Four Pillars Training Framework

“The least of the muscular Christians has hold of the old chivalrous and Christian belief, that a man’s body is given him to be trained and brought into subjection, and then used for the protection of the weak, the advancement of all righteous causes, and the subduing of the earth which God has given to the children of men.” –Thomas Hughes, Tom Brown at Oxford (1861)

There are some that think physical fitness is a waste of time and incompatible with the Christian framework.

Wrong. 

Consider that our physical bodies are gifts from God, and as stewards of these bodies, it is our responsibility to take care of them.

Engaging in physical fitness can have numerous benefits that align with becoming a saint. By maintaining good health and overall well-being, we are better equipped to fulfill our God-given purpose and serve others effectively. St. Paul refers to our bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20), emphasizing the need for proper care and respect. Training also instills virtues such as discipline, perseverance, and self-control, which are qualities that contribute to a virtuous life.

While physical fitness should not supersede spiritual growth and the pursuit of God's kingdom, it can serve as a means to support our spiritual journey. It is all about finding a balance and ensuring that our pursuit of physical fitness remains in harmony with our faith and does not become an idol or a distraction from our ultimate purpose.

The four pillars training system is a framework for men to look at and grow in their physical capability. If you haven’t been convinced that this is an area you must develop in your life, listen to our fitness podcast series starting with Episode Two of the pod here. And ultimately, while all four pillars are as important as the others - we acknowledge that as men with time constraints we aren’t able to pull all these levers at once, us hosts included - strength and weight training is the most cost effective in terms of time and results. But the four pillars are just a framework for becoming physically capable. Becoming physically capable is just one aspect of our vocation and ascent to union with God.

The four pillars was created by Tomas after a bit of a mid-youth crisis one might say, where he found himself super deep into powerlifting but acknowledging that not only was he still weak, but he also could hardly climb up a mountain, admittedly carrying 20kg extra weight. So what’s the path forward?

He decided to keep the powerlifting grindset up at least till he hit some better numbers, but coming to a greater realization that as a man we are called to be holistically fit to fulfill our vocations, and that includes the other three pillars in the framework.