The Fifth Ape

MovNat March Madness!

2012-02-14T22:41:18Z

You may remember the last time MovNat came to Chapel Hill and how awesome it was. Look at this picture. Doesn't everyone here look super hip? Don't you want to be cool like these guys and gals here?

Well, now is your chance. MovNat is coming back to Chapel Hill on March 11th! This one-day seminar is a fantastic way to introduce yourself to MovNat, or brush up on your skills if you're already an alum.

You can read more about the event and register right here

Even better, Fifth Ape fans get 10% off - just enter the code "fifthape" to get your discount.

I cannot say enough good things about MovNat. You can read about my experience in West Virginia but the only way to really understand is to experience it for yourself. Don't let this opportunity pass you by!

Minecrafted

2012-02-10T21:03:55Z

This post is going to be a little... different. Not in style - I will still be using 20 words when 3 would do - but in content.

Because I'm going to talk about Minecraft.

If you've never heard of it then you clearly don't travel in nerdy enough circles. The internet can help get you up to speed. Basically, it's a computer game where you collect resources and build things.

What kind of things? Just about anything you can imagine...

What do you want to build today?

Minecraft falls under the category of "sandbox" game - usually referring to world-building mechanics - but I don't really think of Minecraft as a game. It's a toy. A really really awesome toy. Sure, there are some game mechanics thrown in (zombies, weapons, hunger, etc.) but it's pretty easy to "survive" the game elements. No, the real thrill of Minecraft is running loose in a giant world and building things.

I firmly believe that the single best toy a young child can receive is a really good set of blocks. When they get a little older, Legos, Construx, Erector Sets, Linkin Logs, etc. fill in. Toys like these teach children vitally important concepts: structural integrity & support, problem solving, and perhaps most critical, the ability to take an abstract plan and turn it into tangible reality. Blocks teach kids to be tinkerers. Tinkerers experiment. They iterate ideas. They explore the possible. They make mistakes and learn from them. In short, tinkerers learn how to have ideas - ideas that can lead to innovations for everyone.

Minecraft is like an infinite set of really neat blocks. The graphics themselves are pleasingly block-like. Different blocks have different properties and allow you to build different things. Collect enough resources and you can craft items that will help you make even more stuff. Soon you'll find yourself building elaborate homes and terriforming areas to better suit your visions.

My home. I built it into a cliff. Please note the awesome waterfall. I think it looks like Minas Tirith, right? Riiight??Actions sometime have surprising consequences in Minecraft. After bringing water to the top of my (awesome) castle to create the waterfall, I decided I wanted to expand my bedroom. I was happily picking away at the ceiling when I hit a block that was (apparently) underneath the water stream. Before I knew it, by bedroom was flooded and I had a giant mess on my hands. Or, take the time I tried to create a devious lava trap for any monsters who tried to attack my (awesome) castle in the night. I carefully transported the lava, dug a hole to contain it, poured it in the hole, then looked on in horror as all of the vegetation nearby burst into flames (I guess lava throws off a lot of heat... duh). The fire quickly jumped from tree to tree and the night was lit up by an enormous forest fire. I felt really guilty.

There's even more. Redstone, a resource in the game, can be used to create electricity and wiring. Other resources can be used to create switches and repeaters. What can you do with that? Make logic gates. What can you do with logic gates? Make advanced circuits. What can you do with circuits? EVERYTHING.

Ever stop and think about how much we rely on electricity? To say it's had a big impact on our lives is the understatement of the millennium. Yet how much do you know about electrical engineering? I'm guessing not a whole lot. How about computer science? I'm not talking about programming, but the theoretical underpinnings of how computation is performed. Spend a little time messing around with redstone in Minecraft and you will learn a TON. And it's fun. Did anyone else here play Rocky's Boots as a child? That game taught me more than entire grades in school.

We spend a lot of time talking up how good exercise, especially skill-based exercise is for the brain. We talk about neurogenesis, LTP, all that good stuff. It's all true, but in order for all that great learning to take place you need to actually use your brain. That doesn't mean going through your daily routine of answering emails and gossiping with your co-workers. It means geeking out over something. Andrew Badenoch over at Evolvify recently wrote a fantastic article where he states we should all, "think like a geek, eat like a hunter, train like a fighter, look like a model." I really like that. Give Minecraft a try - you can play the old version for free through your web browser - and flex your creative powers. I'm guessing you'll like it. Roll with that - get some basic tools and try building something in the real world. Life gets much more interesting when you get excited and make things.

