In 2002, exercise scientist Loren Cordain wrote "The Paleo Diet," a book that inspired many people to attempt to replicate caveman-style eating and exercise. The tenets of a paleolithic food plan, featuring meat, fruit and vegetables, are well known, but many people do not realize that adherents of the diet also exercise differently. Exercise on a paleo diet not only feature distinct types of moves, but they also have a dramatically different intensity, duration and frequency.
Function
According to a New York Times article on the caveman lifestyle, the Paleo diet attempts to replicate the activities of prehistoric people. Followers might do intense cardiovascular, strengthening and endurance activities such as sprinting and jumping. These types of activities raise your heart rate quickly and work your major muscle groups.
Features
Some practitioners of a paleolithic diet engage in what they call evolutionary fitness workouts. This exercise focuses on intensive feats such as rock-climbing, barefoot running on rough terrain, lifting heavy rocks and moving around on all fours. An article about evolutionary fitness in the online edition of the London Times adds that daily workouts do not suit the paleo plan. Instead, aim for periods of relative inactivity alternating with intense exercise. Brief, challenging work trumps long-term, moderate exercise.
Considerations
While it's impossible in this modern age to chase woolly mammoths, you can recreate the intensity of such an activity. According to a Washington Post article on the paleolithic lifestyle, old-fashioned floor work and calisthenics offers the same burst of activity as hunting, foraging and chasing. Try interval training, integrating sprints and working out at an incline, combined with squats, push-ups and lunges.
Theories/Speculation
In an interview in "U.S. News & World Report," Cordan asserts that a hunter-gatherer exercise regimen is inspired by the notion of survival, not just raising your heart rate. The vigorous activities reflect the caveman's need to escape dangerous situations or pursue food sources.
Warning
Paleolithic levels of activity do not suit every person. If you have health concerns or are just beginning a workout routine, consult with your doctor before embarking on such a high-impact, intense exercise plan.
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