Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Health & Fitness
  3. News

The wild workout your body was built for: Primal movement is trending

Ditch the gym machines and go primal instead

By
Man doing air squats
Atstock Productions / Adobe Stock

We can’t imagine our Paleolithic ancestors sinking into a couch, absorbed in a digital screen, because they didn’t have digital screens, and life was definitely different back then. One of the fitness trends that has been increasing in popularity lately is primal movement, which requires ditching the gym machines and getting in touch with your inner primal being, or, shall we say, your caveman or ancestral hunter-gatherer side.

Personally, I enjoy exercises that use your own bodyweight and don’t require expensive machines or memberships. I also enjoy reconnecting with nature and embracing what feels good and natural for our bodies, so I’m certainly interested in the primal movement trend. 

What is primal movement?

man doing bear crawl in room grey couch in background
GMB Fitness / Unsplash

Primal movement involves natural movements that have been fundamental for humans throughout our history. Many fitness specialists believe that these movements are crucial for maintaining physical fitness and mobility. The definition of the word primal is “essential and fundamental” and “relating to an early stage in evolutionary development (primeval)”.

Recommended Videos

Primal exercises are those that our ancestors used on a daily basis, such as twisting, jumping, bending, and lunging. Our bodies were designed to do these types of movements for survival and to hunt, gather, and perform important tasks. Agility and flexibility helped our species survive, from squatting down to pluck fresh herbs from the ground to pushing our bodies to get up and twisting to run away. 

Today, we have furniture, cars, and other modern accessories, amenities, and conveniences, so we don’t have to stand up from the floor or travel distances on foot as often as we did in the past. As the old saying goes, if you don’t use it, you can lose it, and these physical and functional abilities can decline over the years.

Examples of primal movements

Man running on beach
Shutterstock / Shutterstock

Here are some examples:

Many primal fitness enthusiasts also encourage climbing, swimming, jogging, hill training, sprinting, spinal rolls, lizard crawls, and crab walks.

What are the benefits of primal movement workouts?

Man wearing red shirt jump squat jumping in sand
Annie Spratt / Unsplash

Here are some of the many benefits of going primal:

  • No need for equipment or a gym membership.
  • More affordable and convenient.
  • Work out in nature and the great outdoors.
  • Work multiple muscle groups simultaneously.
  • Incorporate these moves into bodyweight workouts, calisthenics, CrossFit, and more.
  • Boost your strength and mobility.
  • Boost your flexibility and functional fitness.
  • Enhance balance and coordination.
  • Lower your risk of injuries.
  • Boost your cardiovascular health.
  • Develop the stability of your core.
  • Suitable for all ages and fitness levels.
  • Increase your ability to perform your everyday activities.
man doing lunge
Koolshooters / Pexels

Primal movements are compound movements that engage more than one muscle group simultaneously. This reminds me of quadrobics — another fitness trend involving a type of full-body workout where people mimic the movements and gaits of animals on four limbs. Whatever you choose, it’s time to unleash your inner beast.

Steph Green
Steph Green
Steph Green (Steph Zee) is a singer-songwriter and professional writer with over 12 years of experience in healthcare and…
Topics
From wheelchair to walking: The power of mindset, movement, and never giving up
Sometimes it's the hardest roads that lead us to a deeper sense of purpose
Steph Zee Christmas Secret Music Video Steph Green

I never expected I'd have to learn how to walk again. That journey took me from writing for doctors and magazines to spending thousands of hours researching health and autoimmune disease. When we have excellent health, many of us don’t give it much thought until those sneaky symptoms start to show, and one day it all comes crashing down. Now, our health becomes one of the most important priorities. When we feel good, we can be more productive and chase our dreams. When our health declines and we don’t feel so good, one of our biggest dreams is just to feel better. 

I became a health writer 12 years ago, shortly after graduating with my creative writing degree and getting a diagnosis of the autoimmune bone condition, ankylosing spondylitis. In an effort to improve my health, stay mobile, and help prevent my bones from calcifying and fusing, I spent thousands of hours studying everything from nutrition and naturopathy to conventional medicine and holistic healing. I heard this somewhere, so I can’t take credit, but I like to say I went to “save my ass university”, because pain and illness are some of the biggest motivators.

Read more
I tried Magic Mind for a month and here is what happened to my productivity
Does Magic Mind really help with your productivity or is it just another buzz.
Furniture, Business Card, Paper

I am proudly an all-brown beverage man. I say it often: I am coffee in the morning, bourbon in the evening, and Pepsi/Coke in between. I know what you're thinking: What about water? Well, all of those are mostly water. And who wants to drink the same thing they bathe in? That sounds gross. All jokes aside, the coffee addiction is real, and I am not alone. Who thinks they can truly conquer a day without a hard shot of caffeine? I would get it in an IV if it were feasible to do on the subway instead of a cup to go. But that doesn't have to be the only way you develop your productivity. Instead, you can look to the more natural and healthy methods to maintain and increase your effectiveness. I got my hands on some Magic Mind recently, one of the many different products that claim to elevate brain health, increase mental performance, and, of course, replace the coffee without losing the energy boost. But does it work?

The scientific hoolah

Read more
NOBULL debuts new colorways for daily running shoe, Journey 2
Four new colorways just dropped for NOBULL's best-selling Journey 2 sneaker
NOBULL

NOBULL's Journey 2 sneaker is one of my favorite go-to sneakers for the gym (and my husband's, too). There's really something to be said about a sneaker that adds comfort, style, and durability to your gym outfit. I've been wearing these weekly for awhile now -- but now NOBULL has dropped even more fun colors in the same comfortable show. Just in time for the summer, NOBULL just dropped four new colorways in the Journey 2, including Classic White Cayenne, Classic White Signal Pink, Lunar Mineral White, and Blue Haze. These fun, vibrant colors add a touch of color to every gym outfit.

With a plate-less design, Journey 2 delivers a naturally smooth, cushioned ride. A multi-surface outsole provides reliable grip across varied terrain, while NOBULL’s unique stability chassis keeps your foot locked in through every stride and transition, so you can move freely wherever the miles take you. While I'm not usually one to make a statement with my athletic footwear, I have to admit I'm pretty excited about the drop of these new colors. The four new colors join the line up that still includes the classic colors, such as Classic White, Jet Black, and Molten.

Read more