Have fun!

I'm going to say something specific! No, really!

2012-02-07T16:39:25Z

It's been mentioned to me a few times that, while my musings are occasionally interesting, there isn't really a whole lot of specific, actionable fitness/health advice on here.

Well, all that's about to change.

I've seen this posted on various social media platforms a few times today and figured I'd weigh in. For those of you who are too busy to read the linked article, here's the short version: Another data point in the great debate between unilateral leg work (developing a pistol squat) and bilateral leg work (developing a heavy back squat... aka MOAR SKWATZ).

So, here it goes...

Q: Should you do unilateral leg work or bilateral leg work?

(drumroll...)

A: Yes.

Have a good one folks.

I googled "nonplussed" and this came up

If I've said it once...

2012-02-06T16:30:55Z

This past Saturday was our always-popular Parkour Meetup. Despite some questionable weather, it was well attended by great people and, as always, I had a great time.

In attendance was Laura, who blogs at Ancestralize Me. We ended up sitting down afterwards to discuss Paleo, Crossfit, life, etc. As you all might imagine, I had a thing or two to say. She was very polite and let me carry on at length. My faithful readers (<3) might be able to guess what my points were - Laura wrote an article about it, which you should read here.

***

Yes, I have my issues with Crossfit and Paleo. I have bigger issues with the siren song of "gurus" and constantly think about how to break free. I think the most powerful thing anyone can do for their health has nothing to do with their particular diet choice or exercise regime: They need to get invested in their own journey. They need to have meaningful experiences. The diet and exercise bit will follow.

This is why, when asked for good reading/watching material relating to health and exercise, I don't give standard answers. Instead, I recommend Jonathan Livingston Seagull and Cosmos.

Everyone is different and there is no single health movement that will work for everyone. We need to appreciate that there is more to health than just diet and exercise. There are massively complex systems at work in all of our lives. Laura's biggest disagreement with me was when I said that I accepted the possibility that veganism could be the correct lifestyle choice for someone. She argued the biochemistry angle, which I absolutely agree with. But there's more to life than the biochemistry of your diet. Look at the whole system. Veganism sure seems to have helped create a dramatic improvement in Mike Tyson's life...

Don't worry folks, I'm still very much on the Paleo bandwagon. I just think we need to be less paternalistic in our blanket diagnoses. Laura countered my vegan argument by asking if I thought a sedentary life was optimal for anyone. I'm sure that person exists - probably not by choice. As I said to her, I don't think Steven Hawking should be trying Crossfit anytime soon. But the majority of the human species would benefit from eating real food, running around and lifting things.

I believe in the Ancestral/Paleo movement. I also believe that anything worth its salt can stand up to the heaviest scrutiny - indeed, it will become stronger in the process. I am constantly frustrated by people who blindly agree with everything coming out of the Paleo community. I think most of the thought-leaders in the Paleo community are super smart, well-meaning, balanced, and careful. I also think they are sometimes wrong... because they are human and we humans are constantly making mistakes.

Here's what it boils down to for me: be respectful, open, and adaptable. Seek common ground. Reject dogma. Ask questions. Dance more.

Out of the box thinking

2012-01-31T18:53:39Z

I keep on meaning to take a break from the "sport of fitness" criticism, but they keep pushing out content that makes me wince.

Take this for example. It's a bunch of people doing Crossfit on the roof of a building. Okay, that's fine. I enjoy how they've tried to make Crossfit look interesting with all the rapid cutting, harsh lighting, etc. But, really, I don't have a problem with the production. (They did manage what are perhaps the most boring Gopro shots of all time though...)

My problem is stated in the first line of the video's description: "We want to show people that fitness is something that can be done anywhere, at any time." Yeah... with the correct permits and a couple thousand dollars worth of Reebok Crossfit gear...

