Outside Online has the scoop from several academics suggesting that Paleolithic man was a far superior athlete to modern man, even when compared to our most elite athletes. The full story can be read here.
The conclusion is that “Pleo exercise” (i.e. hunting and gathering), much like the Paleo diet, conditioned our Genome, therefore we should imitate this exercise to the best of our ability through weight training, stretching, and, in particular, cross-country running. Colin Shaw estimates that some Paleolithic hunters covered areas as large as 2,000-3,000 miles while following animal migrations. Colin Shaw’s academic contribution in the Journal of Evolution can be read here.
Pingback: How Exercise Changes Our DNA |