the legs, knees, ankles, arms, core, and glutes and stretch the groins, chest, and lungs. Next, you will follow Jill into arabesque, high-lunge, extended leg-reach and standing half-linked backbend, which will challenge your balance and strengthen your legs, ankles, and back muscles. See what muscles you notice as you hold these poses more intentionally today--you may be surprised at what you feel! As you hold hip-release on each side for your long-hold, Jill will read a meditation about taking responsibility for your actions as a step toward healing. After your cool-down stretches, you will enter quiet pose and enjoy Gregorian chant as you consider what miracles God can work in you when you acknowledge your sins and failings.
Holy Family School of Faith, Rosary Meditation for December 30, 2020, Responsibility. Used with permission.
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Live! from Home: Habit Forming is a 32-minute gentle class that is all on the mat (no standing postures). The stringed instrumental music will help you ease into the class as you begin deep breathing in the supine position. As you consider the blessings you are grateful for today, Betsy will help you remember the blessing of God’s love for you right where you are today. After warming up through various stretches in cross-legged seated position and hands and knees position, you will move into the gentle workout. You will strengthen your back muscles through an ab balance with scissors, your quads and abdominals with a kneeling quad exercise, and your thighs in low lunge. You will stretch your thighs, groins, and psoas as well as the surrounding connective tissue as you stay in hip-release for the long-hold. The Scripture and meditation today will encourage you to practice daily meditative prayer, even if you don’t feel that you have great inspirations--the simple act of spending time with God is worthwhile--your friendship with God will grow, and God will do His work in you, sometimes without your noticing.
Holy Family School of Faith, Rosary Meditation for December 17, 2020, I Feel Like I am not Praying Right. Used with permission.
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Are you ready to hold postures longer and build greater strength? Join Jill today for Live from Home: Daring to Live! You will begin in good standing posture for a few minutes of focusing on deep-breathing and gratefulness. After warming up with angel arms, twists, side bends, shoulder stretches, and swan dives, you will pause in rock pose for your first bodily prayer posture as you pray: “Let my heart take courage, for I hope in You, Lord.” You are sure to strengthen your shoulders in the workout which includes pike, low-lunge, forearm plank, forearm pike, pike split, pike hip-opener, high-lunge, as well as a balance series with hamstring curls. Although some of these poses may be held longer than you are used to, feel free to adjust as necessary for yourself. As you enter a hip release pose for your long-hold, you will meditate on the meaning of life (being loved by God and loving Him in return) and becoming your true self (by daring to live fully in response to God's love). We hope you finish class feeling both strengthened and inspired!
Fr. Ben O’Cinnsealaigh, Pastor of Our Lady of Victory Parish, Cincinnati, OH, Fr. Ben’s Column for the week of January 3, 2020
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Do you want to incorporate a cardio component into your Pietra Fitness workout? If so, try Cardio #6: January Jumpstart with Betsy. As a high-intensity-interval training class, “January Jumpstart” is fast-paced and upbeat. You will warm up by marching in place, skipping with a reach, cherry-pickers, jogging in place, and squats. The main section of the workout consists of a series of four exercises repeated four times (inchworms, mountain climbers, oblique crunches, and lunges with knee drives). This series will surely get your heart pumping and strengthen your whole body. Feel free to adjust the pace as you need to. The music will change to Gregorian Chant as you slow your heart-rate and your breath during the cool-down. Betsy will lead you in a few gentle stretches and encourage you to consider this quote by Saint Hilary “The chief service I owe you, O God, is that every thought and word of mine should speak of you.” Because this is not a traditional Pietra Fitness class, round out your workout today with a Gentle or Level 1 class.
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Step into the new year with purpose as you join Jill for this upbeat level 2 class, enlivened by forward-moving instrumental music. You will begin by deep-breathing in a seated position, which will help you relax and refocus as you prepare to strengthen your mind, body, and spirit. After warming up, Jill will lead you through a whole-body strengthening series that includes high-lunge, deep-lunge, arabesque, pike, lunge II, reverse lunge II, and angle pose. Jill adds variety to some of these well-known poses that will add an extra challenge to your obliques, abdominals, and balance. As you enter hip release for your long-hold, you will listen to a meditation on setting goals in the new year, making sure to include physical, intellectual, and spiritual goals. The bodily prayer verse will remind you that the Lord alone knows what is best for you--so be sure to plan with Him!
Excerpt from In Conversation with God, Francis Fernandez (Scepter Press)
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Live for Advent: A & A – Abs & Arms innovatively focuses on exercises pertaining to your core and arms. After the warm-up, Jill takes you through a series of exercises on the mat that will use your upper, lower, oblique, and back muscles to help tone and strengthen. Push-ups, Planks, and Pikes help to round out the class to make it a great upper body workout. The meditation helps us to consider how Christmas is a time of giving and being grateful.
Holy Family School of Faith, 30 Days to Deeper Prayer, Advent Volume, Advent Giving, pgs. 76-78.
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Increase the strength in your arms and back with Live for Advent: Armed for Life. The strengthening exercises used in the class will help you improve your ability to lift heavier objects while working on the mobility of your shoulder and elbow joints. To improve how your arms look—and, more importantly, how they work, join Betsy for this gentle arm workout. You will need a set of light hand weights, but feel free to use something around the house like food cans. You can still get a workout if you do not use weights. The meditation will help you better prepare for Christmas by contemplating Joy as we await our Lord's birth!
Pope Francis, An Invitation to Joy, Noonday Angelus, December 13, 2020.
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Would you like to stand taller, move better, and have greater flexibility and range of motion? If the answer is yes, then Live for Advent: Fix your Posture is for you! The exercises Jill does in the video will help your body move in a way that is smarter and more efficient. She uses a foam roller, but you can use a rolled towel instead. The meditation will have you contemplating God’s Glory during this wonderful Advent season.
Holy Family School of Faith, Rosary Meditation for August 11, 2020, On Beauty. Used with permission.
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Are you ready to lengthen and strengthen your leg muscles? In this Gentle class, you will begin on your back for deep breathing, shifting your body from the sympathetic to the parasympathetic nervous system (the part of the autonomic nervous system that allows your body to rest, digest, and heal.) After warming up through neck stretches, cross-legged seated forward folds, twists, low lunge, and pike pose, you will move into the workout portion of class, which is focused on the legs. Your legs will be both stretched and strengthened as you follow Betsy’s lead through squats, pike, swan dives, high lunges, and seated forward folds. As you relax into an easy hip release for your long hold, you will hear a meditation encouraging you to contemplate Christ’s meekness and to consider how you can imitate Him. The instrumental music for this class has a holiday feel; the music for the quiet pose is a piece of Gregorian chant that helps you end the class in a peaceful conversation with God.
Excerpt from In Conversation with God, Francis Fernandez (Scepter Press)
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Live for Advent: Balance and Tone covers a variety of exercises designed to improve muscular strength while working on balance and coordination. In the workout, Jill will take you through a series of lunges and standing balance postures that focus on agility and functional strength. The meditation is about John the Baptist and how he was the voice in the desert pointing to the coming of Our Lord. You will have time in Quiet Pose to think about what you stand for while allowing your mind to assimilate all that your body has done.
Fr. Ben O’Cinnsealaigh, Pastor of Our Lady of Victory Parish, Cincinnati, OH, Fr. Ben’s Column for the week of Dec. 6, 2020
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
In this 34-minute, Gentle class, Betsy will help you learn how to engage your pelvic floor and strengthen it through a variety of different exercises. Your pelvic floor, the muscle between your pubic bone and sacrum, acts as a hammock to hold everything up. Your hammock may be stretched out through bearing down, pregnancy, and/or childbirth--and it likely needs a bit of strengthening. (One tell-tale sign of a weak pelvic floor is urine leakage from laughing, sneezing or coughing.) “Restore Your Pelvic Floor” begins on your back for deep breathing and gratefulness, followed by pelvic floor contractions as you move through leg extensions and half backbends. You will continue to strengthen your pelvic floor in hands and knees position and pike pose. After seated forward folds, twists, and modified side planks, you will relax into a reclined inner thigh stretch for the long hold and meditation. The prayers and meditation will encourage you to consider how you can love Jesus this Advent.
Holy Family School of Faith daily Rosary, Advent. November 27, 2020. Used with permission.
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Are you looking for stronger, more defined shoulders? Live for Advent: Bolder Shoulders is for you! In this 37-minute, Level 2 class, Jill will lead you to hold postures that work the whole body, while adding in specific exercises that will stretch and strengthen your shoulders. The warm-up portion of the class includes postures in a cross-legged seated position, side sit, and hands and knees. For the workout, you will engage in a series that includes pike, elevated chest lift, plank, deep lunge, high lunge, lunge 2, and half squats, all while incorporating extra work for your shoulders. Jill uses hand weights at certain points to intensify her practice. You can add them in if you’d like or leave them out! As you begin to wind-down, you will enter into a seated inner thigh stretch for your long hold. The meditation today is about Christian meditation--you will be reminded of the steps of prayerful meditation and encouraged to make/keep it a regular practice of your life to enter more fully into the life of God that He wants to share with you. The instrumental music for “Bolder Shoulders” is energizing and festive; during quiet pose, it is changed to Gregorian chant as you enter a time of prayer and open yourself to deeper friendship with Christ.
Holy Family School of Faith, Rosary Meditation for November 27, 2020, Advent. Used with permission.