***

I don't know about you, but if that's fitness then I can't afford it. If you are really interested in an anywhere, anytime, no excuses approach to HIIT, then check out Ross Training. And/or read Never Gymless. Then get to your favorite home improvement store and stock up. For the cost of one month at an average Crossfit box you can make yourself a formidable array of strength equipment.

Or forego equipment alltogether. Run, jump, and climb. Vault and balance. Dance. Do martial arts. Work on your pistol squats.

If you live near any kind of natural setting, go find some stones or some logs. Deadlift a big rock, set it aside, then spend the next 3 minutes on the ground checking out all the neat bugs that are living under that rock. Then put it back, select another rock, and repeat!

Look, I understand marketing. A key to opening those upper-middle class wallets is conferring a sense of authenticity. I guess I just prefer products/services that are actually authentic vs. relying on stunts and showmanship. Reebok is trying to generate buzz so they can sell stuff. They don't care about your health. They care about next quarter.

This is ultimately why I decided to turn away from standard MBA jobs after I graduated. The conversations with the career services people went something like this: "Oh, you like fitness? Well, you should try for a brand management position at Nike!" Okay, but Nike doesn't give a hoot about your fitness - they care about Nike's stock price.

I prefer to stay small and stay close to real people. It keeps me honest and keeps my incentives lined up. If I do a good job as a coach, people keep coming back. My end-of-year bonus comes from looking around at all the people I helped make better... and from the fact that I get to be outside for large portions of every day.

***

At the end of the video, Reebok asks "Where will the sport of fitness arrive next?" Hey Reebok, how about Chapel Hill, NC? I'll save you some helicopter fuel: You don't need to bring any of your fancy stuff. Just meet me in Forest Theater and I'll show you what real "anywhere, any time" fitness is all about.

The smart body games

2012-01-26T18:51:53Z

I first heard the term "smart body" in college when I was reading some article about MMA training. There are other names for this - stuff like "kinesthetic awareness," "well coordinated," or just plain and simple "athletic." But I always liked "smart body" since it sets up a great little comparison. Just like all squares are rectangles but not all rectangles are squares, a smart body is always strong, but a strong body isn't necessarily smart.

In my opinion, the hallmark of a smart body is well developed and - here's the key - efficient movement skills.

Read that last line again, because there's an interesting implication embedded in it. People with smart bodies are efficient, which means they look for ways to do LESS work to accomplish a task. Our modern fitness industry revolves around ways to get you to do MORE work. If you've been sedentary and are looking to get back into shape, then you absolutely need to do more work. But at a certain point, a paradigm shift needs to happen. You need to stop moving around because you have to burn X number of calories and start moving around because you love it. This means finding an activity you can love (probably not the treadmill) and you want to do for as long as possible. Efficient movement lets you play longer and harder.

So how to build a smarter body? Practice skill-based movements, the more the merrier. The fancy term we sometimes use is "complexity bias." Basically, the more complex the skill-set, the more benefit you get. A sprinter has a smarter body than a jogger, a running back has a smarter body than a sprinter, etc. You don't have to go high-intensity - Tai Chi and dancing will make your body incredibly smart. Just ask Pai Mei:

I saw Sean do this once. No, really.

Something I've noticed is that people with smart bodies are incredibly adaptable - they learn new things quickly. I think this is why most people who excel at Crossfit have had prior training in a skill-heavy discipline and why I always have an easy time of teaching non-parkour skills to traceurs.

"Okay," I hear you say, "I'm sold. Smart bodies FTW... now what?" I have a few little games you can play in your house that require almost no equipment. Let's call them the Smart Body Games:

1. Stand up and sit down: From a standing position, sit down on the floor. Then return to standing. Don't use your arms/hands and maintain good posture the whole time. For added challenge, add in rotations as you ascend/descend. Now try to do it with one leg and one arm. Play with different combinations of limbs.

2. "My arms!": Lie down on your back and pretend your arms are paralyzed. Maneuver yourself around the house using only your legs. Go around corners, try to get up onto couches/chairs, you can even try going down stairs (go feet first... trust me) Feel free to roll onto your stomach at any point, just don't use your arms to do so!

3. "My legs!": Same as above, but now your legs are paralyzed.

