Lifestyle: EXERCISE Flashcards
History of Exercise
HC society - nomadic lifestyle **(followed food supply)
lots of **walking, running, swimming **
- primarily lower-body exercise
- but really uses whole body
*
- but really uses whole body
Biologists have established that the only thing humans can physically do better than any animal is?
long distance running
HGs can run all day with few breaks
tradition of running goes back 100s of thousands of years
**Olympics - **long-d runners from poor countries win gold & beat Western runners bc African countries have tradition of long-d running going back to HG society
Modern society has only added 1 exercise that is healthy
cycling
In early societies, main form of exercise?
- HG society
- Agricultural society
work
HG society
- men = hunting
- women = gathering
Agricultural Society
- farming for men
- farm house for women
How did Industrial society change exercise?
machines do most hard labor
- mechanized most work
20th Century - Exercise
saw **bureaucratization **of work
- more office jobs
- included **computerization **of work
- more jobs sitting at desks typing at computer
- since work doesnt provide exercise, have to invent exercise as **special separate activity ***
inevitably, overall levels of physical activity declined
Statistics of Exercise in Canada
Problem of not getting enough exercise – getting worse with each generation
3 in 5 CDN children not getting enough exercise for optimal body development
Stats of Exercise in USA
2005 study found 1 in 3 US teens flunked treadmill fitness test (out of shape)
Change in exercise is not just in work but also in ?
culture
Change in Exercise in Culture
Modern Capitalist society doesn’t encourage us to see everyday activities as exercise
- can get exercise from walking/stairs but often take elevators/escalators/vehicles
- think of them as nuisance rather than opportunities for exercise
Capitalist Culture encourages us to think of exercise as only activities that make profit
- gym → encouraged to use expensive equipment
- sports → buying expensive equipment (ex. hockey)
Problem with Modern Capitalist culture’s view of exercise
many ppl cant afford these forms of exercise
- also most modern forms of exercise focus on upper-body
Problem with Lower-body Exercise
if you’re overweight & out of shape, upper body exercises are last thing you should do
- puts strain on heart
→ typical Western high-E upper body exercises = recipe for heart attack (bowflex is literally suicide machine)
- a workout when already in shape not to get in shape
In recent years, ppl have begun to realize lower-body exercises are better for you
- Evidence?
growing popularity of treadmills & stationary bikes in gyms
- some have live internet cam feed so you can pretend you’re somewhere else (motivation)
HG has invented perfect diet, exercise & ?
Exercise Aid
Exercise Aid invented by HGs
at least 30,000 years ago → Dogs
- domesticated wolves to help with hunting
- dog should be walked 30-60 mins per day
- exactly what humans need too