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
This 41-minute, Gentle class is perfect for those looking for a slower-paced, relaxing to refocus, both physically and spiritually. Physically, you will have the time to really tune in to your body as you stretch and strengthen your muscles, enabling you to receive the feedback you need from your body to fine-tune your postures and make every pose more effective. Spiritually, this class reminds us to focus on living in the present moment--the place where time meets eternity and we can be with God. All of the exercises are on the mat, either supine, prone, or hands and knees (with a couple of Pike poses that can be modified if need be). You will begin on your back to practice deep breathing and thoughts of gratitude. During the workout portion, you will engage in a series of kneeling twists, quad strengthened, and gentle backbends...you may be surprised to find how this section strengthens your shoulders! After coming to prone for gentle chest lifts and quad stretches, you will come to a seated forward fold and then relax into a seated inner thigh stretch for your long-hold. Even though this is a Gentle class, you can still get a good workout by focusing on activating the proper muscle groups in each posture. By the end of class, you will be better prepared to live the truth proclaimed in the bodily prayer verse: “Lord, in your presence, there is fullness of joy!”
Holy Family School of Faith daily Rosary, Live in the Present Moment. November 15, 2020. Used with permission.
Music from Keys of Peace by Francesca LaRosa (www.francescalarosa.com), The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
During this 37-minute, level 2 class with Jill, your balance and pelvic floor will be challenged and strengthened while your hip muscles and tendons will be relaxed and lengthened. You will begin in PosturePpose, with deep breathing and thoughts of gratitude and placing yourself in God’s presence when other thoughts disturb you. The warm-up includes a flow to hands and knees for Arch and Round leading into a series that will stretch your sides, your shoulders, and your hips. The workout consists of 2 separate sets of flows that move quickly and seamlessly and include the following poses: Pike, Pike Split (with hip stretch added), Elevated Chest Lift (both on toes and on tops of feet), Side Plank (with optional leg lifts), Hip Release with push-ups, deep squat, Open Arabesque, Angle Pose, and Lunge 2. Jill also adds a variation to hands and knees posture that will move “hands and knees” from a gentle class posture to a level 2 class posture! As you move into Hip Release for your long hold, you will meditate on being a sojourner on this earth whose true home and destination is your heavenly homeland. The instrumental music in this class begins softly and has a more energizing feel during the workout; and, of course, the class ends with peaceful Gregorian chant to help you relax and pray during the quiet pose.
Holy Family School of Faith, Rosary Meditation for November 6, 2020, Strangers and Sojourners. Used with permission.
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
This 33-minute, level I class with Betsy will help you practice physical balance and meditate on lifestyle balance. You will begin on your back with deep breathing and gratefulness. The warm-up section includes positions that are supine, standing, and hands and knees. Betsy will help you become aware of your pelvic floor, wake up your back muscles, and gently get the blood flowing throughout your body. The workout section begins with a series that includes Pike, Low Lunge with twists, and hamstring stretches. You will next be challenged and strengthened in your balance as you move into Lunge 2, High Lunge, Arabesque, and side plank. Twice you will enter into bodily prayer and implore, “Lord, prosper the work of our hands” (a variation of prayer from Psalm 90). As you relax into a reclined inner thigh stretch for your long hold, you will listen to a meditation about St. Benedict and the three ingredients of a happy life. During the Quiet pose, you will be asked to reflect on whether these three elements of a happy life are part of your life and in proper proportion.
Holy Family School of Faith daily Rosary, St. Benedict and a Balanced Life, July 10, 2020. Used with permission.
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Are you looking for irRESISTible arms with minimal equipment? Yes please. Live! From Home: Irresistible Arms is just what you are looking for. While barbells, dumbbells, and kettlebells are great, resistance bands are easy and can hit every muscle group while also working on range of motion. In the workout, Jill takes you through a series of Planks to strengthen and prep the muscles. She then takes you through a sequence of arm and shoulder exercises using the band. You can make all of the exercises harder by shortening the band to add resistance or use a band with more resistance. Don’t have a band? No worries! You can still work your arms and shoulders without it. In the wind-down, you will relax with the meditation on joyfulness. So, if you are ready to live joy and get stronger arms and shoulders, grab your band and join us!
Excerpt from In Conversation with God, Francis Fernandez (Scepter Press)
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Are you a weight-lover? (The kind of weights you hold in your hand, of course!) This 29-minute cardio, non-traditional Pietra Fitness class features weights, upbeat music reminiscent of the 80’s, and quick movements to raise your heart rate. You will work out your whole body as you move through exercises both standing and supine, including a variety of squats, lunges, hang cleans, bench presses, deadlifts, deadrows, crunches, hip-bridges, and more. You will cool down as you swiftly move through rock pose, a quad stretch, a bit of twisting, and some angel arms to lower the heart rate. For this workout, you will need a mat, water, weights of some sort (can use dumbbells, soup cans, filled water bottles/jugs, etc.), and shoes to protect your feet. This class begins and ends with a quick prayer and is dedicated to St. Teresa of Avila. Because this is not a traditional Pietra Fitness workout of stretching and strengthening, you may like to follow it up with a Gentle Pietra Fitness class to stretch and relax all those muscles you worked here!
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
This 39-minute Level 2 class is filled with exercises that will help you improve your strength, flexibility, and balance. As you work through each posture with Jill, you will enjoy listening to stringed instrumental music that is both peaceful and energizing. You will begin this class either kneeling or standing to focus on your breath and gratefulness to the Lord. After a warm-up that includes a variation of angel-arms and gentle stretches and twists, you will bow as you listen to the bodily prayer verse: “My refuge and my fortress, my God in Whom I trust!” The workout includes single-leg deadlifts, three-way squats, lunge II, angle pose, open arabesque, deep lunges, and high lunges that will strengthen nearly every muscle group and challenge your balance. If you want to increase the intensity of your workout, you can join Jill in wearing a resistance band around your legs as you move into a series of squats, bridges, crunches, and leg-lifts. No band? No worries, you will still get a workout! Next, the double knee stack and double hip release precede the hip-release long-hold. During the long-hold, you will listen to the meditation on the relationship between anxiety, control, and trust in God before you enter a few wind-down stretches and relax into Quiet Pose. The prayers and Scripture encourage us to lay our anxiety aside by trusting in God.
Holy Family School of Faith, Rosary Meditation for October 16, 2020, Break the Anxiety Danger Cycle. Used with permission.
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
This 36-minute level 1 class will work every major muscle group. Remember, in Pietra Fitness, “Level 1” means our moderate level. You begin in posture pose, with deep breathing and gratefulness. As Betsy reminds us here, deep breathing is great for your digestion! The soft, but slightly upbeat guitar music adds just the right ambiance as you flow seamlessly with Betsy through your strengthening and stretching postures today. Your legs and core will be strengthened as you move through half-squats and rotating half-squats in the warm-up followed by a flow in the work-out section in which you hold Lunge II as you move with your breath through reverse Lunge II and side-reach. You will stretch your hamstrings throughout the workout with a variety of both standing and seated wide-leg folds as well as a quad stretch. In seated position, V-sit with toe-taps will strengthen your abdominal and back muscles, before you move into hip-release for your long-hold to lengthen and relax your connective tissue and listen to the meditation. The scripture and meditation remind us that we are the tenants in God’s vineyard and prompts us to consider his great love in sending His Son and how we ought to respond.
Fr. Benedict O’Cinnsealaigh, Our Lady of Victory, Cincinnati, OH, Fr. Ben’s Column, bulletin Oct. 4, 2020. Used with permission
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Are you ready for some “aaahhh” time? By the end of this 34-minute Gentle Level class, you will feel relaxed, refreshed, renewed, and, depending on what time of day you do it, either more poised to focus on your tasks for the day or better prepared to enter a peaceful night’s sleep. This class takes place on the mat without any standing postures or prone postures. You will begin seated for about 4 minutes of relaxing the body through deep-breathing and relaxing the mind with soothing thoughts of gratitude and God’s love for you. After warming up with safe and gentle neck stretches, side bends, and forward folds, you will come to your hands and knees for gentle core work, including leg lifts. You will strengthen your back muscles as you extend your spine while on your knees, followed by gentle twists and a shoulder stretch. When you come to a supine position, you will work multiple muscle groups as you lift and lower your hips, adding in an optional arm movement as well. As you relax into your reclined inner thigh stretch for your long hold, you will listen to the meditation on “Preparing for the Feast.” The prayers and meditation focus on God’s generous invitation to the wedding feast in Heaven and how we respond to that invitation.
Fr. Ben O’Cinnsealaigh, Pastor of Our Lady of Victory Parish, Cincinnati, OH, for the week of Oct. 11, 2020
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Live! from Home: Gentle Core n’ More is a 34-minute class done strictly on the mat. There are no standing exercises, making it easier for those who have a hard time with more active transitions. In this class, you will perform a variety of exercises for your lower body, including the core muscles. In the warmup, you will wake up the core and obliques, as well as the hamstrings. In the Workout, you will roll on to your side for more oblique work, then to your stomach for Forearm Chest Lifts and Leg Kicks. Shift back to Rock, up to Hands and Knees for Arch & Round, Heel Sit, and then Seated Forward Fold with an added fun twist. Relax in the Long Hold in Reclined Inner Thigh Stretch. The prayers for today will focus on the fact that it is “Never too late with God”.
Fr. Ben O’Cinnsealaigh, Pastor of Our Lady of Victory Parish, Cincinnati, OH, Fr. Ben’s Column, Sept. 27, 2020. Used with permission.
