The Primal Movement Patterns

“Primal movement patterns” is a term that we use in the fitness community that refers to the way people have been moving as long as people have been people. Regardless as to whether or not you believe in creationism or evolution, I think we can all agree that we have been moving, more or less, the same way for quite some time now.

If you were alive 10,000 years ago, you would have spent your day walking about 5 miles, sprinting after prey or away from predators, cutting down trees, lifting logs, building shelters, and so on. As a result of these various activities, you would have been fit, lean, and functionally sound.

So, how did our efforts in the gym become so dysfunctional?

In modern times, we have become excellent at sitting. We sit in the car on our way to work. Most of us sit at work and then when we get home, we sit on the couch. Nearly 50% of our lives are spent sitting and that doesn’t account for the time we spend sleeping. For the majority of people who do exercise, their workouts typically consist of single joint (isolated movement) exercises which do little to improve overall functionality.

The primal model of optimal human health and fitness is very different from that of the typical gym-goer, who has a sedentary lifestyle and probably isn’t moving the way nature intended (i.e. strapped into a machine doing leg curls). Our efforts in the gym should reflect the movements our bodies were designed to perform, which is why these movements are at the core of each workout plan that DFit generates.

Our bodies are arguably among the most complex organisms on the planet, consisting of muscles, joints, ligaments, tendons, fascia, and bones. If good health and functionality is maintained, these parts move synchronously and seamlessly. The truth is, you really don’t need much to be physically fit. The best equipment is usually very simple and inexpensive.

Below are the primal movement patters that you should incorporate into your workouts every week. To view a video demonstration of these movements, go to General Mechanics on our Exercise Demo’s page.

Primal Movement Patterns

• Squat
• Lunge
• Push
• Pull
• Twist
• Bend or Hinge
• Gait (walking, running, jumping)
• Carry