Why Primal Movement

Much of fitness is promoted via the avenue of aesthetics.  It seems that the general public only look at fitness as a necessary means to look good.  Hence, if one is naturally slim there is simply no need to keep fit.  I feel that this is something that needs to change.  Keeping and staying fit is an important part of being healthy.  That is why we get our kids out the house and away from the computer, tablet and games console.



As we get older this activity needs to continue but the nature of activity needs to change.  Of course there is nothing wrong with continuing the pursuit of that sport but I would argue that a traditional gym approach to fitness needs to be implemented even if not in a gym.  This is because sports like running, football and netball do not train the whole body proportionately.  A traditional gym method however allows one to exercise all the main muscles adequately.

So how do we go about a gym routine?  I argue against routines from magazines as these tend to be inspired by bodybuilders and athletes that, in their later years, become adapted to their activities and the imbalances evolve into injuries.  It is more challenging to find a format that can be adopted at any age and any level which gives the whole body a balanced a workout.  Enter Paul Chek, a leader in fitness with a health-first theme.  He coined the concept of primal movements; the movements that we all have to perform in some shape or form.  If we structure a program around them we can be satisfied that every main muscle in our body has received a good workout with little fear of an over-compensation anywhere.

  So what are the primal movements?
1. Pushing Pressing overhead and kneading dough
2. Pulling Pulling a rope (of a well)
3. Lunging Using the legs to lift an object
4. Squatting Having to stay low behind cover (staking out prey)
5. Bending Getting down to life something
6. Rotating Chopping down trees


For primal people these movements would require significant strength.  Today's modern world still requires us to execute these movements although often without the high load.  Hence there's an area within our physiology, even within our brains that remains untapped unless we train loaded movement.  In fact (excuse the simplistic explanation) we could say that there is untapped energy within our system that is just sitting there in the form of fat deposits laid around the body because we do not train loaded movement.

For the original source in primal movement patterns I recommend this book available via most popular book stores.