Music from Keys of Peace by Francesca LaRosa (www.francescalarosa.com), The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
If you are looking for a fast-paced workout that hits every aspect of your physical fitness, Live! From Home: Powerhouse is for you. This 38 min. class incorporates strength, power, balance, endurance, flexibility, and even some cardio. Join Jill for a series of Planks, Pikes, Lunges, Squats, Balance Poses, and much more. The meditation on Truthfulness helps you to reflect on how Jesus is the Truth, and when you speak the truth, you are imitating Him.
Excerpt from In Conversation with God, Francis Fernandez (Scepter Press)
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Have a towel and water handy to begin Cardio #4: Fab Abs. It is a 22 min class that integrates interval training techniques with fabulous abdominal exercises. Whether you are Level 1 or Level 2, you can make this class work for you by modifying each exercise. The warm-up goes over the movements used in class, and the workout is 30 sec. on, 30 seconds off with the following exercises: Plank Jump, Elbow to knee Crunches (Do bicycles to intensify), Plank Running climbers, Supine Abs (Lower the legs to boost or make them vertical to ease up), and Standing Heel Taps (Jump to raise the heart rate even more). Take a one minute break and then start over again for 2 more rounds! WOW! You may want to wear shoes for this one!
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Are you looking for a quick, heart-raising workout that focuses on your hips and glutes? Cardio #3: Banded Glutes and Hips may be just what you are looking for. You’ll warm up by marching in place along with glute kicks in a wide stance. In the workout, it is 45 seconds on/45 seconds off moving through squats, bridges, donkey kicks, clamshells, and fire hydrants. Think you are done? Not quite! You will repeat that circuit before cooling down and lowering the heart rate with quad stretches, wide-leg cherry pickers, and a hamstring stretch. Intensify the workout by using a resistance band. It's not your traditional Pietra Fitness class, but a great way to incorporate cardio into your well-rounded fitness regime.
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
We all need a strong core to protect our spine and joints from injury. We are not talking about six-pack abs here, but a genuinely healthy core that will keep your body stable as you move and exercise. Breathing is an integral part of engaging your core, and Betsy gives you ample opportunity in this 31-minute Gentle class to breathe as you work on a stable mid-section. As you practice this class regularly, you will start to see that you are training your body to activate your core muscles and will begin to see a difference in the way that you move throughout the day as well as in your Pietra Fitness classes. The meditation will help you to contemplate mercy and being merciful.
Excerpt from In Conversation with God, Francis Fernandez (Scepter Press)
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Are you ready to rev up your exercise routine? This HIIT-style workout alternates intense activity with times of rest or less activity. The warm-up will be 30 seconds of each exercise with no off time. Betsy will take you through Standing Wide Stance toe touches, marching or jogging in place, hip circles, and arm circles. How much you pick up the pace in the workout is up to you, as you can modify the number of reps. It is 30 seconds on, 20 seconds off of core exercises, planks, lateral leg raises with squats, Pike pushups, side-stepping squats, skaters, more planks, and High Lunges. Your heart rate will be pumping by this time, and then you will cool down with some wonderful stretches. This is not your traditional Pietra Fitness class, but a great addition to your wellness practices. By the time you are done, you will be ready to get up and go!
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
The extended periods of sitting and inactivity that you experience from long flights, car rides, and layovers, can wreak havoc on your body. Luckily, you don’t have to allow your travel time to ruin your trip. Join Tara for this 34 min. morning stretch from the sunny beaches of Florida. Rejuvenate your mind, body, and soul as you breathe, exercise, and pray all while watching the sunrise and listening to the sound of the crashing waves! You don’t need to be traveling to enjoy the many benefits of the class as you contemplate the Holy Spirit as the source of Living Water. You will thank yourself later!
Pope Francis, General Audience at St. Peter’s Square, Wednedsday, May 8, 2013.
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
This 34-minute total body workout is one that anyone can do. You'll target all your muscles, including the core, hips, glutes, thighs, back, shoulders, and arms. The class is full of tried and true exercises, from roll-ups and toe taps to bicycles and more. If you are looking for a low impact workout that hits your entire body, then Live! From Home: The Works is for you. The meditation helps you to contemplate that we should not be defined by our failures, but by our courage.
Fr. Ben O’Cinnsealaigh, Pastor of Our Lady of Victory Parish, Cincinnati, OH, Inspiration for the week of July 12, 2020
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Complete your day with Live! From Home: Whole Body Warmer. After the prayer, you will be led through a series of squats, lunges (with knee taps and twists), Elevated Chest Lifts, and lots, and lots of Planks! The slightly slower pace helps you to gradually increase your heart rate and blood flow to muscles. You will leave class feeling warm from head to toe. The meditations will help you to contemplate courage and how God is our strength.
Excerpt from In Conversation with God, Francis Fernandez (Scepter Press)
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Are you looking for a killer core workout that is safe for people who struggle with abdominal separation (also known as diastasis recti)? This ballet-inspired class is for you! In From Home: Ballet Circuit 2, Courtney (a professional ballerina) will take you through a series of dynamic moves that will strengthen and stretch your abdominals and back, including toe touches, Russians twists, elevated chest lift, side plank, and more. And just when you think you've completed the last rep, you'll start the circuit again from the top—twice. By the time you finish this 23-minute class, you'll be standing taller, feeling toner . . . and probably be a little out of breath. No tutu, ballet slippers, or prior ballet experience necessary.
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Perfect high lunge, lunge 1, lunge 2, and pike pose in this 36-minute Foundational Postures class. Just like Live! from Home: Back to Basics 1, Betsy will use cues and tips to guide you through Live! from Home: Back to Basics 2 to teach you proper form and alignment of these four fundamental Pietra Fitness postures. You will begin standing in good posture pose, focusing on your breath and thoughts of gratitude. Loosen up the muscles in your neck, arms, sides, and lower legs before flowing to pike to warm up the backside of your body. And now the real work begins . . . Strengthen your quads, hamstrings, glutes, and core and challenge your balance with three different types of lunges. In between each lunge posture, feel-good stretches will bring relief to the muscles that you just worked. The more you engage your muscles in the lunges, the more relaxed you'll feel when you lie back in reclined inner thigh stretch for the long hold. The Scriptures and meditations will remind you that failure doesn't define us; the important thing is to keep trying.Whether you're new to Pietra Fitness or you've been doing Pietra Fitness for a while, you can benefit from our Foundational Postures classes. Look for more of these workouts in our online studio or join us live on Friday.
Fr. Ben O’Cinnsealaigh, Pastor of Our Lady of Victory Parish, Cincinnati, OH, Inspiration for the week of July 12, 2020
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
If you like HIIT workouts, this fast-paced nontraditional Pietra Fitness class is for you. Right from the get-go, you'll raise your heart rate with mountain climbers, quick transitions, squats with lat pulldowns, and bicycles—and that's just the warm-up. Keep your heart pumping and engage every muscle in your body with standing side crunches; skaters; more mountain climbers, squats, and bicycles; and other compound exercises. Cool down with feel-good stretches that will relieve any soreness in your hips, hamstrings, and back before resting for a few breaths in rock pose. By the end of this 24-minute class, you'll feel energized, accomplished, and ready to take on the day.
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Start your day on the right foot with Live! from Home: New Beginnings. With slow and intentional exercises, this 39-minute workout will stretch and gently strengthen all the muscles in your body. You will begin on your back, focusing on your breath and calling to mind thoughts of gratitude. After warming up your hips and core, you will roll to seated to stretch your back and sides and to open up your chest. (These moves will feel oh so good, especially if you sit at a desk all day.) Come to hands and knees to work your shoulders, arms, core, back, glutes, and hamstrings. Heel sit will stretch your quads and the tops of your legs, and a kneeling backbend will engage your core, back, quads, and glutes. In prone, you'll work your hamstrings with leg curls and strengthen your back with an elevated chest lift and linked half backbend. Flow to seated engaged for a few forward folds before rolling back into reclined inner thigh stretch for the long hold. The Scriptures and meditations will remind you that every day is a new beginning, and they invite you to live each day as an offering to God.
Excerpt from In Conversation with God, Francis Fernandez (Scepter Press)
Looking for a leg workout that tones your lower body, makes you sweat (or glisten), and leaves your whole body feeling strong and energized? This 58-minute class is for you! With quick transitions and compound exercises that engage multiple muscles at the same time (think squats with bicep curls, reverse swan dives, mountain climbers, and side lunges), Live! from Home: Glistening will get your heart rate up and work muscles you didn't even know you had. But that's not all. Just like every Pietra Fitness class, this Level 1 workout incorporates feel-good stretches to increase your flexibility and range of motion, release tension, and provide relief for the muscles that you just worked. The Scriptures and meditations will remind you that calling out to God in times of need is a true sign of trust in Him.
Clare Schiller, Foundations 3 Pietra Fitness Instructor
Are you feeling overwhelmed? Is fear preventing you from living your life to the fullest? The inspiring music, motivating meditations, and empowering exercises in this Level 1 class will fill you with hope, courage, and strength. You will begin Live! from Home: Liberation sitting tall in a comfortable seated position, working on your breath. After warming up your body, you'll come to hands and knees to work your core, shoulders, and glutes in kneeling balance. Low lunge will stretch your hip flexors, and a gentle twist will increase the mobility in your spine. Work your quads with squats before holding a plank. (Add some push-ups if you're up for the challenge.) Strengthen your back with elevated chest lift and a linked backbend, and then transition to standing for a Lunge 2 series that incorporates a side reach, angle pose, and wide-leg posture pose. Work on your balance in standing linked backbend before flowing back to seated for a long inner thigh stretch. The Scriptures and meditations will remind you that there is nothing to fear when we keep our eyes on Jesus.
