The Evolutionary Clue to Optimal Aerobic Training.

Hello movement enthusiasts!

Our best tip for day-to-day energy, vitality, and longevity - Get more low - moderate intensity aerobic work into your week. But why do we respond so well to this type of training?

The clues lie in our evolutionary history as persistence hunters. Persistence hunting involved tracking and chasing prey over long distances until it became exhausted and easier to kill. This hunting strategy provided sustenance for many generations of our ancestors and shaped our physical and cognitive abilities. 

Let's dive into this fascinating concept and how it can guide our aerobic training for maximum benefits.

"The further away we move from what we are naturally selected to do, the further away we move from health " Dr. A Spina. 

Everything in our biology still supports the ability to cover long distances at a moderate pace. Humans have a unique ability to regulate body temperature through sweating; our upright posture also holds advantages such as better vision and reduced energy expenditure compared to quadrupeds. Humans can also store high amounts of energy as fat and use these energy stores for long periods. No other mammal could run a marathon in the heat the way a human can. 

Our species' genome has selected for endurance for generations, so it's no wonder humans benefit significantly from low- moderate-intensity—aerobic activity. 

At 'The Movement Cave,' we believe in getting plenty of Zone One and zone two aerobic activity, which focuses on developing endurance and improving cardiovascular health - we call it 'filling the gas tank.'

Zone one corresponds to low-intensity workouts where you can comfortably hold a conversation; this is a beautiful place to start building your fitness or an excellent zone for recovery.

Zone two involves a slightly higher intensity where conversations become more challenging but still possible. The heart's chamber is expanded to its total capacity, training the heart to pump more volume with ease. 

In both zones, your body gets most of its energy from fat. Exposure to these zones will help you build a system that can work harder for longer with less tax on your heart. Your bigger 'gas tank' will carry you through the day and support any other training endeavors more easily. Never neglect the 'gas tank' because everything else will suffer!

The current recommendation is 150-180 mins of low- moderate aerobic training per week for people with no underlying health concerns.  And before you ask, you can not get the same benefits from HIIT training in less time. Unfortunately, it doesn't work like that; HIIT has an entirely different effect on your heart..but that is for another blog.

Tune in next week for Take the Guesswork Out of Cardio and Get Results Faster: Four Reasons Why You Need a Heart Rate Monitor 

Stay active, stay healthy, and embrace the persistence hunter within you!

Best regards,

Sian and Jesse