Humans are genetically adapted to lead physically challenging lives. As the last vestiges of the hunter-gatherer lifestyle are being eclipsed by modern civilization, scientists are beginning to realize how important this way of life is to our health.
Abstract
The systematic displacement from a very physically active lifestyle in our natural outdoor environment to a sedentary, indoor lifestyle is at the root of many of the ubiquitous chronic diseases that are endemic in our culture. The intuitive solution is to simulate the indigenous human activity pattern to the extent that this is possible and practically achievable. Suggestions for exercise mode, duration, intensity, and frequency are outlined with a focus on realigning our daily physical activities with the archetype that is encoded within our genome.
Characteristics of a Hunter-Gatherer Fitness Program
1.A large amount of background daily light-to-moderate activity such as walking was required. Although the distances covered would have varied widely, most estimates indicate average daily distances covered were in the range of 6 to 16 km. The hunter-gatherers’ daily energy expenditures for physical activity typically were at least 800 to 1200 kcal,41 or about 3 to 5 times more than the average American adult today.
2.Hard days were typically followed by an easier day. Ample time for rest, relaxation, and sleep was generally available to ensure complete recovery after strenuous exertion.
3.Walking and running were done on natural surfaces such as grass and dirt, often over uneven ground. Concrete and asphalt surfaces are largely foreign to our genetic identity.
4.Interval training sessions, involving intermittent bursts of moderate- to high-level intensity exercise with intervening periods of rest and recovery, should be performed once or twice per week.
5.Regular sessions of weight training and other strength and flexibility building exercises are essential for optimizing musculoskeletal and general health and fitness. These need to be performed at least 2 or 3 times per week, for at least 20 to 30 minutes per session.
6.Virtually all of the exercise was done outdoors in the natural world.
7.Much of the physical activity was done in context of a social setting (small bands of individuals out hunting or foraging). Exercising with one or more partners improves adherence and mood.23
8.Except for the very young and the very old, all individuals were, by necessity, physically active almost their entire lives.
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— James H. O’Keefe, MD, Robert Vogel, MD, Carl J. Lavie, MD, Loren Cordain, PhD
This article originally appeared in the December 2010 issue of The American Journal of Medicine.