4. "Never say die!": Same as above, but now you've only got 1 limb. Good luck :)

5. "Do a barrel roll!": Travel only via rolling. This could be a PK style shoulder roll, back roll, baby style roll, anything you want. This one is especially fun to do with spouses/siblings/roommates/etc. Watch your head.

***

Sets, reps, etc. aren't important. Remember, you're trying to make this as easy as possible - efficiency is king! I'm sure we all have versions of these types of games and I'd love to hear some of yours - comment away!

Move further

2012-01-23T15:23:13Z

This is not a post about cardio.

...but, actually, while we're on the subject: Cardio is important. You should do it. Especially running. I should probably clarify that by "running" I mean "running more than 3 miles." There are depressingly big camps in the Paleo/Crossfit/Ancestral Health/Whatever-we're-calling-it-these-days movements who vocally declare their hatred and distain for running. I really believe running is the beginning and the end of all functional movement, especially Parkour. Fancy moves, tricks, etc. are kid's stuff (which I don't mean in a bad way at all - I think they're awesome) but the real deal comes when you try to cover distance in an obstacle rich environment.

Okay, mini-rant over.

Last week I was talking with a guy who asked me, "So what is Fifth Ape training?" I was feeling philosophical so I replied something along the lines of "It's an acknowledgement of the journey."

That guy never signed up for a free trial class. I am suddenly realizing that I am perhaps the world's worst salesman.

Let's see if I can elaborate here. There's a saying that the best fitness program is the one you'll stick to. I 80% agree. But, I think there's more to it. I think what REALLY makes the difference - the thing that ties together fitness and health (not the same thing btw) is a constant need to evolve and grow as a human being. You must cultivate a desire to constantly push beyond your comfort zone. This doesn't mean flitting from one activity to another but it does mean refusing to get stuck and stagnate.

For me, the journey began at age 12 when I decided to combine two interests of mine - martial arts movies and a deep desire to impress girls* - by signing up for martial arts classes. During that time I was also spending an hour after school with this guy:

Batman is my coach...which seared into my impressionable brain that, while brawn and fighting skill is important, the SUPER cool thing to do is outthink and outmaneuver your opponents. And have neat gadgets. Those are some good life lessons.

*For my young male readers, I regret to inform you that martial arts skills do not impress girls. You know what does? Cooking. Learn to cook. Seriously.

When I made it to college, my martial arts practice deepened when I was introduced to grappling and muay thai. I realized I needed supplemental training to improve my MMA game. So I started bodybuilding, which had a very limited positive effect. Through exercise science classes and watching the football team train, I realized that athletes train very differently from "regular" people and was off and running down the path of "functional fitness." This led to Crossfit and George Hebert's Natural Method. This led to watching a video of some crazy Russians doing "Russian climbing" - my first intro to Parkour.

So I became a Crossfit zealot, which pushed me a little further down the path before I ran into its inherent limitations, and backed away. I followed a strict Paleo diet, before I realized I could loosen up a bit and suffer no ill effects. I realized that if I trained a little differently and took things at my own pace, I could not just learn but excel at Parkour, despite my "old age." I learned that pulling back from MMA training and culture gave me the space to become a gentler person without rejecting martial arts all together.

Now, I can't say this with 100% certainty because I'm still very much on my own journey, but I think what I've learned is this: skill, movement, and adventure come first. Training that furthers those goals tends to stick around. Everything else is stripped away. Bruce Lee knew what he was talking about.

I don't want to beat the dead horse any more, but this is why this whole "sport of fitness" thing makes me either 1) double over with laughter or 2) get kinda sad. Lifting weights, swinging kettlebells, and doing box jumps is what you do to get better at the actual fun stuff. It's fine - great actually - if you enjoy all that in and of itself (I do!) But don't stop there! If that's your idea of "play" and "the unknown" then you really do lead a zoo-human life. I'm reminded of one of my favorite Coach Rip stories. A man tells Rip that "Starting Strength" is the most interesting book he's ever read to which Rip replies, "You must have only started reading a couple weeks ago."

