Workouts for the Paleo Lifestyle

The basic principle of paleo exercise is to move the way the cavemen did, the way you were naturally designed to move. Physical activity should be incorporated throughout your day, not just fitting an hour in at the gym when you can get there.

Adding more movement to your day will help you add a number of health benefits. Exercise reduces stress and improves your immune system. It will help to optimize your blood pressure and overall heart health as well as lowering your risk of stroke, diabetes, osteoporosis and other disorders associated with the typical American lifestyle and the aging process.

How can you add more movement to your daily schedule? For starters you can increase walking whenever you can. You can also park across the parking lot from your destination. Some people choose to use a standing desk at work while others take stretch breaks. If you live in a bike-friendly area, make full use of that and bike whenever you can.

There are also a number of exercises that you can add to increase muscle mass and stamina.

Box Jumps

Box jumps are plyometric jumps that will help train your lower body and give you rock solid legs. You can either buy a plyometric box or make one yourself if you’re handy. They are easy to adjust to any fitness level. Don’t overdo it at the beginning. It’s suggested to start with a 14-18 inch box. You can work up to a bigger box when you’re ready. An ideal routine to work up to would be 6 sets of 3 reps with a 60-90 second rest period in between.

Tire Flips

Tire flips are simply flipping a very large tire. If your gym doesn’t supply one, you can find a tire dealership that specializes in farm tires. Performing this exercise will increase your strength and aerobic capacity so that you’ll see big improvements in any other activity that you participate in. It’s suggested to add tire flips to your program once or twice a week. A typical routine would be to flip the tire on a course, three to four sets.

Kettleballs

Kettleballs are weighted balls with handles that have become extremely popular. You don’t have to run to the gym to use these, just pick them up in any big box store. Kettleball workouts offer a high caloric burning workout in a minimal amount of time, giving you a tighter figure. Workout times vary from 10 – 20 minutes.

Muscle Ups

Muscle ups are basically pull-ups followed by a dip. It takes incredible upper body strength and lots of practice to master but you’ll feel like a beast when you accomplish it. You’ll want to be able to do at least six strong pull-ups before you consider these. It’s recommended to add these two days a week to your workout program.

Wall Balls

A wall ball workout involves the movement of taking a weighted ball, doing a squat and then throwing the ball upwards to a target on the wall. It will increase upper body and core strength. It’s easy to adjust depending on your fitness level. A typical workout would be about 150 wall balls in twelve minutes.