Primal Primer 17 (Fitness)
The capacity for sustained, moderate aerobic endurance activity is critical to the development and survival of Homo sapiens. Through eloquent systems of adaptation, the human body attenuates to systemic demands, boosting capability of mind and body, while leveling up performance and longevity.
Hunting & Foraging – We evolved from past persistence hunters; those relying on the ability to run long distances at moderate speeds to exhaust and overheat prey over time. This type of hunting requires high aerobic capacity especially in hot environments where animals would overheat faster than humans due to thermoregulation evolution.
Thermoregulation – Developing efficient methods of thermoregulation (regulating core temperature) through sweating and respiration, allows systemic cooling necessary for prolonged aerobic activity.
Energy Efficiency – Aerobic activities such as walking and jogging are more energy efficient than short burst of anaerobic exertion. Sapiens with bipedal posture and long legs are well suited for covering vast distances to migrate, search for food, and escape predators.
Brain Evolution – Sustained physical activities such as aerobic exercise increases blood flow to the brain, promoting the release of growth factors, while enhancing cognitive function. Over evolutionary time, endurance demands contribute to larger and more complex brains in Homo sapiens.
Building The Cardiovascular Base
The sapien’s body adapts to demands requiring increased oxygen consumption over sustained periods of time. Today, adaptation is increasingly becoming unused, as sedentary living keeps, lungs, capillaries, and fueling systems underdeveloped. Build out base in the cardio triangle; base representing the largest area supporting top end work (tip of triangle). Let zone 2 cardio develops base, and defined as ~130 heart beats per minute (One should be able to carry out a phone conversation in this zone, but the recipient can infer a workout is being conducted.
Why Zone 2 Cardio
A strong base of cardio allows safe and effective execution of zone 3-4 top end work. Aerobic base training encourages mitochondrial biogenesis (creating more motors), increases fuel efficiency (transferring lactate build up), while burning significant calories, strengthening muscle, ligament, tendon, brain, and attenuating insulin sensitivity. FACT – most high end athletes spend significant amount of pre-season training zone 2 aerobics, building substantial base supporting peak states during competition.
~Cave Implementation~
2-3 days per week of 1-1.5 hours of sustained zone 2 aerobic activity will maintain, while 3-4 is necessary for capacity gains. Remember, zone 2 aerobic training is low intensity work, and can be a brisk walk, slow jog, or light work on a stationary bike. Use this time to take conference calls, listen to podcasts, educational material, or take / make phone calls. This activity can also serve as meditation; letting each step quite the mind as the focus on the here and now becomes your mantra.
A Robust Aerobic Base Supports A Sharp Spear of The Cardio-Respiratory Triangle.
