MSI Press Blog

  I just came back from Mass, where I completed the following highly choreographed, spiritually endorsed exercise routine: walked (entered) knelt ("signed in" as my son says) sat stood sat stood sat stood knelt stood sat stood walked (Communion line) knelt sat stood walked (out the door, glowing) People call this “liturgy.” I call it slow Catholic calisthenics . And here’s the real perk: Catholics don’t do this once a week. We offer daily classes. Every morning, all over the world, Catholics gather for: balance training (stand) core engagement (kneel) hip mobility (sit → stand transitions) mindful walking (Communion line) breath regulation (responses) isometric holds (long homilies) It’s basically a free gym membership with holy water. And for Grandma Ninjas? It keeps the joints honest. It keeps the reflexes sharp. It keeps the spirit centered. It keeps the body moving in ways that matter. Some people leave daily Mass spiritually fortified. I leave spiritually fortified and ...

  Everyone talks about the 150 minutes of cardio from federal guidelines. No one talks about the other half of the national exercise recommendations — the half I’ve actually been acing for years without realizing it. Here they are: 1. Strength training twice a week I do this daily. Planks, chair sits, Russian twists, glute bridges, upper‑body work — check, check, check. 2. Balance training Also daily. If you’ve ever carried a cat, a toddler, and a laundry basket at the same time, you know what I mean. 3. Mobility and flexibility My calisthenics cover this too. I bend, twist, reach, and stabilize more than most people half my age. 4. Functional movement This is the category no one names, but everyone needs. It’s the “can you get off the floor” and “can you carry groceries” category. I’m solid here. So while I was busy worrying about the 150 minutes I wasn’t getting, I was quietly exceeding every other guideline. That’s the part no one tells you: You can be strong, mobile, balanced,...