Fr. Ben O’Cinnsealaigh, Pastor of Our Lady of Victory Parish, Cincinnati, OH, Inspiration for the week of August 9, 2020
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Whether you're not sure if you're ready for a Level 2 class or you're looking for a workout that will challenge you even more, give Live! from Home: Adapt a shot. Every posture and exercise in this 44-minute class can be modified to fit your skill level, meaning you can dial it back if you're not quite there or add weights to work even harder. Like all Pietra Fitness workouts, you'll begin by lengthening through the spine as you focus on your breath and thoughts of gratitude. Get the blood flowing with a few arm circles, side bends, hanging posture, and other gentle stretches that will warm up your entire body. After a few squats, come to hands and knees to work your back (specifically your rear delts), shoulders, and triceps. Engage your core to come to plank and elevated chest lift on toes, and then step into a deep lunge to stretch your inner thighs and hip flexors. Arabesque will challenge your balance and build strength, while V-sit and a shoulder stand will target all the muscles in your core. After relaxing into the long hold, you will roll onto your back for winddown stretches that open up your hip, stretch your hamstrings, and release any lingering tension in your back. The Scriptures and meditations will remind you that God is a loving Father who cares for you.
Fr. Ben O’Cinnsealaigh, Pastor of Our Lady of Victory Parish, Cincinnati, OH, weekly bulletin column, week of June 20, 2020
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Congratulations on making it to the last workout in the Surrender Novena Series. If there is anything that you are still holding on to—any worries or anxieties, physical stress—place it at Jesus' feet and resolve to let it go by the end of this 45-minute class. As stated in today's prayer, "There is no novena more effective than this." You will begin this Level 1 workout in a comfortable cross-legged seated position, calming your mind and nervous system with deep breathing and thoughts of gratitude. Take a few minutes to warm up your body by easing into stretches and twists that loosen your neck and shoulders, open up your chest, and feel good on your back. Transition to standing for the first flow, which will work your shoulders, arms, back, core, and glutes. Follow that up with lunges and a challenging balance series to strengthen all the muscles in your legs before coming to seated to fire up your abs. As you lie back in reclined inner thigh stretch for the long hold, the words of novena prayer will wash away your fears and fill you with hope. Courageously carry this hope with you for the rest of the day—and your life—and resolve to turn to Jesus whenever you're feeling anxious, saying, "O Jesus, I surrender myself to you, take care of everything."
The Surrender Novena Day 9
Surrender Novena, by Francesca LaRosa (www.francescalarosa.com), Cantemus, by The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Stretch the sides of your body and strengthen your back with the second to last workout of the Surrender Novena Series. You will begin this 37-minute Level 1 class in a comfortable cross-legged seated position, focusing on your breath, thoughts of gratitude, and placing yourself in God's presence. Warm-up with a series of stretches, bends, and safe twists that loosen any tightness or tension you may holding in your neck, shoulders, hips, and lower back. In the workout portion of the class, you can look forward to a standing backbend, low lunges, a full squat, calf raises, head and chest lifts, and other dynamic moves to hit every major muscle group in your body. Rest in rock pose for the long hold and work your core before winding down and lying back in quiet pose for the Resolution portion of the class. The Scriptures, prayers, and meditations remind you that God is good and trustworthy and invite you to ask for His help and consolation.
Surrender Novena Day 8
Surrender, J'abandonne tout, Alles überlasse ich Jesus, by Francesca LaRosa (www.francescalarosa.com), Qui sunt isti-Responsory, by The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Your body should be feeling good and ready to move after yesterday's easier Day 6 workout. Begin this 34-minute class lying on your back, practicing deep belly breathing, focusing on gratitude, and calling to mind your intentions for this novena. When you're ready, warm up with a full-body stretch before rolling up to seated to stretch your triceps, sides, and back. Briefly come to hands and knees and then transition to pike, pedaling your feet to loosen up the backside of your body. Flow into low lunge and shift your weight back to stretch your hamstring before coming to plank elevated chest lift on toes. Briefly work on your balance and open up your hip with a quad stretch, and then move right into your second flow: low lunge with a twist, high lunge with pulses, and a plank. Open up your hips with knee stack, making modifications if necessary, and then extend your legs in seated engaged for the long hold. The Scriptures, prayers, and meditations throughout this workout will remind you that Jesus still performs miracles today and invite you to ask God for help with whatever is troubling you.
Surrender Novena Day 7
Surrender, J'abandonne tout, Alles überlasse ich Jesus, by Francesca LaRosa (www.francescalarosa.com), Missa in Die-Introit, by The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Kudos to you for sticking with the Surrender Novena Series for five days in a row! You've worked hard—physically, mentally, and spiritually—to build strength and surrender yourself into God's loving arms. That's why Day 6 of this series is a slow, 31-minute workout that will help you mindfully move your body without overdoing it. As you focus on increasing flexibility and mobility in your neck, chest, shoulders, back, and hips, allow yourself to release any tension you may be holding in your body and relax your grip on the things in your life you desire to control. By the time you come to kneeling for the final prayer, you'll be ready to head into the rest of your day with more grace, mercy, and serenity.
Surrender Novena Day 6
Surrender Novena, by Francesca LaRosa (www.francescalarosa.com), Missa in Nocte-offertory, by The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Making sure you engage in some kind of physical activity every day is so good for your overall health and well-being. In addition to the many physical benefits, exercise helps reduce stress—and so does praying the Surrender Novena, making this series an effective way to overcome your big and little struggles. The beautiful music, tension-relieving stretches, familiar postures, and encouraging meditations in the Surrender Novena Series Day 5 workout will calm your mind, energize your body, and lift your soul. Surrender everything to God as you roll, lunge, and move your way to peace.
Surrender Novena Day 5
Surrender, J'abandonne tout, Alles überlasse ich Jesus, by Francesca LaRosa (www.francescalarosa.com), Granual Requiem, by The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Give your legs a little love in this simple 34-minute class. After calming your mind and warming up your body with deep breathing and stretches that release tension in your head, neck, and shoulders, perform a series of calf raises, one-leg balance poses, and standing leg lifts. Take a quick break to stretch your sides and shoulders and open up your chest, and then move right into the main flow of the workout to stretch and strengthen your entire body. After repeating that flow three times on each side, transition to wide-leg posture for a forward fold and then heel-toe your feet in for a squat. Gracefully come down to the mat for more leg lifts and a quad stretch before pushing back to rock pose for the long hold. As you listen to the prayer for Day 4 of the Surrender Novena, allow the words to sink into your heart and encourage you to bring your worries to the Lord. Slowly move onto your back for a few wind-down stretches and one last twist, and then relax all your muscles as you turn your gaze to God during the resolution.
Surrender Novena Day 4
Surrender Novena, by Francesca LaRosa (www.francescalarosa.com), Missa in Aurora, by The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Building upon the postures and prayers of the first two workouts in the Surrender Novena Series, this 43-minute class picks up the pace, challenges your balance, and takes you deeper—physically, mentally, and spiritually. After calming your mind and nervous system with deep breathing and warming up all your joints, you will move right into three dynamic flows that get your heart pumping and incorporate lunges, planks, elevated chest lifts, squats, and more. Then come to posture pose and work on your balance to fire up your glutes and quads. As you round forward in inner thigh stretch for the long hold, allow the words of the Surrender Novena prayer to fill your entire being and fill you with tranquility. The Scriptures throughout the workout will help you open your heart to God, and the meditation during the final resting pose invites you to do something today—such as surrendering everything to Jesus—to show your love for Him.
Surrender Novena Day 3
Surrender, J'abandonne tout, Alles überlasse ich Jesus, by Francesca LaRosa (www.francescalarosa.com), Anima mea-Antiphon, by The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
The hardest part of anything is getting started, so congratulations—you've made it to Day 2 of the Surrender Novena Series! You will begin this 40-minute class lying on your back, practicing deep breathing to calm your mind and nervous system. After a full body stretch, you'll fire up your core with a series of bicycle variations. Roll up to seated and bring your legs wide for side bends and twists to loosen up your back. Then it's right back to more core work with seated twists, swan dives, planks, rolling, a challenging lifted leg and more. After engaging your abs, glutes, and quads throughout the whole workout, sitting back into rock for the long hold will feel heavenly. The Scriptures, meditation, and Surrender Novena prayer will ease your worried thoughts and invite you to turn to Jesus throughout the day, allowing Him to take care of everything.
Surrender Novena Day 2
Surrender Novena, by Francesca LaRosa (www.francescalarosa.com), MISSA IN Die-Gradual, by The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Begin your 9-day journey to peace with this slow, steady, and mindful 39-minute workout. Ease into the class by coming into a comfortable cross-legged seated position where you will focus on your breath, thoughts of gratitude, and being present to God. Tekla's calm, gentle voice will lead you through a series of feel-good stretches to warm up your body and release any tension you may be holding in your neck or back. Then you'll transition to a plank and chest lift series to work your entire core, shoulders, chest, and glutes. Build strength in your legs with side lunges, Lunge 2, reverse Lunge 2, side reach, calf raises, and a full squat. As you lie in reclined inner thigh stretch for the long hold, allow the words of the Surrender Novena prayer to sink into your heart, mind, and soul. The Scriptures throughout the class will awaken in you a spirit of trust in God, and the meditation during the final resting pose will invite you to place your anxiety and stress in Jesus' loving arms.
