The bodies we have today evolved through a combination of genetic and environmental adaptations to the world around us. Our ancestors, while not the fastest, strongest, biggest, or toughest animals, became one of the fittest creatures on the planet because of intelligent application of physical effort to achieve life's requirements. Our minds were key to our success but we still needed agile bodies to put thought into action. Both men and women had to perform the following basic body movements on a daily basis to stay alive:
- Walk with a load
- Crouch down and pick up a load
- React quickly and explosively to threats
- Pull yourself up
- Swim to shore
Fortunately for us today, we don't need strong bodies to sustain our lifestyle, but our bodies still need activity to stay healthy. Metabolic systems and mental function improve with exercise. My contention is that both mind and body will be optimized for the modern world by incorporating the basic movements that kept our ancestors alive.
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