Everyone's journey will look different and it absolutely does not have to include Parkour, martial arts, etc. I guess what I'm really asking is for you to take enough interest in your own life to make it as interesting, fun, and challenging as possible. Open your eyes to the possibilities and dare yourself to move further... then to keep moving.

These make me happy

2012-01-15T14:22:37Z

Sundays have become my busiest teaching day. I always have a blast but limp home in the late afternoon ready for nothing more than a hot shower and a long nap. Today, when I put my feet up, I will probably be watching these two videos again:

I like this one for several reasons, none of which have to do with the actual clothing being advertised. I love the emphasis on "basic" movements, performed expertly, with fantastic flow. It looks like Sébastien is having a great time which, after all, is kinda the whole point. I am also thrilled to see Sébastien is still out there performing at a high level - the guy is nearly 40. Being closer to 40 than I care to think about, I find this very encouraging. Age doesn't have to be a crutch and, while we inevitably slow down we don't have to stop improving.

Then there's this:

I love the playful exploration of movement. I love the minimalism of the performance. I love basically everything about it. I am already working out how to create drills for Fifth Ape classes using some of these movements.

Have a great rest of your weekend.

A hard look at Paleo

2012-01-12T17:33:23Z

I'll get to writing in a second, but at this very moment I'm watching a nuthatch doing a little jig on a tree trunk. It's the cutest thing ever.

***

Okay, sorry, back. What was I thinking about? Oh, right, socio-economic-political-cultural impact of the paleo community on the rest of the world. Well, that and Batman, but let's focus on the paleo culture thing for the moment.

In case you missed it, a few days ago a blog post came out on The Feminist Wire that attempted to connect the paleo culture at large, and MovNat in particular, with the "traditional values" of the Republican party's Jeudeo-Christian mythology. It was, shall we say, a not very well thought out argument.

The author then learned that our little tribe of cavemen was not-so-little and surprisingly good at using the internet. With varying degrees of civility we pointed out that by "paleo" we do not in fact mean 1955. Numerous women added comments in support of both the paleo community and MovNat in particular. I guess it all became a bit much, because the author eventually pulled the article.

It's disappointing that she chose to pull the plug on what was a great conversation (not counting rude/insulting comments) It seems rather cowardly. But I don't want to dive too deeply into that subject right now. Besides, as one MovNat community member pointed out nothing is ever really deleted from the internet.

Instead, let's employ a technique that has served me well since it was first suggested to me by my elementary school principle, Mr. Buckley: When having an argument/debate, take a step back and try to see things from the other side. It's hard to be objective unless you pull back your perspective.

So, Paleo community, let's pull back and look at ourselves from the outside. Ready? Go!

***

Interesting... you done? I'll go first: I saw a lot of middle/upper-middle class white people riding around on ethical high horses.

I saw a lot of individualism. I saw a bit of aggressiveness and militarism. I was surprised to see a dash of fundamentalism. I saw a depressing amount of overpriced pants.

And, yes, I did see a lot of hyper-masculine behavior.

I don't mean to suggest that any of this invalidates the Paleo movement, but it's important for us to be honest about the values we're representing. I think it's also important to remark that I am a white guy with an MBA who identifies with his masculinity largely through feats of strength and athleticism, so when I point a finger there are three pointed squarely back at myself.

Some thoughts:

There's nothing wrong with being upper-middle class, and I don't think the paleo community is exclusionary - far from it. However, I think we have a hard time selling "paleo lifestyle values" to communities with more fundamental concerns. It's all well and good to say kids need to get outside and charge around, but tell that to a mom who lives in a poor part of town and she might have some concerns about neighborhood safety. Tell her to eat organic meats and veggies and she might not have the budget for it - or even access to fresh food.