Surrender Novena Day 1
Surrender, J'abandonne tout, Alles überlasse ich Jesus, by Francesca LaRosa (www.francescalarosa.com), Resurrexi-Introit, by The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Are tight hips preventing you from walking, running, and moving with ease? Stretch and strengthen your hips and hip flexors with this 42-minute Level 2 workout. You'll flow through postures and exercises like hip circles, pike split, low lunge, squats, elevated chest lift on toes, lunges, open arabesque, standing linked backbend, and more that not only target your hips but also work your entire body from head to foot. Live! from Home: Hip Hip Hooray is a quick way to get your heart pumping, build strength and balance, and loosen tight muscles. Feel free to make modifications as necessary to fit your skill level—it's better to feel a gentle stretch than to push yourself to the point of strain or pain. The Scriptures and meditations remind you that we need to work on patience in this fast-paced world.
Holy Family School of Faith, 30 Days to Deeper Prayer. Volume 3, Day 12, Not so fast. Holy Family School of Faith
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Prepare your body, mind, and soul for the day with Live! from Home: Delight. Set to peaceful music, this 43-minute Gentle class incorporates postures and exercises that will lightly stretch and strengthen the muscles in your entire body, leaving you feeling relaxed and refreshed. You will begin this workout standing in good posture pose, focusing on deep breathing and engaging all your muscles. After a few warm-up stretches, transition into wide-leg posture pose with arms to T to work your legs, core, arms, and shoulders. Lunge 1, Lunge 2, knee bends, and single-leg calf raises will build your lower body strength and challenge your balance, while low lunge, inner thigh stretch, and a gentle hip release will stretch your hip flexors. The Scriptures and meditations will encourage you to persevere when you get distracted during prayer time and remind you that God is continually at work within you.
Holy Family School of Faith, 30 Days to Deeper Prayer. Volume 3, Day 15, Not so fast..
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Are you feeling anxious? Does your body feel tense? The soothing music, calming stretches, and encouraging meditations in Live! from Home: Release will melt your stress away. You'll begin this 38-minute Gentle workout lying on your back, focusing on your breath and the many blessings in your life. Slowly move into inner thigh stretch before rocking and rolling over any sore spots in your back and extending your arms and legs for a feel-good full-body stretch. Engage your core to roll up to a cross-legged seated position to warm up your back, sides, and chest. Come to hands and knees for arch and round and then reach one leg back at a time to stretch your hamstring and the front of each leg. You'll then perform a series of postures and exercises to stretch your sides, back, chest, inner thighs, hamstrings, and hips. As you lie back in reclined inner thigh stretch for the long hold, the Scriptures and meditations remind you to not be afraid and invite you to surrender yourself to Jesus and open your heart even more to Him.
Holy Family School of Faith, Daily Rosary Podcast for July 16, 2020.
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Get ready to work your core, glutes, and inner and outer thighs in Live! from Home: Feel the Burn. This lively 55-minute class has it all: breathwork, stretches, crunches, planks, leg lifts, lunges, pushups, tricep extensions, quad strengtheners, and unique exercises that utilize a small fitness ball (or block) to engage every muscle in your body. Whether you're eking out the last rep or flowing between standing, kneeling, prone, and supine postures, there's never a dull moment in this Level 1 workout. The Scriptures and meditations invite you to listen more intently for God's voice and challenge you to be more willing to accept God's will no matter how it is delivered to you.
Holy Family School of Faith, Daily Rosary for July 11, 2020: 5 Step Strategy for Joy. Pope Francis, Pope: Docility, not resistance, to the Holy Spirit builds the church
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
If you've ever wanted to try a shoulder stand, now's your chance! In this 43-minute Level 2 class, Jill will lead you through a slow and controlled full-body workout, allowing you to contract your muscles with intentionality. After calming your mind with deep breathing, you'll warm up your body with familiar postures that stretch your neck, back, chest, sides, and hip flexors. V-sit, lifted leg, and lots of rolling will challenge your core and balance before giving the tricky shoulder stand a go. And don't worry if you need to make modifications—Jill offers plenty of ways to adapt the shoulder stand and other poses for varying skill levels. As you relax into hip release for the long hold, the Scriptures and meditations will invite you to place your hope and trust in God and believe that He is working all things for your good.
Excerpt from Holy Family School of Faith, Daily Rosary Podcast for June 4, 2020.
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Do you want to enhance your body's ability to burn fat? Grab a set of 1–5-pound weights and join Betsy for this 55-minute resistance training class. From squats and deadlifts to rows, tricep extensions, V-sit, and more, you'll perform dynamic exercises while holding weights, giving your entire body an incredible workout. Even if you choose to not use weights, Live! from Home: Fat Burner will get your blood flowing and make your muscles burn. The Scriptures and meditations give you time to reflect on how you fill your days and encourage you to seek and do God's will.
Excerpt from In Conversation with God, Francis Fernandez (Scepter Press)
Music from Keys of Peace by Francesca LaRosa (www.francescalarosa.com), The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
One of the unique benefits of Pietra Fitness is that every workout stretches and strengthens not only your body but also your mind and your soul. If you need some extra motivation and courage to face the big and little struggles of daily life, Live! from Home: Makin' Waves will give you the boost you need. You'll begin this 36-minute Level 1 class calming your mind and nervous system with deep breathing and thoughts of gratitude and Christ. As your body relaxes and the bodily prayer verse reminds you that God can make all things new, you'll easily flow into dynamic exercises and postures like lunges, leg circles, and open arabesque with energy and focus. The Scriptures and meditation help you reflect on the way you handle difficult situations and invite you to surrender to God's Holy Will.
The Word For You Today, Sept., Oct., Nov., 2011, October 9, pg. 24
Music from Keys of Peace by Francesca LaRosa (www.francescalarosa.com), The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
This Level 2 class may only be 39 minutes, but it's jam-packed with heart-pumping flows and dynamic exercises that work your entire body and leave you feeling strong and energized—and out of breath. The upbeat music will inspire you to push even harder, whether that means challenging yourself with extra push-ups or holding a tough posture longer. Get ready for an intense workout that you'll want to include in your fitness routine at least once a week. The Scriptures and meditations in Live! from Home: Jammin' invite you to reflect on how you prepare your soul to receive God's Word and how attentive you are to your inner life.
Fr. Ben O’Cinnsealaigh, Pastor of Our Lady of Victory Parish, Cincinnati, OH, Inspiration for the week of July 12, 2020
Gregorian Chant by The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Proper form and alignment can be the difference between an okay workout and an excellent workout, or between an injury and a strong, healthy body. That's why we started our Back to Basics classes—to teach you proper form and alignment for fundamental Pietra Fitness postures. With cues and tips and reminders as to which muscles you are working, Betsy will guide you through this 38-minute Gentle workout, helping you perfect posture pose and high lunge. And that's not all. Calf raises, heel walks, and other exercises will challenge your balance and engage all your muscles. Light twists, bends, and folds will gently stretch your body, helping you sit and stand taller. The Scriptures and meditations will open your eyes to God's incredible love for you and invite you to allow Him into your heart even more.Whether you're new to Pietra Fitness or you've been doing Pietra Fitness for a while, you can benefit from our Back to Basic classes. Look for more of these workouts in our online studio or join us live on Friday.
Clare Schiller, Foundation 3 Pietra Fitness Instructor
Music from Keys of Peace by Francesca LaRosa (www.francescalarosa.com), The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Fast-paced flows, squats, lunges, and tough sequences that will throw your balance for a loop and have your legs burning give this challenging Level 1 class its name. Whether you're stretching long in pike split and reverse lunge 2 or making small pulsing movements in a squat, Live! from Home: Leg Day will strengthen all the muscles in your legs, glutes, and core. The Scriptures and meditations invite you to reflect on how you spend your days and will inspire you to make good use of your time.
Excerpt from In Conversation with God, Francis Fernandez (Scepter Press)
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Traditional cardio workouts aren't the only types of exercise that get your heart rate up. The planks, half squats, low lunges, and more in Live! from Home: Ignite will have you needing to catch your breath—and that's just after the warmup! Increase your endurance, challenge your balance, strengthen your entire body, improve your overall flexibility, and get your workout on with this upbeat 47-minute class. The Scriptures and meditations invite you to consider how you can open your heart to receive all of God's gifts.
Excerpt from In Conversation with God, Francis Fernandez (Scepter Press)
Muster up some courage and give this difficult Level 1 class a try! After warming up your body with deep breathing, feel-good stretches, and pike pose, you'll flow right into squats, lunges, open arabesque, leg lifts, revolved arabesque, and other compound exercises that challenge your balance, endurance, and strength. Don't get discouraged if you struggle through some of the moves—listen to your own body, and keep working at it. As you wind down from this 50-minute workout, the Scriptures and meditations encourage you to reflect on how well you face the demands of your every day and invite you to embrace a spirit of courage in every area of your life.
Excerpt from In Conversation with God, Francis Fernandez (Scepter Press)
Music from Keys of Peace by Francesca LaRosa (www.francescalarosa.com), The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Do you want to shape and tone your waist, improve your posture, and get more bang for your workout? Live! from Home: Waist Cincher is the class you need. Targeting the entire core, with a special focus on the obliques (the muscles up and down the sides of your abdominals), this Level 1 class incorporates a 9-inch exercise ball (or block) to help you engage your inner thighs while doing crunches, work your arms and shoulders while doing squats, and fire up your obliques while doing leg lifts. Get ready to lunge, bend, and work your way to a stronger, longer, and healthier you. The Scriptures and meditations invite you to be open to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit and remind you how of the incredible ways He works in your life.
