As in Pietra Power Kick 1, this class is a fast-paced advanced workout that hits every aspect of your physical fitness: strength, cardio, and flexibility. After the warm-up, you will be taken through a series of Squat + Presses along with Squat + Roundhouse Kicks. In the second series, Jhoe will lead you through front and back kicks along with lateral ladder runs in place and squat jumps. Bring your water! You will need it!! Don’t worry, the wind down is soothing and relaxing so you will leave the class feeling strong yet calm. The meditation will have you contemplating Mary, our Mother in Faith.
Deacon Keith Fournier, Behold Your Mother: Jesus Gives Us His Mother and Expands the Family Circle, Catholic Online, http://www.catholic.org/news/hf/faith/story.php?id=47749
Sarah Christmyer, Behold, Your Mother: Comfort from the Cross, http://biblestudyforcatholics.com/behold-mother-comfort-cross/
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
A fast-paced advanced workout that hits every aspect of your physical fitness: strength, cardio, and flexibility. First, warm up and prepare for the workout by moving the spine in all directions and firing up the core. This workout includes two sets. Each set has a strength portion, a cardio portion which includes kicks, and a stretch portion. Bring a towel and water, you will need it as you head into the wind down. The meditation will have you contemplating the Birthday of Our Lady. Leave this class feeling strong, confident, and closer to Mary.
Excerpt from In Conversation with God, Francis Fernandez (Scepter Press)
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
A short body conditioning class created to get your heart pumping and muscles moving! This is a wonderful, short cardio class that you can add on to any workout. Using a variety of creative exercises, you're sure to get a great workout that will improve your cardio, strength and endurance – especially when you hit replay!
Are you ready to have some fun? Join Jhoe for this Gentle Cardio class that offers modified, low-impact moves while at the same time having fun. Jhoe also gives you the option to step it up as you get stronger cardiovascularly. Bring some water and a towel and let’s get started!
Jhoe will definitely increase your heart rate as you move through various exercises. You will increase your stamina and burn calories during this intense but fun workout. Some movements can be both high or low impact depending on how you feel that day. Grab a towel, and let’s get sweaty!
Come ready to work hard, and prepare to sweat! You will challenge your whole body while focusing on balance and core strength using a balance dome (bosu ball). If you don’t have a balance dome, no worries, you can use the floor and still get a good workout. Light to medium weights are used but not required. The meditations will have you focusing on the Beatitudes and how they are the owner’s manual to life.
Holy Family School of Faith, Rosary Meditation for February 25, 2022, The Owner’s Manual to Life. Used with permission.
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Join this fun cardio kickboxing class that engages multiple muscle groups that is sure to leave you feeling stronger than ever. It is a 40-second work and 20-second break with front kicks, side kicks, alternating knee crunches, alternating oblique crunches, and more. Spiritually, we will focus on St. Joseph, Zealous Defender of Christ.
If you don’t have time for a long workout, but you want to warm-up, elevate your heart rate and sweat, and then wind down with a beautiful stretch and pray at the same time, then this class is for you! You can do it all in less than 30 minutes! If this is your first time trying it, see the short Instructional Video prior to beginning. Don’t forget your water and towel! The meditation focuses on Friendship with Jesus.
Holy Family School of Faith, Rosary Meditation for January 24, 2022, Friendship with Jesus. Used with permission.
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
This energetic class will leave you sweaty and energized. Starting with a warm-up, you will move into heart-pumping intervals of work that target the lower body. Squats, lunges, skaters, planks, bear crawls, burpees, and more are included. Don’t forget your water and towel! The meditation focuses on the Beatitude; Blessed are the Meek.
Holy Family School of Faith, Rosary Meditation for February 14,2022, Blessed are the Meek. Used with permission.
The Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey (www.stmichaelsabbey.com)
Did you know that you should engage in cardio activity at least 3 days a week for maximum benefit? This class will increase your heart rate and respiration and raise oxygen and flow using large muscle groups doing 30-second rounds of knee kicks, front kicks, bob and weaves, alternating knee crunches, and alternating oblique crunches. We ask for St. Joseph’s intercession in this day four novena under his title, St. Joseph, Comfort of the afflicted.
Offer your intentions to St. Joseph on day 1 of the St. Joseph Novena while getting your heart rate up - with 40 seconds of work and a 20-second rest. Rachel will start you off with a 1-minute boxer shuffle before Knee Kicks, Side Kicks, alternating knee crunches, punches, speedbag squats, and more.
Are you looking for a cardio class that is different, fun, and will engage your mind? Forget your traditional workouts, put on your gloves and get ready for a full body workout like no other! Fitness boxing is a fantastic cardio workout that improves strength, oxygen levels, and cognitive skills. It requires you to put your entire body into it, pushing off from your feet, rotating your torso, coordinating body and hands, as well as your brain – all at once. Marked as advanced, but suitable for intermediate by stopping for more breaks and listening to your body. Don’t worry if you don’t have gloves, just use your hands and join us for this high-energy, sweat-inducing boxing workout!
Are you ready to dance, kick, and step? We are! Rachel will lead you in a 30 second work/20 second walk or jog. You will have fun as you do right and left rockstep, shuffle side zig zag, grapevine (woohoo!), heel taps plus front kick, and much more to get your heart rate up. Won’t you join us?
Let’s sweat it out in this Cardio Kickboxing Burner!! Build stamina, improve coordination and flexibility, and burn a ton of calories as you build lean muscle with this fun and challenging workout. You will leave this class feeling ready to take on whatever the day brings you!!
Are you ready to get your heart rate up and gain some strength in this Beginner Cardio class? There will be 30 seconds of work and 30 seconds of walk or job. In the workout, you will have wall mountain climbers, ski/skater jumps, jump rope, squat crunches, and a 30 second speedbag, with a fun little 10 second surprise at the end!
After warming up, Rachel will get your blood pumping with an array of HIIT exercises with 40 seconds on and 20 seconds’ rest. Exercises include mountain climbers, ski or skater jumps side to side, front and back kicks, and burpees. The series is then repeated. Join Rachel for this cardio conditioning class and break a sweat!
A great cardio workout for beginners that will help you to get your heart rate up with low impact options. This class uses traditional kickboxing punches and kicks for a fun workout. No equipment is needed for this class.
In this 5 minute video, Jhoe will take you through the 8 layers used in Cardio Kickboxing #1. Learn the layers before trying it in the fast-paced workout. Looking for a low impact option? As a BONUS, Jhoe takes you through a low impact option you can learn before doing the class.
(Please check out the Cardio Kickboxing #1 INSTRUCTIONAL video before doing this class.) Punch up your fitness with Cardio Kickboxing #1! Join Jhoe for this explosive class for an intense cardio workout. She will take you through a series of 8 fast-paced combos 8 times (Plus 1 bonus round) with 30 seconds in between. She does a low impact for the first round then ramps it up for the other 8. Do as many rounds or as few rounds as you need. Bring a water and a towel!!
A mix of dynamic core stabilizing exercises using planks, squats, standing side crunches, and Pike pushups with shoulder taps. A light weight is optional. Good for the beginner to intermediate.
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)
“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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)