Here at Faith and Fitness we spend a lot of time focusing on the mental, the emotional and, ultimately, the spiritual benefits of exercise. While weight loss, flatter abs, and stronger muscles are certainly welcome benefits, they are not the driving force. What’s most important is that exercise can be a form of worship that brings you closer to god, no matter what your fitness level.
Although your spiritual growth is the ultimate goal, that does not mean that you shouldn’t also pay attention to your body. If you have health issues and are working your way back to wellness, or if you are new to exercise, you may need to rely on supportive equipment and garments to help you exercise safely.
Supportive Equipment and Garments
Those of us with physical limitations may notice muscle weakness when performing certain exercises. For example, a man who has been sedentary for a long time may notice that his thigh muscles are not as strong as he would 
like them to be. He may also notice that he has trouble with certain activities like climbing stairs. He can do squats, lunges, and other exercises to strengthen his legs, but his existing muscle weakness could put him at greater risk of injuring himself during the exercise. If his muscles aren’t strong enough to support his weight during normal daily activities, they probably won’t be strong enough to help him maintain proper form during strength exercises.
Compression shorts give a higher level of support to help him maintain proper form while increasing his leg strength. Compression shorts can also prevent him from sustaining an abdominal or inguinal hernia, by helping to hold the abdominal and groin muscles in place.
For those suffering from lower back pain, compression shorts can also help relieve the pain of conditions like sciatica – inflammation of the nerve that runs down the back of the leg.
Compression shorts aren’t the only form of supportive equipment and garments, there are also:
• Compression shirts to support your upper body and torso;
• Arm and wrist braces, to prevent injury to your wrists;
• Gloves and wrist wraps to help you get a better grip on free weights;
• Weight belts to support your lower back during weight-lifting sessions, and;
• Knee and ankle wraps to support your joints during high-impact exercises.
If you are very ill, or have severely limited mobility, it may seem like the spiritual benefits of exercise are out of reach. This could not be farther from the truth. You just need to make some adjustments for your specific needs.
For example, if you are in a wheelchair or have trouble standing without a
ssistance, you can participate in chair fitness classes. Water-based exercise is also very helpful, because the water supports much of your weight, and many places offer exercise classes specifically tailored to individuals with mobility issues.
If you are in active recovery, from an illness or accident, the rehabilitation center could also have information on exercise classes, and fitness activities, that you can join as part of your recovery.
The journey to spiritual and physical fitness can be long, but it can also be adventurous and rewarding. It’s also a journey that everyone deserves to take, regardless of their initial fitness level. Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened…” Let exercise help you leave the burden of your illness or injury with Jesus.
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