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On Tue, 22 Feb 2005 20:43, Iain Townsend wrote:
>I have been subscribing to this list for a long time, and have decided that
>I am going to set up a group of friends to improve our health and fitness
>along evolutionary fitness lines. My problem is this: my friends and I
>are late fifties, overweight, with high blood pressure, high cholesterol,
>joint and muscle problems associated with overweight and so on.
>
>I believe that most of the fitness prescriptions that men and women get
>are based on fear and guilt, so in line with the evolutionary fitness
>philosophy I want to develop a health and fitness 'game':-
>
>* it should be fun, entertaining, varied, and I believe based
> on deVany's power law ideas
>* would of course involve Cordain's ideas on the paleo diet
>* it should enable a person to gradually change from
> the way they are now to an appropriate level of
> (evolutionary) health and fitness.
>
<snip>
>So my questions are:
>* what would a evolutionary health and fitness program look like?
>* has this been done before? IF so, can you supply any details?
I'm hesitant to recommend the same book twice in 24 hours, but in this case I must. Frank
Forencich's "Play As If Your Life Depends On It" could have been written specifically for your
purpose. It is written with a light touch and avoids concepts that the average person may have
difficulty comprehending (such as the application of power laws to human movement and diet). It
introduces human evolution and human movement gradually with practical examples from each
which also illuminate the other. To reassure you that his suggestions are not beyond your reach
and those of your acquaintances, here is an important quote:
" One of the primary objectives in any physical training program should be to build a better biped.
...If you don't walk well, it's unlikely that you'll excell at any athletic or functional
movement". From there Frank goes on to guide people in the importance of walking, of walking
well and of not under-rating it.
Here is another quote, this one to confirm that an easy, light start is a valuable start and can be
totally consistent with Evolutionary Fitness:
"The most vesatile of the functional abdominal movements is the figure eight. The beauty of this
form is that you can generate dozens of variations that will challenge your core in a
functional position, thereby integrating your abdominals with the rest of your body. The basic
movement is easy. Grab a medicine ball [and, note, the ball in Frank's picture would weigh no
more than 3kg] and swing it in a vertical circle on the left side of your body. Cross your centre line
in front of your navel, then circle to the right. Repeat in a continuous motion. A medicine ball is
the most fun, but you can also do the movement with a dumbbell or a weight plate. You can also
use two smaller balls, one in each hand." From there he goes into variations and explains the
links to functional fitness.
The book is not aimed at athletes (though they could surely benefit). Rather it is aimed at
helping people become functionally fit and healthy. Throughout he addresses those - who might
just be in your cohort - who'd like to do no more than be fit and healthy enough to enjoy
gardening, walking over to a friend's place or playing with grandchildren.
I ordered a copy earlier this month from the US for my son in Brisbane and it arrived in Australia
eight days later.
The book is self-published (beautifully, I might add) and is available from:
http://goanimal.com/index.html
Another reason why I value this book so highly is that it is not narrowly focused on those for
whom fitness or body building is a hobby or for athletes, but on ordiary people who have busy
lives and who would like to improve their physical AND mental AND social health.
Keith
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