The Base. The starting point. Where our strength, power, and initial step happen. If you’ve played or watched sports, you’ve probably heard the phrases… “athletic position” or “have a strong base” (and if you haven’t, bear with me, you’ll understand in a sec). It’s everywhere; Peyton Manning’s throwing mechanics, Tiger Woods swing off the tee, Derek Jeter’s stance at the plate, Michael Jordan’s step back jumper (so idolized that the greats we know today have mimicked it). These players aren’t just naturally gifted individuals. What separates them for the rest of the pack is the work they put in to be great.
I know what you’re wondering – What do those examples have in common? The base. Each example, if you watch… over and over… and over, the movement starts the same. There is something to be said about the base in which our strength, power, or movement comes from. The greats I mentioned above spent years perfecting their craft and developing a base so that they can be in an uncomfortable situation on the field, or in a tight spot on the court, their base remains the same allowing them to still be effective; playing comfortably uncomfortable.
So, in our daily lives… shouldn’t we do the same? We must build a strong base so that no matter what life throws at us or what uncomfortable position we find ourselves in, we can always rely on our base to be the same – the morals and beliefs we stand on. “Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Matthew 7:24.
Disclaimer – we’re not perfect, so we can’t expect our base to be either. We will fall and fail, but we can always retreat back to our base. Peyton Manning has thrown interceptions; Jordan has missed a jumper – but they always go back to their base. The base of what they do best allows them to correct those mistakes. Check this out. There was a man in the Bible named David, who was a gifted musician, a fierce warrior, and a man believed to be “a man after God’s own heart”. Although he had all the accolades, he wasn’t initially looked at as the historic King David that he’s remembered by. His early years looked different, David was anointed – or chosen, told by God, that “he will do everything I want him to do,” but told to return to daily life.
Lofty calling, but confusing right?
David resumed daily activity for a reason. Why? Because he had to build a base. He needed to remain doing what he was positioned to do at that time, so that he could prepare to progress. His base of being a musician got him in front of King Saul, his efforts protecting sheep in the field built his base for being a fearless warrior. None of which had anything to do with who he became but had everything to do with how. Pastor Michael Todd – in a sermon called Marked gives this beautiful display and outline of how we should be actively waiting, like a server at a restaurant – serving the Lord at every stage. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBF0NJ1EPXk – trust me you want to watch the whole thing; it has changed my life.)
The base built creates value, strength, and purpose. It’s the place we go for the reminder of who we are and the worth we have. When we have a strong base, we can overcome any shortcoming or fall, we can build back up from a strong foundation. Just like David – a man after God’s own heart, who fell short in numerous ways, retreated to his base in Christ. And we can do the same in our own lives. Whether it’s missing a shot or throwing an interception. Maybe it’s losing a job, fighting with a significant other. Missing that bonus mark at work or failing a test. The list goes on. We don’t just throw in the towel; we fight to get back into the groove. We rely on the hard work and effort put in to establish our base and use that as the starting point for a greater comeback.
My encouragement to you: our base, though it takes time to build, years to master, and will never be perfect (after all… we’re not) is where all our confidence, strength, and power comes from. It’s the place we can retreat to when we fall short, become weak, or need guidance. We are going to fall short; but we get back up, lean into our base, and strive forward to follow our calling and pursue our passions.
You can do it. It starts today. Take the first step to establish the base. Define who you are. Whether it’s working on your faith, being intentional about where you’re positioned now. BUILD THE BASE.
WORKOUT
Building a base is tough. It takes time. As we journey through the weeks together, my hope is you accept the challenge to begin building a physical base. Maybe you’ve never been to a gym, maybe quarantine threw off your workout routine. It’s time to get back to the basics – build a base.
Below is a quick base workout that you can do to start activating muscles and practice movements that can lead to strength/growth development.
Full Body Circuit:
Lower Body:
1. Air Squats – 3 sets of 30 reps
2. Alternating Lunges – 3 sets of 10 (ea. Leg)
3. Single leg RDL – 3 sets of 10 (ea. Leg)
Upper Body:
1. Pushups – 3 sets of 20 reps
2. Tricep Dips (on chair/couch/bench) – 3 sets of 20 reps
3. Light Curls (can use water bottles, detergent, dumbbells, bands) – 3 sets of 10 (ea. Arm)
Core:
1. Sit ups – 2 sets of 20 reps
2. Russian twists – 2 sets of 20 reps
3. Leg raises – 2 sets of 20 reps
Hammer and Anvil 