Excerpt from In Conversation with God, Francis Fernandez (Scepter Press)
Music from Keys of Peace by Francesca LaRosa (www.francescalarosa.com), The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Increase your flexibility and physical, mental, and spiritual strength with this 50-minute full-body workout. As in all Pietra Fitness classes, you'll begin Live! from Home: Stamina by calming your mind and nervous system with deep breathing, thoughts of gratitude, and a Scripture verse to help you focus on the class. After warming up your muscles, you'll flow right into long sequences of lunges, planks, pushups, angle pose, and more that are designed to build endurance, challenge your balance, and get your heart rate up. Whether you keep up the intensity or dial it back with modifications, you'll be ready to catch your breath and relax into hip release for the long hold. The Scriptures and meditations throughout this Level 2 class help you understand true meekness and invite you to ponder how well you control your temper.
Excerpt from In Conversation with God, Francis Fernandez (Scepter Press)
Music from Keys of Peace by Francesca LaRosa (www.francescalarosa.com), The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Do you schedule active rest and recovery days into your exercise routine? Regular exercise is so good for the body—but so is stretching and allowing our bodies to recover from our normal workouts. Live! from Home: TLC is perfect for those days when your muscles are craving a little love. In this 42-minute Gentle class, you will slowly flow through breath work and light stretches that calm your mind and relax your entire body. The Scriptures and meditations, having a well-formed conscience, invite you to reflect on the manner in which you live each day. Whether you do this class first thing in the morning or to wind down before bed, you will feel renewed in mind, body, and soul—ready to do God's will.
Excerpt from In Conversation with God, Francis Fernandez (Scepter Press)
Music from Keys of Peace by Francesca LaRosa (www.francescalarosa.com), The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Boost your confidence and get tank-top ready with Live! from Home: Tighten & Tone. In this heart-pumping Level 2 class, you will flow through a series of postures and dynamic exercises that target your back, shoulders, arms, and triceps—all while keeping your core tight. Think wide posture pose with lat pulldowns, Lunge 1 with tricep extensions and reverse flyes and planks with knee taps. You can even add light weights for an extra challenge, or take it down a notch with modifications. Regardless of your intensity, your arms and shoulders will definitely be burning by the time you finish this 47-minute workout, The Scriptures and meditations invite you to reflect on the Eucharist as a foretaste of heaven and remind you of the love that Christ has for you.
Excerpt from In Conversation with God, Francis Fernandez (Scepter Press)
Music from Keys of Peace by Francesca LaRosa (www.francescalarosa.com), The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
If you are looking to strengthen the core, build stability, or work on your posture, you will love this ballet-inspired class that focuses on the lower body. Like all Pietra Fitness classes, From Home: Ballet Circuit 1 begins with offering intentions and prayer. You’ll start the warmup with a sequence of leg exercises and wrap it up with an Intense Hamstring Stretch with a Revolved Angle Pose. The Circuit will take you through a dynamic and energizing workout. The workout begins with relevés, followed by plié on toes, planks while lifting the legs, pushup, clamshells, an Arabesque series, and then passés. You will repeat that circuit two more times picking up the speed. Not sure yet if you want to give it a try? You may want to think again! Regularly practicing this class will not only help improve your posture and strengthen the core, but it will also aid in weight loss, muscle definition, and increase your flexibility. You won’t need a tutu or ballet slippers but have a chair handy to act as your barre and a small ball or rolled-up towel.
Gregorian Chant by The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
If you are looking for a workout that not only lengthens the muscles in the core but strengthens them as well, then Live! From Home: Long & Strong is for you! You will start on your back for deep breathing and gratitude, and then up to seated to warm up the spine in all ways. In the workout you will work the core in V-sit, Modified Reverse Plank (with an extra tough, surprise added in that really works the abdominals), bicycles to work the obliques, lower abdominal leg lifts, Half Back-bend on toes then Roll-ups to standing. Whew!!!! If that’s not enough, Jill takes you through some standing, strengthening lunges and revolved lunges. Your body will thank you for the Long Hold in Hip Release. The beautiful prayers and Scripture are on the Blessed Trinity and God's love as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Excerpt from Fr. Benedict O’Cinnsealaigh’s letter to Our Lady of Victory Parish, Archdiocese of Cincinnati, OH, June 7, 2020
Music from Keys of Peace by Francesca LaRosa (www.francescalarosa.com), The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Looking for a full body workout that will challenge you physically, mentally, and spiritually? Live! from Home: Finding Balance will have you out of breath before you even finish the warm-up. The difficult postures and sequences in this 45-minute Level 2 class are designed to increase your strength, flexibility, and balance, but you can dial it down—or up—with simple modifications for your skill level. Get ready for dynamic exercises like lunges, squats with twists, planks, arabesque, airplane, standing linked back bend, and more that will leave you feeling longer and stronger. The Scriptures and meditations on the Trinity invite you to think about the relationship between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit in a brand new way.
Excerpt from Fr. Benedict O’Cinnsealaigh’s inspiration for the week for Our Lady of Victory Parish, Archdiocese of Cincinnati, OH, June 7, 2020
Music from Keys of Peace by Francesca LaRosa (www.francescalarosa.com), The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Relaxing stretches and soothing music are two ways to prepare your body for sleep. Experience both in Unwind, a 35-minute Gentle class that helps you wind down after the day and promotes a great night's rest. Through a combination of deep breathing, putting yourself in God's presence, and relaxing moves that relieve tension in your entire body, you'll be counting sheep in no time. The Scriptures and meditations will remind you that God loves you—yes you—and is constantly longing for you to draw closer to him.
Clare Schiller, Foundation 3 Pietra Fitness Instructor
Music from Keys of Peace by Francesca LaRosa (www.francescalarosa.com), The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Whether you're looking for an early morning workout to jump-start your day or a mid-afternoon pick-me-up, this 35-minute class is sure to deliver. After easing into Live! from Home: Revitalize with deep breathing, side bends, forward folds, and other moves that loosen up your entire body and promote stress relief, you'll flow right into dynamic moves such as lunges, twists, angle pose, arabesque, elevated chest lift on toes, and more that challenge your balance and engage every muscle in your body. By the time you finish this Level 1 workout, you will be moving better, feeling stronger and more energized, and motivated to take on the rest of the day. The Scriptures and meditations will open your eyes to God's infinite love for you and invite you to allow his tender love into your heart.
Excerpt from In Conversation with God, Francis Fernandez (Scepter Press)
Music from Keys of Peace by Francesca LaRosa (www.francescalarosa.com), The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
If you're looking for a Gentle class that lightly stretches and strengthens your muscles and gets your heart pumping, In Motion is for you. After warming up with deep breathing and calming moves to loosen up your neck, shoulders, chest, sides, and back, you will flow right into a series of standing forward folds and lunges to work and stretch your legs. Knee bends and calf raises engage your inner thighs and calves and challenge your balance. Transition down to hands and knees for leg lifts, modified side plank, and low lunge to work your glutes and abs and stretch your hip flexors. After a few low chest lifts and a seated forward fold, relax into inner thigh stretch for the long hold, targeting the connective tissue and fascia. Wind down from this feel good workout with knee hugs, gentle twists, and other relaxing stretches that will leave you feeling serene and posed to take on the day. The Scriptures and meditations in this 35-minute class will help you focus on God's incredible mercy and invite you to reflect on ways you can be a living reflection of God's mercy to others.
Excerpt from In Conversation with God, Francis Fernandez (Scepter Press)
Music from Keys of Peace by Francesca LaRosa (www.francescalarosa.com), The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Get ready to fire up your shoulders and core in this challenging 45-minute workout that targets your shoulder stabilizers. As with all Level 2 classes, this workout is Intended to be difficult—but you can modify the poses to fit your skill level.You will begin Shoulder Stabilizer standing in good posture pose, taking deep inhales and calm, smooth, even exhales as you call to mind what you are most grateful for today. Warm up your shoulders, sides, and entire body with angel arms, side bends, standing forward fold, and pike pose. Transition to hands and knees to loosen up your spine before beginning a series of exercises to open up chest and stretch and strengthen your back and legs. Turn up the heat as you flow through Lunge 2, angle pose, airplane, revolved angle pose, pike, and elevated chest lift on toes, engaging all your muscles and challenging your balance. Work your core, shoulder stabilizers, and back with a variety of planks, push ups, twists, chest lifts, and back bends. You'll be ready for a break by the time you come to wide leg forward fold for the long hold and wind down with feel-good stretches. The Scriptures and meditations will help you reflect on our basic human need to give and invite you to reflect on a way to give of yourself to someone in need.
Excerpt from In Conversation with God, Francis Fernandez (Scepter Press)
Music from Keys of Peace by Francesca LaRosa (www.francescalarosa.com), The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Give your leg some attention in this 45-minute Level 1 class. After warming up your body with deep breathing and exercises to stretch your sides, back, hips, and shoulders, you will transition right into a variety of postures that target all the muscles in your legs and glutes. With basic moves like low and high lunges, squats, and Lunge 2, and more challenging and targeted exercises like revolved arabesque, leg curls, donkey kicks, and more, Live! from Home: Base Builder is the perfect way to build strength and endurance in your lower body. The Scriptures and meditations throughout the workout remind you to do small things with great love, giving yourself to others through smiles, words of encouragement, and attention.
