GETTING PHILOSOPHICAL ABOUT FITNESS
ENTRY 02
Have you ever paused to think about the bizarre nature of your body? An oval shaped head with peculiar eyes, ears, a mouth, nose, topped off with a crown of coloured hair (or slick baldness if you are lucky enough!). Four limbs extending off a torso, the likes of which upon first observation one would have trouble figuring out what they would do – and how. An elastic rubbery smooth outer layer of skin which seems to protect the organism. Strange little follicles of hair erupt all over the body, growing longer or shorter in distinctive areas. This is to say nothing of the reproductive area… Indeed, rather bizarre upon further contemplation – yet undoubtedly you have grown accustomed to observing your outward appearance in the mirror. Other species must perceive humans the same way we would stare oddly at a spider, or an elephant, or an octopus. Strange yet intriguing creatures.
This begs the deeper question – what is the body’s function, truly? Most of our upbringing, for most people, involves the intricate learning of behaviours and movement patterns which certainly evolve into subconscious habit. Although many habituations are run on autopilot, they do serve a function and purpose. From simple tasks like getting up out of bed, to carrying the groceries from the car to the fridge, to climbing trees and wondering the fields foraging for food, to jogging/running from location A to B for a variety of reasons.
Down through the historical timelines – civilisations, communities, and cultures have cultivated varying degrees of movement patterns. From the tribes of the Rarámuri (meaning “runners on foot”) of the Mexican Sierra Madre mountains renowned for their long-distance running ability – running on occasion up to 200 miles (320km) in one stint for inter-village travel, communication, hunting, and ‘spiritual dance’ [1]. To the Bajau tribes of Indonesia, a nomadic sea people, who are notorious for their advanced diving and underwater breathing capabilities [2][3]. Looking back into antiquity, the Greeks established the Ancient Olympic games, a festival celebrating the athleticism of man [4]. Additionally, the Greeks standardised the gumnazein (gymnasium) – a space to sculpt the physical body – a culture with utmost respect for the human form and its potential beauty.
Evidently, the body is capable of much more than meets the eye, and humans over the millennia have a remarkable ability to adapt to new environments and circumstances through the influence of ‘fitness’. What is fitness? Cambridge dictionary defines it as the condition of being physically strong and healthy [5]. More intrinsically, it is an organism’s ability to survive, adapt and/or reproduce in a given environment. Thus, the unique environment heavily impacts our level of fitness, and type of fitness required to survive. Life fundamentally involves varying forms of movement to endure the day to day, and idiosyncrasies of the seasons.
Let’s begin by looking at the seven primal movement patterns – squat, lunge, bend, twist, push, pull, and gait (walk, run, etc.)[6][7]. Some or all these patterns are (or were) imbedded into our everyday movement. They are the building blocks for every move we make. Responsible for functions as simple as lifting your head, bending to grab something off the floor, twisting your torso to look behind you, or pushing open a door. We develop the movement patterns shortly after we’re born. With adequate and proper maintenance, they operate succinctly. The body is an amazing complex web of interconnected muscles, tendons, bones, ligaments, fascia, and tissues which work in synchronicity together. A miraculous organic amalgamation of living cells. A sophisticated biomechanical machine. When we are fit, every inch of our body serves a purpose to keep us alive and thriving!
Nevertheless, the current reality is a lot of people in our society have dysfunctional connections to these modes of movement. Gradually over time, often most being unaware, incoherent movement practices can fly under the radar for years (or decades). The idea that these movements are even considered ‘primal’ is rather comical – our modern sedentary lives are not entirely contingent on them and hence neglect their significance. Isn’t it curious that we have setup dedicated facilities just to fulfill our movement needs… Fitness is now a luxurious past time. It has become a personality trait. Some five thousand years ago you can imagine humans would have had naturally lean, strong, and well-proportioned bodies. Hunting, growing crops, lifting logs, and building shelters for the better part of the day.
If fitness is both fundamental to existence, yet adapted by our environment, the looming question should be: what is the ideal physique suited to my circumstance/s and why – for what ultimate purpose? The answer will vary considerably from person to person. However, most can be sure to agree that an appropriate level of physical and mental health is important to a ‘happier’ and more fulfilled life. You see, the advantage of having robust fitness goes far beyond just enabling your body to move from one space to the next. Let’s explore some of these consequential benefits.
