Friday, August 12, 2011

Hacking the body...paleo skills

Fitness in today's chaotic world
 
This post is just a series of thoughts, bullet points so that I can get some ideas down for something that I might develop further....

  • We can hack the body with tricks to build muscle, strength and even endurance
  • This can be done with minimal investment in time
    • HIT type training, even with bodyweight and static contractions
    • HIIT intervals, sprints to develop VO2 max and endurance
  • That gives you capacity, potential
  •  BUT WHAT IS THE POINT?
  • We are facing a strange and challenging world that seems to be getting more chaotic and unpredicatable
    • natural disaster
    • riot
    • economic decline
    • peak oil.....
  • To survive in such a world you need not only capacity but also relevant skills.  You can be strong.....but that is only useful up to a point
  • What skills do you need?  What will keep you alive in such a world?
  • The paleo meme -  look at the past to be fit for the future.
    • Paleo is not just diet
    • Hunter Gatherer fitness
    • We can use modern technology to build the capacity.....Safely.....
    • What skills are needed?
  • Fitness is specific - for tasks....
  • You can hack strength, endurance....but are you "fit" if you can't
    • walk well
    • sprint
    • carry
    • climb
    • crawl
    • jump
    • fight
  • Don't neglect the skills......(even in pieces I am writing for a backpacking magazine just now I am stressing the skill of walking)
  • Can you hack the skills? 
    • learn to walk, sprint, crawl, carry, climb and defend yourself

Key idea - Body hacking like in Ferris' 4 Hour Body is short-sighted if it doesn't produce real world skills.  The world is falling apart or at least changing radically.  Strength and conditioning will take you so far but without skills you will have capacity....and health.....but not useful ability.  Learn to walk, sprint, carry, climb, fight and think to survive. (MovNat)










3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Chris
Movnat
That had to hurt?
I agree tho that the brief civilised hiatus that lasted 30 yrs following the last war is over and that we have to keep in as good shape as possible for the coming uncertainties. Luckily at least Paleo eating is cheap in the Uk - eg my butcher gives me as much fat and marrow bones as I need for stock for free. Quick plug for midland paleos -'Jason the organic butcher ' He raises his own organic accredited sheep too.
Thanks for you work on the site - I have learnt so much from it. Enjoyed your piece in TGO too
I wasn't aware you were contributing and thought 'this guy could be a Paleo HIT'er.
Fred

Chris said...

Cheers Fred. I am in TGO every month at the moment.

Jason sounds good. My butcher in Edinburgh is a good guy too.

All the best

Chris

Christian said...

This is brilliant - exactly the ideas that need discussing. I love the 4HB and MovNat approaches in their own ways, and the natural conclusion is to apply the efficiency of 4HB to the liberation of MovNat. Keep it going!