Physical strength and prowess are not essential for love, but they are to be admired.  The woman in Song of Songs compares her lover to a gazelle.  In other words her lover is sure footed and swift in the coutryside.  He has strength, stamina, and possibly suppleness.  Men today focus a lot of their exercise on strength.  It is good to break down training into the three different areas of fitness labeled above.  Strength can be enhanced by resistance training.  This includes lifting weights and pulling against elastic resistance bands.  Stamina can be enhanced by aerobic and anarobic exercise.  This includes running walking and high reps on weight machines with low resistance.  Finally, suppleness can be improved by stretches in exercises like pilates and gymnastics. Time spent making time for these exercises will increase a general sense of well-being but also help the sex-life.

Song of Songs 2:8-13

 ⁸ Listen! My beloved!
   Look! Here he comes,
leaping across the mountains,
   bounding over the hills.
⁹ My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag.
   Look! There he stands behind our wall,
gazing through the windows,
   peering through the lattice.
¹⁰ My beloved spoke and said to me,
   “Arise, my darling,
   my beautiful one, come with me.
¹¹ See! The winter is past;
   the rains are over and gone.
¹² Flowers appear on the earth;
   the season of singing has come,
the cooing of doves
   is heard in our land.
¹³ The fig tree forms its early fruit;
   the blossoming vines spread their fragrance.
Arise, come, my darling;
   my beautiful one, come with me.”

Questions

1. In what ways is the man’s physical prowes emphasized?
2. What does the man want from the woman?
3. Why do you think the woman might be hesitant?
4. How could you praise the physical fitness of your lover?
5. Make a plan for physical fitness that will enhance your love life.