It came out of nowhere. At least it seemed like it did.
I woke up one morning and could not raise my left arm above a certain point and certainly couldn’t pull it up behind my back very far without pain. If I tripped or had a sudden jar, the pain was excruciating.
I finally asked my doctor for a referral to physical therapy, and it didn’t take my therapist long to determine the problem. Frozen shoulder.
She warned me that it would be a long process, up to eighteen months, and started me on some gentle stretching, slowly trying to break up the connective tissue which had tightened and thickened.
Each week, as she assessed my improvement, she added different stretches and then introduced the resistance bands. These were meant to help with both stretching and strength. Each week meant a new band, a new exercise, until a year after I started, I was pain free.
Resistance bands work on the premise of oppositional force. As you pull on the band there is another force working against you. Research has proven that resistance bands are extremely effective in building strength, as effective or even more effective than traditional weights. To increase intensity you can choose a more resistant band or change where you hold the current band to create more resistance.
The use of resistance bands reminded me of James exhortation to fellow Christians. “. . . resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7)
Satan is indeed a strong force, one that could definitely create pain and problems. But if we continue to resist, pull away, we will become stronger.
How do we resist the devil? The Bible offers many ways.
James 4:7 — Submit yourselves therefore to God . . .
Ephesians 6:11 — Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.
Ephesians 4:27 — . . . give no opportunity to the devil.
Peter 5:8 — Be sober-minded (living with a single-minded focus); be watchful.
And what happens if we do resist Satan?
He will flee from you (James 4:7)
He will leave (Matthew 4:11)
We will conquer him (Revelation 12:11)
So what are we waiting for? Let’s start working out!
I woke up one morning and could not raise my left arm above a certain point and certainly couldn’t pull it up behind my back very far without pain. If I tripped or had a sudden jar, the pain was excruciating.
I finally asked my doctor for a referral to physical therapy, and it didn’t take my therapist long to determine the problem. Frozen shoulder.
She warned me that it would be a long process, up to eighteen months, and started me on some gentle stretching, slowly trying to break up the connective tissue which had tightened and thickened.
Each week, as she assessed my improvement, she added different stretches and then introduced the resistance bands. These were meant to help with both stretching and strength. Each week meant a new band, a new exercise, until a year after I started, I was pain free.
Resistance bands work on the premise of oppositional force. As you pull on the band there is another force working against you. Research has proven that resistance bands are extremely effective in building strength, as effective or even more effective than traditional weights. To increase intensity you can choose a more resistant band or change where you hold the current band to create more resistance.
The use of resistance bands reminded me of James exhortation to fellow Christians. “. . . resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7)
Satan is indeed a strong force, one that could definitely create pain and problems. But if we continue to resist, pull away, we will become stronger.
How do we resist the devil? The Bible offers many ways.
James 4:7 — Submit yourselves therefore to God . . .
Ephesians 6:11 — Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.
Ephesians 4:27 — . . . give no opportunity to the devil.
Peter 5:8 — Be sober-minded (living with a single-minded focus); be watchful.
And what happens if we do resist Satan?
He will flee from you (James 4:7)
He will leave (Matthew 4:11)
We will conquer him (Revelation 12:11)
So what are we waiting for? Let’s start working out!
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