Paleo Workouts For Dummies
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Life is movement. And the opposite of movement is motionlessness, which you could say is an apt definition of death. The cave man was constantly on the move in one way or another so he suffered few of the problems that people do today, problems brought about largely from a lack of quality movement.

As people age and take on more responsibilities, they tend to slip into stillness. They sit too much, and they get rigid. They fail to move, and so they start to creak like the tin man.

This pattern is unfortunate but highly preventable and, if it has already set in, easily remediable. A life rich in movement wards off the deleterious effects of aging. It keeps the cells fresh, the muscles toughened, and the joints well oiled. And if life is movement, then surely movement stimulates life — it rejuvenates muscle tissue, upsurges joint nutrition, and even spurs the growth of new brain cells.

Although you need to move every day, you don't have to work out with great intensity every day; just move. When you plan how to move every day, keep it easy, but do it often.

There’s no such thing as a wrong movement. You can suffer only from a lack of movement.

For now, a few basic human movement patterns every day will suffice. Explore new positions, postures, and patterns, like the following:

  • Bend

  • Carry

  • Crawl

  • Flex

  • Hang

  • Hinge

  • Jump

  • Lunge

  • March

  • Pull

  • Push

  • Roll

  • Rotate

  • Squat

  • Throw

  • Twist

Don’t confuse movement with exercise. Although exercise includes movement, the means and the ends aren’t the same. Exercise induces stress and is often intense, such as five sets of five heavy reps on the back squat. Movement promotes rejuvenation and is usually lighthearted and playful, such as crawling around on the ground with a newborn.

About This Article

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Dr. Kellyann Petrucci, author and nutritionist, appears on various news streams nationally and conducts workshops and seminars worldwide to help people feel — and look — their best. She is also the author of the popular website www.DrKellyann.com and gives daily news, tips, and inspiration on Twitter @drkellyann. Patrick Flynn, a fitness minimalist, conducts workshops and certifications worldwide, teaching people how to get more fit with less — but more effective — exercise. He is the driving force behind ChroniclesOfStrength.com, a top-500 health and wellness blog.

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