to how we land on our feet (forefoot first while sprinting). While sprinting a given distance, we will actually take fewer steps as well (compared to jogging that same distance). Sprinting cannot be sustained for long periods of time therefore overuse is unlikely. Sprinting, and other high inten- sity events, promotes that hormonal cock- tail we want - burning fat as a main fuel source, while not decreasing strength. Furthermore, exercise scientists have now discovered that, physiologically, high in- tensity efforts have the same benefit on mitochondrial biogenesis (your body’s aerobic power house) as long distance running, minus the overuse issues. Performance is another way we like


to look at fitness - performance being able to preform a skill or sport at a certain level. Most people think athletes are very fit. The thing we tend to forget is that being good at a certain position, within a certain sport, requires specialization. For example: an offensive lineman (football position) is typically 250+ lbs, strong, and quick. However, he may lack the ability to run long distance (if he had to), climb (or even do a pullup). On the opposite end of the spectrum, a triathlete may have good aerobic endurance but no strength. Early humans were not specialists – they need- ed a wide variety of capacities and move- ments to survive. Most routines (whether at your local gym or in a professional athletic setting) do not incorporate any of the other skills like climbing or crawling. A good routine will use heavy lifting, limited cardio train- ing, lots of different movements; increase mobility, strength, aerobic and anaerobic capacities and endurance, and power in to stimulate many different physical qualities.


Regardless of the health benefits,


whether we like to admit it or not, danger can be literally around every corner. Re- member a person who exercises like early humans did, lifts heavy objects, has good anaerobic and aerobic endurance, can be explosive (jump, climb quickly), has the ability to crawl on all fours, has good proprioception and agility. These examples provide an all- too-real scenario where you may have to rely on your fitness.


Situation 1: One night, while you are sleeping, faulty wiring sparks a fire and your house goes up into flames. Your spouse has fallen asleep on the couch and is unconscious from smoke inhalation; your two children are sleeping upstairs. Here’s where your fitness counts. Our person who trains naturally (like early humans) would be able to crawl, sprint and negotiate through smoke and over objects to reach their two children upstairs. Without hesitation, lift both chil- dren to their shoulders, run down the stairs and get them outside. Next your spouse [who is obviously heavier, and at this point, is dead-weight]. You need to lift them over your shoulder or drag them outside before the flames engulf your en- tire house. If you do not know how to lift heavy objects and carry them for dis- tance—while your heart rate is already at about max, and you are tired—they have no chance and you will probably not make it in the process. If you run 5 miles a day and lift 10 lb. weights ONLY, you might as well save yourself - don’t try and rescue your children and definitely not your spouse; your chances are not good.


Situation 2: You are camping with a fam- ily member on the Washington coast. You are hiking along the beach, carrying all your gear (food, tent, etc.). On one side of


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you, is the Pacific Ocean, on the other a 50 ft. cliff. Suddenly, you realize the tide is coming in quickly. You and your loved one will soon be smashed against the cliff by the powerful water. You have time to escape, and you cannot leave your gear behind, as you are two days from your car. You and your partner start running back the way you came. You notice your partner is slowing due to the heavy weight of their pack; you need these supplies, so you grab their bag and continue to run. If you have trained like an early hu-


man you can avoid the almost certain peril. You need to be able to sprint at near top speed for at least 5 minutes while car- rying 70 extra pounds; all this while nego- tiating over and under logs and other de- bris on the beach. If you only lift weights to add size, it is harder for you to run. Muscle weighs a lot and having more muscle does not make you stronger. If you do 60 minutes or cardio a day and lift light weight, you cannot carry your partner’s bag.


The point of these scenarios is that you , a 7-week program to help you


can look very fit (as defined by our modern perception) but not be very fit at all, in terms of survivability. Fitness in this defini- tion is a measure on competency of skills, having good anaerobic endurance, being strong, powerful and alert. Much like wearing glasses to look smart, but not knowing that 3 x 2 = 6, it is all superficial. Incorporating natural move- ments like: squatting, pullups, deadlifts, sprinting, olympic lifting, crawling and swimming can be very beneficial to your fitness and overall health. Some of these movements are very complex and need to be taught by a coach or trainer who knows what they are doing before you try them, because if you do them wrong, the conse- quences can be debilitating. Odds are, if you were following a modern fitness plan: isolated lifting, hours spent in the gym, restricted calories, etc., your body told you to stop. That way of fitness can be un- healthy and unnatural. It was not your lack of willpower that caused you to quit; it was your genes wanting to be expressed opti- mally.


Written by Matt Blackmon, Owner/Head Coach at CrossFit Clemmons. For more information, visit www.crossfitclemmons. com or email matt@crossfitclemmons. com. For a complimentary one-on-one introductory session, call 336-306-9353.


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