Guest post written by: Max Shank
I find it funny how everyone is always looking for the “perfect workout” the “perfect diet” or the “perfect job.”
You find the same ideas in martial arts, “Gracie Jiu Jitsu is the best,” or “10th Planet is the best.” People get caught up in thinking of lists or brands rather than adopting useful ideas.
This dogma gets in the way of our progress and diminishes our ability to improve.
One thing I get asked about my diet all the time is “are you paleo?”
Sort of.
Part of what makes the paleo idea so attractive to me is it’s based on common sense rather than jargon. It simply makes sense that if you can eat something made out of stuff that is relatively easy to find, you’re probably meant to eat it.
It’s not a strict set of rules, like always make sure you cook your broccoli to help release extra nutrients, or never, ever, ever eat anything with sugar in it. It’s just an idea that helps guide you to things you should probably be eating.
The same should be true when it comes to exercising and with fitness.
Now I’m not saying you should stop lifting weights and only hunt wooly mammoth with sticks and rocks, but it might at least make sense to simplify. So let’s take a look at some things that just might make sense for us as humans.
Wrestling/Grappling/Martial Arts
Climbing
Running
Lifting/Carrying
The above are really just ideas. We can take these ideas and blend them up with some science. No rules, just some ideas to think about.
It would stand to reason that humans are meant for some sort of combat. Grappling is a nice way to do this while also minimizing risk, so there are lots of strengths and skills being exercised in this.
It’s also highly likely that we are built to climb on things since, if I remember correctly, we didn’t have a lot in the way of elevators a few thousand (or million) years ago. So it makes sense that our bodies would respond well to climbing or hanging on things.
Likewise, the bicycle wasn’t invented until about 1790. So unless you had a group of large men to carry you around on a mobile pedestal, you were probably using your legs to get around. This is the primary way our legs used to get strong, especially running fast to catch a smaller fast animal.
Great, you just killed a tasty animal, now how are you going to get this bad boy home? Looks like you’re going to have to pick it up and carry it, unless you have a furniture dolly handy.
When it comes to training, some of this stuff just sort of makes sense for the structure we start out with. I’m not going to be abandoning handstands and other cool exercises that current science has shown us make sense and help us a whole hell of a lot, but you can’t deny the benefit of some of these historical staples in human movement.
Don’t get married to movements and don’t get married to foods, marry yourself to common sense and be open to new ideas. This is true with exercise, with food, and with the rest of your life.
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Max is an author, coach, and owner of Ambition Athletics in Encinitas, CA. He also competes in a wide variety of sports ranging from Muay Thai and Jiu Jitsu to Scottish Highland Games.
Max’s desire to constantly improve his knowledge and personal skills has led him to be a sought after international presenter of his unique and pragmatic blend of strength, flexibility, health, and overall athleticism.
www.ultimateathleticism.com
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I have an unofficial running narrative that involves my “inner caveman”.
It is a push-pull of food and exercise.
1. Some days my caveman works hard at the hunt and is successful — full meals and workouts that day.
2. Other days he works hard and is not successful — full exercise, less caloric intake or even light fasting.
3. Sometimes he gets lucky and just finds a nice dead antelope without predator fuss — light exercise and full food.
4. Every new moon ‘sacrifice’ — fast, rest for a day to bring it back. Eclipses too if so inclined.
I will also add variables such as only able to forage for veg that day, or only caught a tiny rabbit/fish (small portions of protein), etc.
Also I mix up workouts depending on whether he’s hunting antelope or mountain goat, etc. Sort of a simulated real-life overlay to keep things fresh and interesting.
This blog post by Max Shank and the comment by Robb is actually my first real exposure to “paleo” thinking. I have to say I really appreciate the common sense of it and the look back aspect to the early human experience of life and living.