And death by sitting doesn\u2019t seem so incredulous when you hear stories like this:<\/p>\n
“I work 11 hours a day, seven days a week selling insurance. I don’t really care about it, I don’t think anyone does, even though some people pretend to. It’s not natural to sit in a cubicle for that long every day. I mean, I’ve had coworkers next to me die because of this work. Their hearts just went out.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Sadly, this story shared to me by a friend is starting to become more and more common.<\/p>\n
But just because something is the norm doesn’t make it normal.<\/p>\n
It’s very clear: domestication and the outsourcing of movement is making us weak.<\/p>\n
Your Workouts Aren’t Enough<\/h3>\n
Unfortunately, going to the gym isn’t enough. Moving for just 4% (60 minutes a day) of your total 24 hours is like expecting a tablespoon of spinach to make up for the three bacon cheeseburgers you just ate.<\/p>\n
If you want to really change your body, something more is needed. I\u2019m here to offer you a radically different paradigm than the latest workout fad or technique.<\/p>\n
All you need to do is return to what your body is built for.<\/strong><\/p>\nLet\u2019s look at how and why we got off track, and then some tips for reclaiming what your body was meant to do.<\/p>\n
Outsourcing Our Movement = Broken Bodies<\/h3>\n
Once upon a time we were required to move to live. Hunting and gathering is our ancestry, which called for a complex range of movements. Squatting, crawling, climbing, sprinting, hanging, and jumping were all in a day’s work of just getting dinner on the table.<\/p>\n
Our movement patterns became more predictable with the advent of agriculture. Farming took some of the uncertainty out of movement, but still, there was quite a bit of physical work going on. At least we weren’t stationary all the time.<\/p>\n
Things really got worse with the industrial revolution. Our movement’s repertoires became smaller and smaller, and for the first time, a majority of humans were sitting for long periods of the day.<\/p>\n
The knowledge or information age (the age we’re in today) is easily the worst. Within the digital world we can get almost anything we want with very little movement required. All it takes is a quick Google search and a couple of clicks. In under an hour, dinner is on your table without you having to do a lick.<\/p>\n
As a quick test, try this now:<\/strong> Standing feet shoulder-width apart, can you reach down and touch your toes without bending your knees? If not, you\u2019ve lost one of the most basic movement capabilities you should have as a human.<\/p>\nWe Did Not Evolve to Sit at Desks All Day<\/h3>\n
![\"Evolution](\"https:\/\/paidtoexist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/evolution-to-sitting-in-front-of-computer.jpg\")
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Our bodies did not evolve to be stationary. Our tissue stiffens and becomes weak when it isn’t continually challenged. Bad backs, kinked necks, inflexible shoulders, and “tricked” knees? Hey, that’s just life it seems.<\/p>\n
And as I said earlier, going to a gym for a fraction of your day just isn’t enough. We need to change our paradigm.<\/strong><\/p>\nAn overhaul of the way we view what our bodies need in order to thrive is long overdue. The fitness viewpoint of compartmentalizing movement into a small box during the day isn\u2019t working for us. When you go from stationary for 10+ hours to intense exercise, it just doesn\u2019t work.<\/p>\n
What we need instead is a lifestyle — a nourishing movement diet — rather than a workout \u201csupplement.\u201d We need an approach where we\u2019re moving in various micro-sessions throughout the day, continually diversifying our positions and introducing new challenges to our bodies.<\/p>\n
But we also need to address the movement debt that exists.<\/strong><\/p>\nJust like sleep debt catches up with you and you must pay the Sandman, so too must you pay off your \u201cmovement debt\u201d or your body becomes stiff, weak, and prone to injury (if it isn’t already).<\/p>\n
This is one of the big reasons kids are much less prone to sprains and strains than adults. We simply don\u2019t move as much, and our debt has accumulated over years and years.<\/p>\n
So, how do we get back to a resilient, pain-free body that is strong and capable?<\/p>\n
Step 1: Assess Your Level of Movement Debt<\/h3>\n
The first step is to honestly take a look at where you\u2019re at. I know, this might sound a bit scary, but it will only take a few moments and if anything, will be a good dose of motivation to get you moving more.<\/p>\n
Here are some questions for you to ask:<\/p>\n
\n- What does an average Tuesday look like for you?<\/li>\n
- How much do you generally sit or remain in static positions throughout the day?<\/li>\n
- What kind of movement patterns do you most often use in your work? What parts of your body are neglected?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Getting an honest look at where you\u2019re at is important to starting your rehabilitation. Don’t worry, having awareness of where you are is half the battle. Next, you can begin to plot your escape from the captivity of a sedentary life.<\/p>\n
Step 2: Reintegrate Primal Movements<\/h3>\n
Humans are not really the best at any particular physical activity. We\u2019re not the fastest runners or swimmers. We\u2019re not the best climbers. But what we do have is the highest level of movement diversity.<\/p>\n
We\u2019re able to do a lot of things pretty well, and this ability to be well-rounded should be reflected in the way you train and live.<\/p>\n
Two foundational movements you should be able to do easily are squatting (like when you “pop a squat” in the woods) and hanging (from a branch or bar). Reintegrating these basic skills is the first step to getting your body back on track.<\/p>\n
![\"Tarzan](\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/\/2015\/03\/tarzan.jpg\")
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