Fit Tip Friday #50

💪Milestones & ReflectionsWelcome to this week's Fit Tip Friday!Today is the 50th newsletter I have released since launching Layman's Fitness, and I can't thank you enough for your readership. Each week I'm encouraged by the growth of this audience and the continued engagement. My prayer is that God will use Layman's Fitness as a way for men to learn about strengthening their bodies for His glory, and I hope you've been blessed in that work in some way. I also turned 30 recently. The combination of the 50th newsletter and the celebration of a new decade sparked some reflection.To celebrate these milestones, I upgraded the newsletter layout, which has long been overdue.I also pieced together a post for the 20-something Christian man, to encourage him to use his strength in his youth. If you are in your 20s, then I hope you're encouraged by this.If you are in your 30s, you'll find a lot of this still applicable, but you'll have to wait another decade before I write one specifically for you. And if you are well past both your 20s and 30s, please share your wisdom with us (and feel free to share this article with the young-er Christian man that you know!).

 💡20 Ways to Steward Your Strength in Your 20s 

Your 20s are a pivotal decade for habit formation. JC Ryle, in his book "Thoughts for Young Men", quips: 

"Habits are like stones rolling down hill -- the further they roll, the faster and more ungovernable is their course. Habits, like trees, are strengthened by age. A boy may bend an oak when it is a sapling -- a hundred man cannot root it up, when it is a full grown tree". 

A lot of men "let themselves go" in their 20s. Without team sports or strict training schedules, and with the addition of life's responsibilities, exercise is tossed to the wayside. And habits are formed that become harder and harder to break. Don't toss your strength away in your youth. Strength is a blessing from God, and it needs to be stewarded well for His glory. Here are 20 ways to steward strength in your 20s, organized into principles (1-5), skills (6-15), and challenges (16-20). In this newsletter format, I just provided the list. The full article has descriptions for each of these points. 🔗Link to Full Article: 20 Ways to Steward Your Strength in Your 20sPrinciples (1-5)1. Realize your physical strength is a glory2. Realize that you are stewarding your body and strength for God3. Realize that your strength is to be used for God and others4. Realize that strength can be wasted5. Realize that fitness, your strength-building vehicle, is a skillsetSkills (6-15)6. Learn how to exercise at home7. Learn to incorporate exercise into your morning routine8. Learn how to workout efficiently9. Learn how to exercise with your family10. Learn how to use kettlebells11. Learn how to use bodyweight12. Learn how to use dumbbells13. Learn how to use barbells14. Learn what "good food" is15. Learn how much sleep and rest your body needsChallenges (16-20)16. Try exercising regularly for one year17. Try a restrictive diet for a month18. Try a long-distance race19. Try to accomplish Pavel's Simple Standard with the kettlebell20. Try a strength-intensive sport

📃Resources

Here are some of my favorite resources from the last few weeks. 

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SafeRingz

I've tried all kinds of silicone rings when exercising. And SafeRingz is by far my favorite. It's a little pricier, but you get what you pay for. Made in the USA is a big bonus. 

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Beyond Labels: A Doctor and a Farmer Conquer Food Confusion One Bite at a Time

This book is a transcribed conversation between a doctor (Dr. Sina McCullough) and a farmer (Joel Salatin), where they discuss all things food. This will be very eye-opening for most, and the blend of the two complementary perspectives provides a balanced look at your food and where it comes from.  

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Thoughts for Young Men, by J.C. Ryle

In the spirit of exhorting the young, no one does it better than Ryle does in this short little book. I read this book annually, as I need the frank but soul-caring warnings and encouragements contained within.