Excerpt from In Conversation with God, Francis Fernandez (Scepter Press)
Gift from Heaven, Overcome, Now Thank We All Our God, How Great Thou Art, in Keys of Peace by Francesca LaRosa (www.francescalarosa.com), Ave Maria, Communion - Factus Est Repente, by The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Explore the Core is a 45 min. class designed to build core muscle groups while improving posture and increasing flexibility. You will go through a series of exercises that strengthen the abdomen and back muscles, developing greater core strength and stability. The meditations help you to contemplate the Holy Spirit as wind and fire as noted in Scripture.
Excerpt from In Conversation with God, Francis Fernandez (Scepter Press)
Gift from Heaven, You Give Me Strength, Don't Lose Hope, Praise, No More Fear, in Keys of Peace by Francesca LaRosa (www.francescalarosa.com), Alleluia: Spiritus Sanctus by The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Rise and shine and give God your glory, glory! This 40-minute gentle class will guide you through poses on your back, seated, kneeling prone and supine. You will start class on your back and work up to seated to warm up the spine in all directions. In kneeling, you will work a little harder in Kneeling Leg Extension and then modified Side Plank with leg lifts. In prone you will strengthen the back with Chest Lifts, then back to seated for forward folds and hip stretches. The Scripture and meditations will help you to focus on the fact that the Holy Spirit is working as much in us today as in the apostles on the day of Pentecost.
Excerpt from In Conversation with God, Francis Fernandez (Scepter Press)
Breeze, Overcome, How Can I Keep from Singing, Praise, My Soul, The King of Heaven in Keys of Peace by Francesca LaRosa (www.francescalarosa.com), Offertory: Domine Jesu Christe by The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
The focus of Peaceful & Prayerful is to calm the nervous system. When we slow down, stopping to smell the roses, our body, mind, and soul become integrated in the present moment. This allows us to be mindful of God's presence and His blessings. Jessica, with her tranquil voice and demeanor, will lead you through seated, kneeling, prone and supine poses with movements that are slow and intentional. The breath remains calm and serene. The Scripture and meditations will help you to focus on the many blessings God has given you, and you will finish class feeling reposed and at peace.
A Soldier's Prayer
Dum transisset, Chris Mueller (www.benesonarium.com) for mp3s: https://arsmueller.hearnow.com/. for cds: http://www.benesonarium.com/ars-mueller/
Want a full body workout that pays special attention to the shoulders, arms, and upper back? Then Upper Body is the class for you. In this 46 min. workout, you will begin on your back with deep breathing and gratitude for all of God’s many blessings. You will continue the warm-up in a seated posture then move into a series of planks, push-ups, lunges, and flows. The flows take on a faster pace as you progress through the class incorporating upper body work in the different poses. Your shoulders are one of the most frequently used muscle groups in the upper body and you engage them whenever you use your arms to lift, push, pull, carry groceries, etc... You will appreciate strengthening all the muscles in your shoulders, arms and upper back as move more easily in your day. Before hitting the wind down, Jill works your balance and strength. The Scriptures and meditations focus on desiring God and holiness, filling you with the eagerness to want to desire God.
Excerpt from In Conversation with God, Francis Fernandez (Scepter Press)
Heavenly Father, Soar, Trust in You, King of Angels, Springs of Living Water by SpiritFit Music (SpiritFitmusic.com), Christus, Gradual for Good Friday, Adoremus, in Honor of the Blessed Sacrament by the Norbertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (stmichaelsabbey.com)
We all have our days when we feel down or have lost our spark. But there are always blessings and reasons to rejoice; we sometimes just need to be reminded. Live! From Home: Rejoice is an effortful Level 1 workout that works the entire body in just 30 minutes while reminding us how much God loves us and He loves us with great joy! Jill takes us through a series of movements while seated, kneeling, and standing. It is a whole-body workout that culminates into a restful wind down focusing on God’s Love. We have every reason to rejoice!!
Clare Schiller for Pietra Fitness
Heavenly Father, Soar, Trust in You, King of Angels, Springs of Living Water by SpiritFit Music (SpiritFitmusic.com), Christus, Gradual for Good Friday, Adoremus, in Honor of the Blessed Sacrament by the Norbertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (stmichaelsabbey.com)
Calm Strength is our very first Live From Home class. It is a wonderful combination of calm breathing,a steady warm up and wind down, and a strength-building workout. After gently warming up the body, Jill takes you through a series of Planks, Squats, Pikes with Elevated Chest Lift on toes, Side Planks, Lunge 2 and balance work.The Scriptures and meditations remind us that in times of distress, God is always there and you can place your trust in Him. When you expose your heart to God and learn to trust Him, peace fills your soul. This hour long class will leave you feeling calmer, stronger and ready to face your day.
Clare Schiller for Pietra Fitness
Led by the Spirit, Innocence, Wonderful Merciful Savior, O Come to the Altar, This is Amazing Grace, Shalom Peace be with You, Fierce, My Redeemer Lives, Journey, Chasing Butterflies, Angels with Us, Delicate Sentiment by SpiritFit Music (spiritfitmusic.com)Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Christus, Gradual for Good Friday, The Norbertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (stmichaelsabbey.com)
During these days of quarantine, we have instructors working hard to bring you videos from home! Despite a few technical glitches, Tekla does a great job of offering a class that calms the mind and nervous system, while strengthening the body and soul. This combination brings renewal back to the body which is the foundation for building resilience.Building resilience helps us to bounce back from difficult situations like the one we are experiencing now. In fact, we can actually flourish during these times when we learn to trust in Our Lord's Mercy and show mercy to others. Are you ready to build resilience?
Excerpt from In Conversation with God, Francis Fernandez (Scepter Press)
Requiem, The Norbertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (stmichaelsabbey.com)
Looking for a slow-paced workout with soothing music, gentle stretches, and ways to modify each posture to fit your skill level and flexibility? Your Rhythm has all that and more. You will begin this very gentle 28-minute class sitting comfortably on your mat, focusing on your breath and calling to mind the things you are grateful for. Warm up with easy twists, forward folds, shoulder rolls, and a triceps stretch to loosen up your spine, stretch your hips and back, open up your chest, and release tension in your neck and shoulders. Roll up to hands and knees to work your spine, stretch hamstrings, and challenge your balance. Come back to seated for feel-good stretches for your inner thighs, lower back, ankles, and feet. Slowly flow to standing to work your core, obliques, and calves. Spend a few breaths in Lunge 2, strengthening your quads, glutes, and hamstrings, before returning back down to your mat for the long hold and winddown. The Scriptures and meditations remind you that you are a beloved child of God and invite you to contemplate this incredible gift.
Excerpt from In Conversation with God, Francis Fernandez (Scepter Press)
De Profundis, The Norbertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (stmichaelsabbey.com)
Want a full body workout? The compound exercises in this class target and utilize multiple major muscle groups and joints so you can work your entire body in just 36 minutes. You will begin Easter: Resurrection sitting in a cross-legged seated position, calming your mind and nervous system with deep breathing and thoughts of gratitude. Immediately fire up your core by sitting back on your sitz bones and incorporating different arm and leg movements that challenge your balance and engage all the muscles in your midsection. Finish warming up with a few gentle stretches and side bends before coming to your hands and knees to work your glutes, hamstrings, and hip flexors. Come to plank, engaging your core, shoulders, back, and quads, and then open up your chest with elevated chest lift on toes. Lunge 2, Open Arabesque, and more will test your stability and leave you feeling like you just got an excellent workout. Wind down with Hip Release and feel-good stretches that will loosen up tight muscles and increase your range of motion. The Scriptures and meditations will open your eyes to the reality of what Jesus did for you when he rose from the dead, filling you with immense joy and newness of life.
Excerpt from In Conversation with God, Francis Fernandez (Scepter Press)
So Loved, Walking on Air, by Stanton Lanier, Resurrexi, The Norbertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey
Your hips allow you to sit, stand, walk, run, dance, and kick. While your hip joints can withstand these repeated movements and everyday wear and tear, they're not indestructible. Thankfully, the stretching and strengthening exercises in Lent: Hip-Top Shape are one way to restore joint mobility, keep your hips strong, and relieve hip pain. You will begin this 33-minute workout in a comfortable cross-legged seated position, practicing deep breathing and focusing on the many blessings in your life. After a short warm up to loosen and gently stretch your muscles, you will flow right into a series of half squats, raising your arms to get your upper back and shoulders involved. Transition into low lunge for a deep stretch on your inner thighs, and then work your hips with a sequence of fire hydrants. You will spend the rest of the class on the floor, but don't let that fool you. Your hip joints, glutes, quads, hamstrings, and inner thighs are about to go to work. Wind down with feel good stretches on the muscles you just engaged—which are probably burning—and then relax into hip release for the long hold. A few final stretches and twists will have you comfortably walking, running—maybe skipping—into the rest of the day. The Scriptures and meditations will remind you of the purpose of Lent and invite you to make changes in your life so you can draw closer to God.
Excerpt from In Conversation with God, Francis Fernandez (Scepter Press)
Salvation Song, Discovery, by Stanton Lanier, Dum Fabricator, The Norbertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (stmichaelsabbey.com)
Whether you prefer Gentle, Level 1, or Level 2 classes, the exercises and poses in Lent: Core-rific can be modified to meet—or challenge—your current fitness level. As with all Pietra Fitness classes, you will ease into the class by calming your mind and nervous system with deep breathing and thoughts of gratitude. Warm up your body with gentle stretches that will release tension and start to build internal heat for the workout. After a brief flow to standing, you will transition back down to the mat for slow bicycles, side crunches, V-sit, and other waist-cinching moves that will work your entire core. Wind down with a long inner thigh stretch that will get at the connective tissue and fascia deep in your muscles, and relax with a few other feel-good stretches. The Scriptures and meditations invite you to examine your attitudes toward things, events, other people, God, and yourself so you can be intentional about what you're fasting from during Lent.