There is substantial evidence that shows that physical activity contributes to the primary and secondary prevention of several chronic diseases and illnesses including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, hypertension, obesity, and arthritis [8][9]. Higher levels of fitness are linked to stronger immunity against viruses and pathogens [10]. You will become more physically equipped to tackle the day – physical activity increases bone density, builds muscular strength, improves metabolism, reduces joint pain and chance of injury, and enhances the cardiorespiratory system [9]. Exercise can treat mild to moderate depression with no added side effects – a study shows that running as little as 15 minutes a day or walking an hour can reduce the risk of major depression by 26% [11]. Exercise promotes growth in the brain’s neural pathways, reduces inflammation, and releases endorphins – the ‘feel good’ hormone [11]. Other mental health benefits may include higher levels of concentration (cognitive capacity), higher self-esteem (you’ll feel better about your appearance, strength, and self-worth), better quality sleep, and increased energy levels which will lift your mood [11].
Acknowledging tangible benefits is great and all, but the genuine step comes with implementing new behaviours into your lifestyle. In the book Atomic Habits, James Clear mentions that to make a habit truly sustainable, you mustn’t ‘identify’ with a particular action or hobby – but rather live in a way that there could be no reasonable doubt that that is engrained into who you are as a person [12]. Once we have established activities that inspire us, invigorate us, make us thrive, that’s what we should lean into. For some this could be running, or surfing, dancing, boxing, swimming, being a gym bro, hiking, skiing, (patiently) fishing, or becoming a local Lycra legend. Choose your own adventure! Whatever this may look like for you – move (/train) for functionality and stay because it’s enjoyable. Not for aesthetics – they will come with time and consistency. Optimise your movement to be sustainable over time. What is the proverbial story about the hare and the turtle again?
The fountain of youth is not an esoteric hidden chalice to be absorbed by only a select few. The vitality of life can be found in moving – movement is medicine. It really is this simple. A modest recipe made unnecessarily complex. A blatant answer we seem to gloss over instead with magical prescriptions… (*cough* Ozempic). Lift your eyes, move your body, interact with the physical realm, harness the true power of your being – you are a shining force to be reckoned with, if only you would answer the call. Fitness is not a hobby – don’t get it twisted. To be fit is to be alive. Being fit is to be human.
I will leave you with this passage from Meditations, where Marcus Aurelius (the Roman Emperor from 161 – 180 AD) writes, “At dawn, when you have trouble getting out of bed, tell yourself: “I have to go to work — as a human being. What do I have to complain of, if I’m going to do what I was born for — the things I was brought into the world to do? Or is this what I was created for? To huddle under the blankets and stay warm? So you were born to feel “nice”? Instead of doing things and experiencing them? Don’t you see the plants, the birds, the ants and spiders and bees going about their individual tasks, putting the world in order, as best they can? And you’re not willing to do your job as a human being? Why aren’t you running to do what your nature demands?”[13]
1. Lieberman, D.E. Mahaffey, M. Quimare, S.C. Holowka, B.N. Wallace, I.J. Baggish, A.L. (2020). Running in Tarahumara (Raramuri) Culture. The University of Chicago Press Journals. https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/708810
2. Subramanian, S. (2019). Born to Swim. Hakai Magazine: Coastal Sciencve and Societies. https://hakaimagazine.com/features/born-to-swim/
3. Bociaga, R. (2021). Sama Bajua: Asia’s Sea Nomads. Asia Media Centre. https://www.asiamediacentre.org.nz/features/sama-bajau-asias-sea-nomads/
4. Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2024). Ancient Olympic Games. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/sports/ancient-Olympic-Games
5. Cambridge Dictionary. (2024). https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/fitness
6. Thieme, T. (2024). What People Mean when they talk about ‘primal movements’ Workouts. Men’s Health. https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a60499370/primal-movement-workouts/
7. Perry, M. (2022). 7 Primal Movement patterns for full body strength. Built Lean. https://www.builtlean.com/primal-movement-patterns/
8. Warburton, D.E.R. Nicol, C.W. Bredin, S.S.D. (2006). Health benefits of physical activity: the evidence. National Library of Medicine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1402378/
9. Ruegsegger, G.N. Booth, F.W. (2018). Health Benefits of Exercise. Pubmed Central. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6027933/
10. Silveira, M.Pd. Fagundes, K.K.dS. Bizuti, M.R. Starck, E. Rossi, R.C. Silva, D.T.dR. (2020). Physical exercise as a tool to help the immune system against COVID-19: an integrative review of the current literature. Pubmed Central. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7387807/
11. Robinson, L. Segal, J. Smith, M. (2024). The mental health benefits of exercise. HelpGuide.org. https://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-living/the-mental-health-benefits-of-exercise.htm
12. Clear, J. (2018). Atomic Habits. See Advanced Tactics: how to go from being merely good to being truly great.
13. Aurelius, M. Meditations. See paragraph 1, Book V.