EVOLUTIONARY FITNESS

When you hear the terms Paleodiet and Evolutionary Fitness you may think, “Hey eat and workout like a caveman, right?” “I do Jiu-jitsu, so I already do that.” However if you are like most when you guzzle down that post-workout protein shake to insure optimal recovery and muscle mass you may be doing more harm than good according to Art DeVany, scientist/athlete and one of the leading proponents of Paleodiets and Evolutionary Fitness. Art believes that this post-workout ritual interferes with the release of growth hormone caused by intense exercise by creating a large spike of insulin which as many of you know, shuts off the release of GH. So you can be short-circuiting your attempts to recover but that is only the tip of the iceberg. You also can be setting yourself up for Type II diabetes from insulin receptor burnout.

Evolutionary Fitness coined by Art DeVany is a lifestyle that includes eating according to the tenets of the Paleodiet as well as specific exercise advice. This philosophy is based on the premises that we are genetically indistinguishable from humans from our distant past, however the difference is that the lifestyle and diet runs counter to the conditions our genes have adapted to. This modern lifestyle is a major contributing factor for disease conditions such as Syndrome X, heart disease, cancer and other “diseases of affluence.” By restoring the diet and exercise patterns of our hunter gatherer ancestors we can reclaim our health and lead fuller lives.

So what specifically is this Paleodiet thing anyway? According to Ray Audette, author of the classic, Neanderthin it is a natural diet in which you eat what is edible when you are naked with only a sharp stick. Very simply do not eat grains, legumes, dairy, refined sugar and starches. Do eat meat, fish, fruits, nuts, and vegetables. The aim of this diet is to consume what our bodies have evolved to eat as well as control blood sugar. A lot of people on this diet report a reversal in auto-immune issues as well as weight-loss and increased energy levels.

The Do’s:
• Workout intensely not much more than 3 times a week
• Lift weights for not much more than 25:00
• Workout hungry so you start with high GH levels
• Anaerobic work in the form of sprints or on a bike
• Wait 60-90 minutes between your workout and first meal to insure high GH levels
• Have fun and have variety
• Eat the Paleo way

The Don’t’s:
• Aerobic exercise
• Train to failure
• Eat right before or after your workout since the insulin spike curtails GH levels
• Avoid sugar, starches, and empty calories in your diet

My take is that this approach is a very valid one and I was following it many years ago. As you guessed I fell off the wagon and went back to the usual same ole same ole due to some personal problems. I ended up about 30lbs heavier and just recently I decided to revisit this approach. I have been doing it for over 2wks and have noticed that my waist has dropped a couple of inches and I have lost 10lbs.

I must say I differ slightly with some of the recommendations of the Evo. Fitness folks as well as some of the other online fitness gurus since I think aerobic exercise has value. They tout strawman arguments such as using marathoners as examples for oxidative stress and the difference in fat burning etc. for the reasons of doing anaerobic training (interval training and equivalents) vs. aerobic.

I argue that anaerobic (read glycolytic = sugar burning) creates even more oxidative stress and is more catabolic due to the cortisol produced. I can speak of this from experience from my days as a collegiate runner (1500-5,000M) in that at the beginning of the season after doing all aerobic (> 60% VO2 Max) with some strides for turnover and weight lifting I was physically stronger than at the end of the season when I was “fitter (faster)” however I was also physically weaker and on the verge of being sick. A majority of my training during this point of the season was at 80-110% VO2Max. Mark Sisson of the Evo. Fitness crowd stated that “Humans were just not designed to work for extended periods of time at 80-90% VO2max.” I wholeheartedly agree with him.

I think the 3 areas us Jiu-jitsu practitioners should focus on if following this approach in the order of importance would be of course practice, strength/explosive training (CP/ATP system not anaerobic), and aerobic running (relaxed varied paced). These strength/explosive training sessions should be done with full recovery (1:3-1:4) and build on the specific skills and fitness for Jiu-jitsu. Examples include but not limited to plyomentrics, heavy lifts, calisthenics, and short sprints can be employed.

One book that outlines this explosive strength approach and gives sample exercises, drills, and a program for Judo/Wrestling is the book/dvd set, Training for Speed, Agility, and Quickness.

Enjoy…


Suggested Reading




Art DeVany’s Blog

Essay on Evolutionary Fitness by Art DeVany

Art DeVany interview with Charles Staley (audio link)


Mark Sisson’s Daily Apple

Training is no guarantee of health by Mark Sisson (www.slowtwitch.com)

PaleoDiet.com - The Paleolithic Diet Page

Performance Enhancer: Robb Wolf Interview from E-Journal of Jujutsu, Spring 2007 pp. 8-12