Technology Gets the Best of Me....

So I've been writing daily blog posts this week, and guess what?  

None of them actually got posted, for some reason!!  I blame this on my technological deficiencies.  Instead of releasing them all 3 at once and overwhelming you, I'll just post one per day.  Here is "Part 2" of the series which began on Monday:

Basics of a Paleo/Primal Lifestyle ~ Part 2 ~ Evolutionary Exercise

Disclaimer #1 I mean no ill-will towards my running, spinning, cardio, etc... friends.
Disclaimer #2 Everyone is different.  This is NOT an exercise prescription specifically for YOU.  I do not recommend/prescribe any exercise to clients (or anyone else, for that matter) before I have put them through proper physical assessments to determine strengths, weaknesses, imbalances, goals, etc...

Now that we have that out of the way, let's discuss movement.  Your body is designed to walk, lunge, squat, lift, bend, twist, throw, pull, push, jump, and swim.  There is no way to get around that fact.  When we are sedentary, it is bad for our health. 

Walking from the house to the car to the desk back to the car to the couch doesn't count as exercise....and has caused our species to DEVOLVE in the last 10,000 years!! Even our brains have gotten significantly smaller over the period since we began farming/agriculture.

  Does this mean that ALL exercise is good for us?  No.  It doesn't.  The human body evolved over millions of years to perform (and respond) well in certain situations.  We are not designed to endure chronic moderate to high intensity exercise for long periods of time.  Many endurance athletes (marathon runners, distance bikers, etc...) are finding out later in life that the stress they've put on their body has very serious consequences to their health.  We are NOT designed to do this type of exercise.  It puts an incredible amount of stress on many systems in the body and has a catabolic (breakdown) effect on muscle and body tissues.  This can result in serious wear & tear injuries and chronic pain. (knees, feet, ankles, back, hips, etc...) Spending hours on the treadmill are not going to improve your health, or give you the physique that you want.

The masses have been duped by a profit-driven and uneducated "fitness" industry for far too long.  Here are some suggestions, based on physiology and truths about the human body and exercise:

• Be active. Our ancestors (99% of the time that human beings have walked the Earth) walked a great deal, looking for food and traveling.  Activities such as walking, climbing, hiking, and kayaking, are all fantastic.  Park further away from the building.  Take the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator.  Walk the dog every day.  Even gardening and yard work are great activities!  Moving more on a regular basis will improve your health and help you lose weight, increase your energy, or whatever else you're looking to do.

• Lift Heavy Things & Use All Your Muscles.  No, I don't mean you have to look like a bodybuilder.  They are not healthy.  Many people are afraid of strength training because they don't want to "bulk up".  This is completely unfounded, as it is very difficult and takes very specific dietary and lifestyle modifications, in addition to hours of regular training, to "get big".  The benefits of strength training (when done properly) include, but are not limited to:

• Increased Insulin Sensitivity  (relates to diabetes and a host of other health problems)
• Increased Bone Density 
• Increased Metabolism
• Decreased Body Fat
• Increased Strength & Athletic Performance
• Hormone Balance & Increased Sex Drive

So what does "proper" strength training consist of?

• Big movements (squat, lunge, push, pull, bend, twist, etc...) using many muscle groups.
• High intensity, relatively short duration.  I do not recommend high intensity training for beginners or for those who do not have supervision and instruction.  There is no need to spend hours at the gym!  (Or even go to a gym, for that matter!!)

• Sprint Occasionally.  Yes, really.  Our ancestors (99% of human evolution) walked around a lot,  lifted heavy things, and every once in a while, RAN LIKE HELL!  Either to chase food, or be chased by something that wanted them as food!!  We had to have the ability to escape danger when needed, but we are not designed to run at high intensity for any significant duration of time.  Doing so triggers stress hormones in our body, which are detrimental on a number of levels.  Again, this is not for beginners or those who have not exercised in a long time. 

Crunches are not proper exercise.  Isolation training is not natural to our physiology.  (think about the guy doing bicep curls in the mirror)  Weight machines do not work stabilizer muscles and allow your core to become weak and lazy.  Grok did not have machines and was FAR more fit than we are.  

The reason that I do not recommend intense heavy lifting or sprinting for beginners is simple, our bodies are so out of whack (joint weakness, core deactivation, muscle imbalances, poor posture, improper breathing) that this type of exercise could cause significant injury, pain, and discomfort.

These are my first steps will all new clients:  (Most are beginners, but I would go through these steps regardless)

• Correct posture and muscle imbalances.  
• Teach proper form and breathing for "big movements".
• Properly activate the core.  This is essential for generating power and protecting the back.

Once someone has corrected their posture, addressed imbalances, learned proper movement form, retrained their body to breathe, and reactivated their core - they are ready for some evolutionary exercise!!

Tomorrow: Part 3! Sleep is KING!