Based on In Conversation with God, Francis Fernandez (Scepter Press)
Spread Your Wings, If You Say So, by Stanton Lanier, Dum Fabricator, The Norbertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (stmichaelsabbey.com)
If you compare this workout to a song, plank-hover-chest lift-plank-pushup-pike would be the refrain. (It has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?) Even though this repeated flow engages all the muscles in your body, it will be a nice break from the unique twists and challenging sequences that make up the verses of this Level 2 class. You will begin Lent: Anthem lying on your back, focusing on your breath and all the blessings in your life. After working your core with the Pilates 100 and counterbalancing that strengthener with a few quick stretches, you will immediately get your heart pumping by rolling up to your feet, jumping back to plank, and flowing into that first refrain. Get ready for lunges (with twists), pike pose (with a twist), arabesque, and other tricky moves that will challenge your balance and work your entire body. The Scriptures and meditations invite you to contemplate the purpose of penance and to reflect on what you are offering up this Lent.
Based on In Conversation with God, Francis Fernandez (Scepter Press)
Open Eyes, Strength is Yours by Stanton Lanier, Dum Fabricator, The Norbertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (stmichaelsabbey.com)
Do you have poor posture, tightness or soreness in your lower back or hips, or pain in your neck or glutes? Tight hip flexors may be the source of your discomfort—and Lent: Hip Strengthener can provide relief. Your hip flexors allow you to move (or flex) your leg or knee up toward your torso, as well as bend your torso forward at your hip. If you sit for long periods of time or run a lot, some of the muscles in your hip flexors tend to shorten and become restricted. Exercises that stretch and strengthen not only your hip flexors but also your back, glutes, and core are essential for loosening your muscles, increasing your range of motion, improving your posture, and preventing injuries. That's why this 25-minute workout includes leg lifts, back-bends, low lunges, hip rolls, bends and twists, hip releases, and inner thigh stretches. As with all Pietra Fitness classes, this Gentle workout will also calm your mind and nervous system with deep breathing, and it will enrich your soul with Scriptures and meditations that invite you to reflect on the manner in which you carry the little crosses that come your way each day.
Excerpt from In Conversation with God, Francis Fernandez, (Scepter Press)
Lush Meadows, Heart and Soul by Stanton Lanier, Dum Fabricator, The Norbertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (stmichaelsabbey.com)
Whether you already have muscular glutes and quads or you're looking to strengthen your legs, Lent: Burns So Good will challenge your endurance. You will begin this 29-minute Level 2 class standing in posture pose, practicing deep breathing and focusing on gratitude. After warming up your body with side bends and pike pose, you will step right into high lunge. Take it up a notch with mountain climbers before coming into high lunge on the other side—and then repeat . . . twice. Catch your breath in rock pose and then flow into elevated chest lift on toes to strengthen your shoulders and entire core, stretch your abdominals, and open up your chest. Engage your core, glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calves as you sit back into half squat and raise up onto your toes. Keeping your heels lifted, slowly see how low you can go. Another series of squats and lunges will definitely have your legs burning! Wrap up with an intense hamstring and shoulder stretch before relaxing into hip release and a few final stretches. The Scriptures and meditations will help you reflect on your prayer life and invite you to make daily prayer a habit during Lent.
Based on In Conversation with God, Francis Fernandez (Scepter Press)
Stunningly Beautiful, A Beautiful Thing, by Stanton Lanier, Dum Fabricator, The Norbertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (stmichaelsabbey.com)
A swan dive is a compound exercise that works your back, core, glutes, hamstrings . . . really, your entire body. Lent: Swan Dive is loaded with swan dives—over 15—and other dynamic moves that will give you the full-body workout you've been looking for. You will begin this 32-minute class in a cross-legged seated position, working on your breath and calling to mind the many blessings in your life. Warm up by gently stretching and releasing tension in your neck, back, chest, arms, sides, and hamstrings. For the rest of the workout, you will alternate between a series of swan dives and poses such as Lunge 2, angel pose, plank, half squat, and more. Wind down with a long inner thigh stretch that will relieve any tightness deep in your muscles. End this invigorating class with a few final stretches and twists before relaxing in quiet pose. The Scriptures and meditations will remind you of God's incredible mercy and forgiveness and invite you to extend that same mercy and forgiveness to others.
Based on In Conversation with God, Francis Fernandez (Scepter Press)
So Loved Solo, Scarlet Thread, by Stanton Lanier, Dum Fabricator, The Norbertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (stmichaelsabbey.com)
This 30-minute workout may look easy, but don't let your first impression fool you. Begin Theology of the Body: Glutes & Legs standing in posture pose, focusing on your breath and the many blessings in your life. A series of forward folds, gentle stretches, half-squats, and shoulder rolls will help you warm up your body and release any tension that you may have in your neck, shoulders, back, and hamstrings. Flow to pike and then perform a series of chest lifts to open up your chest and strengthen the muscles in your core and back. Come to prone (face-down) position—but don't get too comfortable. For the rest of the workout you will be doing multiple leg lifts and lunges, toning your hamstrings, quads, and glutes. Don't be surprised if your legs feel a little wobbly by the time you finish your last rep. Wind down with a long, deep hip stretch, gentle backbend, and final twist, which should feel good throughout your entire body. The Scriptures and meditation during this class will help you reflect on what it means to be a human being and will bring you comfort during times of solitude.Like this class? You will love the other videos in the Theology of the Body Series. Experience them all with 21 Days to Greatness, a 3-week plan that will help you become all God created you to be.
Based on St. John Paul II's Theology of the Body
Composed by Jennifer Dirkes, www.jenniferdirkes.com; Anima mea Antiphon, Norbertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey
You don't need to do dozens of crunches in order to tone your midsection—and TOB: Twists proves that. You will begin this 30-minute workout on your back, focusing on your breath and all the things you are grateful for. This is a great way to calm your mind and body so you can detach from the craziness of everyday life to concentrate on the workout. After a full-body stretch, you will transition right into bicycle, targeting your upper and lower abs, as well as your obliques. Work your entire core with a balance pose on your hands and knees, and then flow into a dynamic series of lunges, planks, sides planks, and twists. Another balance pose, this time while standing, will work your quads and lower abs. Side bends, back bends, twists, and other stretches throughout the workout will counterbalance the muscles that you are strengthening. As your recline in inner thigh stretch for the long hold, the Scripture and meditation remind will you that it is only by giving of ourselves that we truly feel fulfilled and happy.Like this class? You will love the other videos in the Theology of the Body Series. Experience them all with 21 Days to Greatness, a 3-week plan that will help you become all God created you to be.
Based on St. John Paul II's Theology of the Body
Composed by Jennifer Dirkes, www.jenniferdirkes.com; Anima mea Antiphon, Norbertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey
If you're looking for a 30-minute back routine that not only stretches and strengthens your back but also works your entire body, you found your ideal class. Begin TOB: Back standing in posture pose, focusing on your breath and calling to mind a few blessings in your life. After a short warm up that will immediately activate the muscles in your back and stretch the sides of your body, you will come to hands and knees while you arch and round your back, stretching and strengthening your entire core. Increase stability in your shoulders with a unique shoulder series, and then fire up your legs with squats. (Raise your arms for an added challenge and to engage your back even more.) Once you transition down to the mat, planks, side planks, chest lifts, lat pull-downs, reverse planks, and more will recruit every muscle in body. Wind down with postures that stretch your chest, inner thighs, hip flexors, and hamstrings to leave you feeling fit, flexible, and fabulous. The Scriptures and meditation in this workout offer a beautiful explanation of the body's ability to express love.Like this class? You will love the other videos in the Theology of the Body Series. Experience them all with 21 Days to Greatness, a 3-week plan that will help you become all God created you to be.
Based on St. John Paul II's Theology of the Body
Composed by Jennifer Dirkes, www.jenniferdirkes.com; Anima mea Antiphon, Norbertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey
Is tightness or pain in your back preventing you from doing everyday activities? Increase your spinal mobility and get your body feeling better with TOB: Angle Pose / Side Body. You will begin this calming 30-minute class standing in posture pose, being mindful of your breath and the many blessings in your life. Warm up with postures that help you release any tension you may have in your neck, shoulders, back, and legs, and that stretch the sides of your body. When your body is nice and loose, you will flow into a series of planks and chest lifts to strengthen your entire core and upper back. Transition into lunge 2 to activate the muscles up and down your legs, and incorporate arm movements to get your arms, shoulders, and back involved. If you have tight hips and hamstrings, you will really enjoy the exercises that stretch these joints and muscles. You can also expect to spend some time throughout the workout in angle pose variations, providing a safe, feel-good twist for your spine. The Scriptures and meditation will help you see that the human body—your body—is not something to be ashamed of but a visible sign of your true value and goodness as a person created in the image and likeness of God.Like this class? You will love the other videos in the Theology of the Body Series. Experience them all with 21 Days to Greatness, a 3-week plan that will help you become all God created you to be.
Based on St. John Paul II's Theology of the Body
Composed by Jennifer Dirkes, www.jenniferdirkes.com; Anima mea Antiphon, Norbertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey