Joshua Bennett
SoulCore is a Catholic fitness series that combines core-strengthening exercises with prayer. It is designed to be a Christ-centered movement that engages the whole person – body, mind, and soul – in the sacred experience of the Rosary. SoulCore is not affiliated with or imitative of any other practice and is rooted in Christian meditation and the life, virtues, and Word of Christ. It is a viable alternative to yoga for traditional Catholics who want to avoid yoga but still desire to combine exercise and prayer.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Prayer experience | Prayer first, then strength and stretching movement |
| Core strengthening | Core-strengthening exercises |
| Stretching | Stretching exercises |
| Functional movement | Functional movement |
| Sensory experience | Combines candlelight, music, scripture, reflections, and movement |
| Christian meditation | Christian meditation |
| Rosary | Rosary |
| Consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary | Consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary |
| Not yoga | Not yoga |
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What You'll Learn
SoulCore's Catholic credentials
SoulCore is a Catholic fitness series that combines core-strengthening exercises with isometric exercises, stretching, and overall strengthening of the entire body. It is a Christ-centered movement that engages the whole person – body, mind, and soul – in the sacred experience of the Rosary. The exercises are set to a full rosary, with movements corresponding to the prayers in the rosary. SoulCore is consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary and has patron saints including St. Joseph, St. Louis De Montfort, and St. John Paul II.
The founders of SoulCore, Deanne Miller and Colleen Scariano, explain that their exercise movement is born from the desire to nourish both body and soul through exercise. Miller references St. Irenaeus's quote, "the glory of God is man fully alive," and explains that "in our physical movement, when tied to prayer-strengthening from the inside out, we are FULLY ALIVE." SoulCore is designed so that participants are resting during meditations on the mystery of the Rosary and then completing core exercises during the prayers.
SoulCore is rooted in Christian meditation and the life, virtues, and Word of Christ. It is about filling the mind and soul with the life and word of Christ, by meditating on the Mysteries and the virtues of each Mystery, to slowly be transformed more fully into the image and likeness of the heart and mind of Jesus and the Blessed Mother. SoulCore's deepest desire is to maintain the integrity of the Rosary and the Catholic faith, to encourage a deeper devotion to the Blessed Mother through the rosary, to grow in virtue and interior peace, and to be strengthened – in body and soul – to be fit instruments to do God’s will.
SoulCore does not currently have an imprimatur from the Church, due to the fact that it does not have a written body of work. However, it is based in the Diocese of Lafayette, Indiana, and has the support of Bishop Timothy Doherty and many priests around the country. It has also been featured in various Catholic media outlets and offered in collaboration with Catholic conferences.
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SoulCore vs yoga
SoulCore is a Catholic fitness series that combines core-strengthening exercises, stretching, and functional movement with the prayers of the Rosary. It is not affiliated with any other exercise disciplines, including yoga, and does not feature yoga poses or Sanskrit references. Instead, SoulCore is rooted in Christian meditation and the life, virtues, and Word of Christ. Each SoulCore session begins with prayer and intention-setting, followed by graceful movements that correspond to each prayer bead, and ends with a peaceful posture reflecting on the session's spiritual journey. The exercises are challenging yet adaptable, and the movements build upon each other, including squats, lunges, planks, push-ups, and stretches.
Yoga, on the other hand, is a mainstream fitness staple with Eastern spiritual roots, particularly in Hindu philosophy. While yoga has become popular and recommended by doctors as a part of a healthy lifestyle, some Christians may hesitate to practice it due to its potential conflict with Christian doctrine. Yoga was once associated with New Age spiritual practices and has undergone modifications to make it more accessible and acceptable to a wider audience.
The key difference between SoulCore and yoga lies in their spiritual foundations. SoulCore is explicitly Christ-centered, integrating prayer and functional movement to engage the whole person—body, mind, and soul—in the sacred experience of the Rosary. It is consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. In contrast, yoga, in its traditional form, is rooted in Eastern spiritual traditions, which may not align with Christian beliefs.
While both practices offer physical and mental benefits, SoulCore specifically caters to those seeking a faith-centered workout experience rooted in Christian prayer and meditation. It emphasizes the spiritual aspect by infusing prayer and Christian teaching into physical movements, creating a unique workout experience that disrupts typical yoga connections and sequencing. SoulCore provides a Catholic alternative to yoga, allowing practitioners to strengthen their bodies and nourish their souls while adhering to Christian principles.
In summary, SoulCore and yoga differ in their spiritual foundations, with SoulCore being Christ-centered and yoga rooted in Eastern spiritual traditions. SoulCore combines core-strengthening exercises and Rosary prayers, offering a Catholic alternative to yoga for those seeking to integrate their faith with physical exercise.
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SoulCore's prayer element
SoulCore is a Christ-centered movement that engages the whole person – body, mind, and soul – in the sacred experience of the Rosary. It combines prayer and functional movement, offering a gentle path to grow in virtue, deepen interior peace, and steward the body as a temple of the Holy Spirit.
