I'm Darryl Edwards (aka The Fitness Explorer), founder of Primal Play, this website is no longer being updated - please check out www.primalplay.com for current details on my work, passion and lifestyle approach.

What is Primal Play? 

Eat for Health, Move for Life!

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Reading List
  • Animal Moves: How to move like an animal to get you leaner, fitter, stronger and healthier for life
    Animal Moves: How to move like an animal to get you leaner, fitter, stronger and healthier for life
    by Darryl Edwards

    Animal Moves

    • improve strength, speed and stamina
    • increase mobility, flexibility and stability
    • look, feel and perform better

    Find out more and details on how to purchase at www.animalmovesbook.com

  • Paleo from A to Z: A reference guide to better health through nutrition and lifestyle. How to eat, live and thrive as nature intended!
    Paleo from A to Z: A reference guide to better health through nutrition and lifestyle. How to eat, live and thrive as nature intended!
    by Darryl Edwards

    "If you are looking for a simple way to better understand Paleo concepts, Darryl's Paleo from A to Z guide is the go-to resource.
    -Mark Sisson, best-selling author of The Primal Blueprint and publisher of Mark's Daily Apple

  • Paleo Fitness - A Primal Training and Nutrition Program to Get Lean, Strong and Healthy
    Paleo Fitness - A Primal Training and Nutrition Program to Get Lean, Strong and Healthy
    by Darryl Edwards, Brett Stewart, Jason Warner

    "This book is a useful reference to enable individuals just starting out on the Paleo path as well as those who want to explore more challenging, playful and interesting ways to move."

    -Robb Wolf, New York Times best-selling author of The Paleo Solution

     

  • 7 Day Introduction to Paleo Fitness: Get Fitter, Get Stronger, Get Healthier in Seven Days. Move as Nature Intended.
    7 Day Introduction to Paleo Fitness: Get Fitter, Get Stronger, Get Healthier in Seven Days. Move as Nature Intended.
    by Darryl Edwards
  • The Paleo Solution: The Original Human Diet
    The Paleo Solution: The Original Human Diet
    by Robb Wolf
  • Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers
    Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers
    by Robert M. Sapolsky
  • Primal Blueprint: Reprogram Your Genes for Effortless Weight Loss, Vibrant Health & Boundless Energy (Primal Blueprint Series)
    Primal Blueprint: Reprogram Your Genes for Effortless Weight Loss, Vibrant Health & Boundless Energy (Primal Blueprint Series)
    by Mark Sisson
  • Slow Death by Rubber Duck: The Secret Danger of Everyday Things
    Slow Death by Rubber Duck: The Secret Danger of Everyday Things
    by Rick Smith, Bruce Lourie, Sarah Dopp
  • Wahls Protocol, The : A Radical New Way to Treat All Chronic Autoimmune Conditions Using Paleo Principles
    Wahls Protocol, The : A Radical New Way to Treat All Chronic Autoimmune Conditions Using Paleo Principles
    by Terry Wahls, Eve Adamson
  • Born to Run: The Hidden Tribe, the Ultra-Runners, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen
    Born to Run: The Hidden Tribe, the Ultra-Runners, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen
    by Christopher McDougall
  • In Defence of Food: The Myth of Nutrition and the Pleasures of Eating: An Eater's Manifesto
    In Defence of Food: The Myth of Nutrition and the Pleasures of Eating: An Eater's Manifesto
    by Michael Pollan
  • Food Rules: An Eater's Manual
    Food Rules: An Eater's Manual
    by Michael Pollan
  • The Paleo Diet for Athletes
    The Paleo Diet for Athletes
    by L. Cordain
  • Vegetarian Myth, The
    Vegetarian Myth, The
    by Lierre Keith
  • The Second Brain
    The Second Brain
    by Michael D. Gershon
  • The Paleo Diet: Lose Weight and Get Healthy by Eating the Foods You Were Designed to Eat
    The Paleo Diet: Lose Weight and Get Healthy by Eating the Foods You Were Designed to Eat
    by Loren Cordain
  • Eat Drink Paleo
    Eat Drink Paleo
    by Irena Macri
  • Cholesterol Clarity: What the HDL is Wrong with My Numbers?
    Cholesterol Clarity: What the HDL is Wrong with My Numbers?
    by Jimmy Moore, Eric C. Westman
Saturday
Jun192010

Workout: Strength

5 sets of 3 Reps - Deadlifts.

Take a 3-5 minute rest between each set, to ensure full recovery.

 

Wednesday
Jun162010

Workout: Barbell Complex

 

"How Heavy?" - Taken at The Runner's Shop, Manhattan, NYC

Warm Up: 2000m row

3 sets of: Barbell Lifts (select a weight between 30kg to 50kg, and use for all exercises).

6 x Deadlift

6 x Hang Clean

6 x Upright Row

6 x Front Squat

6 x Back Squat

6 x Push Press

6 x Bench Press

6 x Overhead Squats

Finisher:

30, 20, 10 reps of Medicine Ball Pushups

(alternate one leg version), i.e. 1 rep right leg off the ground, 2nd rep left leg off the ground and so-on.

Monday
Jun142010

Obesity Chart

 

Click image above for full size version (http://www.wellingtongrey.net)

No real surprises here in terms of the obesity chart, the US claiming top spot - with almost a third of US citizens in the obese category.  Japan and Korea recording the lowest levels of obesity, again to be expected.

What is interesting though is what is known as the 'French Paradox'.  They defy convention of what most in the West consider a healthy diet (i.e. low fat).  

The French consume a high level of saturated fats (found in cheese, milk, etc) in comparison to most other Western countries.  But they have much lower levels of obesity and of the associated ills such as diabetes and coronary heart disease.

What makes sense to me is that a healthy attitude to fat, less processed foods and smaller portion sizes are all contributory factors in avoiding obesity (even before you consider activity levels).

The study uses BMI (Body Mass Index) as the calculation for determining the amount of body fat in the body. The formula is a person's weight divided by their height squared. For example if your height is 1.92 metres, and your weight is 90kg. The calculation would be 90/(1.92*1.92) = 23.44.

A BMI of 25 or above is generally classified as overweight, a BMI of 30 or above indicates obesity. There are many reasons why this could be inaccurate as the BMI stats do not differentiate between muscle mass, fat mass or body shape. So for example a healthy athlete with a muscular build, could be classified as overweight or even obese based on the formula above.

It is worthwhile stating though that even though this is not the best method it is a very quick and non-intrusive guide especially when investigating larger populations.  For more accuracy other tests should be considered, using calipers or bioelectrical impedence machines but there is no doubt obesity is on the increase in recent times.

 

Friday
Jun112010

Barefoot Running FAQ

One of the challenges I often get in relation to barefoot (or minimal footwear) running is that our bodies were not meant to cope with modern hard surfaces such as concrete.  

There is a website I have looked at recently that covers this in it's FAQ section, answering this and other related questions with a scientific bent.  

It is by Daniel Lieberman (a Harvard Professor researching and practicing Barefoot Running)

Biomechanics of Foot Strikes & Applications to Running Barefoot or in Minimal Footwear

According to the website:

"it has been developed to provide an evidence-based resource for those interested in the biomechanics of different foot strikes in endurance running and the applications to human endurance running prior to the modern running shoe."