The paleo community spends a lot of time bashing other people's science, but often forgets that there isn't any hard science for our side. There are bits and pieces, and some favorable signs, but we don't really have any hard data. While I, like many in the community, don't believe we need to wait for exhaustive science to tell us all the ways vegetables are good for us before we eat our vegetables, I worry that we too often try to have our cake ("I don't need science to tell me eating real food and running around outside is a good idea!") and eat it too ("Our science is better than your science, vegans!") And then there's the maddening trend of people who adopt a caricature of the paleo lifestyle without understanding, or even acknowledging the fundamental underpinnings of the theory (Robb Wolf probably agrees with me)

If what you've taken from paleo lifestyle is "GRAWWR SURVIVALZ OF TEH FITTEST!" then you've missed the point. As the Nguni say, "We are people through other people." There are many versions of this, from Ubuntu to more modern colloquialisms like, "it takes a village." You are your environment and you are your community. Frank Forencich recently wrote a fantastic piece on this subject. You should read it. I should probably say I am not talking about government and politics here, but community. This is not a pro-socialist argument. All I'm saying is there's no such thing as a "self-made man," and I think we should all be worrying less about "me" and more about "we." Paleo is not about being the biggest, baddest chimp in the jungle. It's about your whole tribe.

Finally, on gender roles. While that Feminist Wire blog above jumped the shark when it tried to link Paleo to the Republican Primaries, there is no denying that an awful lot of paleo activities have a very strong masculine flavor to them. Is this a bad thing? No. Does it disqualify women from doing them? No. Does it turn some women off to the whole thing? Yes, and I think that's a problem. I think we could all benefit from adding a little more yin to the yang of paleo*. What does that look like? I have no idea. More dancing? I think we could all benefit from that. I'd love your feedback on this point in particular as it was the genesis of the whole brainwave.

*As a total tangent, gender identity is a fascinating subject and I love looking at how different cultures celebrate it. In the west, we tend to glorify extremes of both ends - look at our superheros, movie stars, etc. For other cultures, a blending of masculine and feminine is considered very powerful. This is why Leon S. Kennedy is so freakin' pretty.

So why does this matter? Well, if we don't want Paleo to be just another fad that comes and goes, we need to figure out how to make it relevant to more people. We need to grow. We need to adapt. We need to evolve. I really believe this is more than just a hot new fitness fad. I believe what we are doing makes the world better. I think we are just starting to make a difference and I want to see us continue. I want us to get better so we can do better work. Sometimes that means taking a breath and being objective and honest.

I would really like your feedback on all of this. I want to hear from the Paleo crowd and I especially want to hear from the non-paleo crowd.

Worth the effort

2012-01-09T17:34:31Z

An interesting New York Times article on the potential dangers of yoga has been making its way around the internet. You can read the article here.

Yikes. Before all the strength athletes begin making yoga jokes I think it's important to note that this article could have been written about any physical discipline or exercise regimen. We must all remember that the difference between medicine and poison is dosage.

Any kind of physical activity carries risk. These risks are greatly increased when we allow our egos to take over. We push too hard too fast. We demand fast results. We also expect to given something new to try, which has pushed many coaches and teachers down a slippery slope of speeding through progressions in an attempt to add novelty.

Here's a deep thought: If you feel a need to constantly add novelty to your activity perhaps you don't really like the activity. Maybe you should try something else.

As I'm constantly harping to my students, the difference between an expert and an amateur is mastery of the basics. This is true of any discipline and especially important in physical skills. A rule I've set for myself is whenever I'm out training Parkour and don't know what to work on next, I work on landings. My landings still need a lot of work.

I cannot overemphasize the importance of working on basic techniques. There's a saying in the martial arts world that it's better to know how to use one technique a thousand ways than knowing a thousand techniques only one way. That's the not-so-secret secret to "getting good" at anything. It takes work. It takes... discipline.

Discipline is something we've talked about before. I recently saw a link to an piece by Charles Poliquin called "The Myth of Discipline" which is fantastic. If you love what you are doing, love the process of getting better, and love yourself enough to eat well, rest well, and commit the time to practicing, you will improve and you'll avoid the pitfalls mentioned in the yoga article above.

There is an under practiced and under appreciated element of Parkour that (I think) is vitally important: Stopping. I think this is a similarly under practiced element of Discipline/Love. Knowing when to stop and what to walk away from will keep you healthy and safe. Understanding that you might need another month of practice before attempting that asana/lift/jump/etc. takes a deep level of self respect and self control. A month or two down the line, when you are ready, and you successfully perform the movement safely and skillfully, your victory will be all the sweeter.

Anything worth doing is worth the effort of doing correctly.