SoulCore is consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It is not affiliated with or imitative of any other practice and is anchored in Christian meditation and the life, virtues, and Word of Christ. The movement reflects the mission of Our Lady: to bring hearts to her Son through prayer, virtue, and peace.
SoulCore integrates body and soul in prayer, fully orienting the heart and mind toward Christ. It combines the prayers of the Rosary with core-strengthening exercises, isometric exercises, stretching, and overall strengthening of the entire body. The exercises are set to a full rosary, with the prayers acting as the counting method. This allows participants to move and pray simultaneously.
SoulCore provides a sensory experience that combines candlelight, music, scripture, reflections, and movement to nourish the body, mind, and soul. It encourages deeper reflection on the mysteries and virtues of the Rosary. The movement also offers options for prayers other than the Rosary, including the Divine Mercy Chaplet, Seven Joys of Mary, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Chaplet, and the Stations of the Cross.
SoulCore is about prayer first, with strength and stretching movements added as one feels comfortable. It provides meditations based on the scriptures and lives of the saints at the beginning of each rosary mystery, helping participants to delve deeper into each mystery and ask for the virtues that correspond.
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SoulCore's physical benefits
SoulCore is a Christ-centred movement that engages the whole person – body, mind, and soul – in the sacred experience of the Rosary. It is an exercise of spiritual and physical fitness through prayer. The intention of SoulCore is to bring Christians of all ages closer to Christ through the prayers of the Rosary. SoulCore is founded in monotheism, with a belief in the one true God. It is based on Christian meditation, which is always focused on the life of Jesus Christ.
SoulCore offers a gentle path to grow in virtue, deepen interior peace, and steward the body as a temple of the Holy Spirit. It is about filling the mind and soul with the life and word of Christ, by meditating on the Mysteries and the virtues of each Mystery, to be slowly transformed more fully into the image and likeness of the heart and mind of Jesus and the Blessed Mother.
SoulCore is not affiliated with any other exercise discipline. It is not yoga, and yoga poses or Sanskrit are not referenced at all. SoulCore is simply an invitation to discover the beauty of the Rosary.
SoulCore is unique in that it pairs core strengthening, stretching, and functional movement with the prayers of the Rosary. The physical movements can be challenging, but all of the movements are simply invitations. The prayers are the focus, and the movements are intended to enhance the prayer experience, by deepening the connection of the body and soul. SoulCore classes can be offered at any fitness level, with some offering gentle stretches, and others offering movements done completely from a chair.
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SoulCore's media coverage
SoulCore has been featured in various Catholic media outlets, including EWTN Radio, Sirius XM The Catholic Channel, Ave Maria Radio, Relevant Radio, National Catholic Register, and Ignatius Press. The company is extremely cautious about who they allow to instruct their classes, and instructors must meet all of their requirements. SoulCore has also been offered in collaboration with various Catholic conferences such as FOCUS SLS and SEEK.
SoulCore is a Catholic fitness series that combines core-strengthening exercises, isometric exercises, stretching, and overall body strengthening with the prayers of the Rosary. It is consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The exercises are set to a full rosary, and participants move and pray simultaneously. SoulCore is designed so that participants rest during meditations on the mystery of the Rosary and then complete core exercises during the prayers. Each mystery and virtue is announced out loud, and the first part of every prayer is also said out loud, so participants are guided through it.
SoulCore is rooted in Christian meditation and the life, virtues, and Word of Christ. It is about filling the mind and soul with the life and Word of Christ by meditating on the Mysteries and the virtues of each Mystery, to be slowly transformed more fully into the image and likeness of the heart and mind of Jesus and the Blessed Mother. SoulCore's deepest desire is to maintain the integrity of the Rosary and the Catholic faith, to encourage a deeper devotion to the Blessed Mother through the Rosary, and to grow in virtue and interior peace.
SoulCore is first and foremost prayer, while also strengthening the body and soul as an essential discipline of total well-being. It is about integrating the body and soul in prayer, fully orienting the heart and mind towards Christ, while discovering the beauty of the Rosary.
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Frequently asked questions
SoulCore is a Christ-centred movement that combines prayer with functional movement. It is rooted in Christian meditation and the life, virtues, and Word of Christ. SoulCore is consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
SoulCore is designed to be an ecumenical apostolate, meaning it is open to people of all Christian faiths. However, it is rooted in Catholic tradition and has been featured in various Catholic media outlets, including Catholic radio stations and newspapers. It is also offered in collaboration with several Catholic conferences and has been approved by many priests around the country.
SoulCore classes involve pairing the prayers of the Rosary with core-strengthening, stretching, and functional movement. The exercises can be tailored to your own strength level, and various movements correspond with the prayers in the Rosary. The classes are contemplative and sensory, combining candlelight, music, scripture, reflections, and movement to nourish the body, mind, and soul.
