Movement 101

Exercise — nay — movement — is a critical part of the Paleo lifestyle. Getting up and moving for at least 30 minutes to an hour every day is one the healthiest things you can do. Whether it’s going for a walk, trying a new yoga routine, lifting weights or bodyweight exercise — your options are endless.

And with benefits like reducing stress, boosting your metabolism, increasing your energy, boosting your brainpower (and preventing cognitive decline), and even increasing your libido — you’ve got so much to gain!

We created this Movement 101 page to organize and compile our best resources on movement. Whether you’re just getting started or you’re an advanced athlete, we’ve got something for you — so let’s jump in, shall we?

Getting Started

The first thing you’ll want to do when getting started on an exercise routine is make sure that you’re actually healthy enough to exercise — and we’d absolutely recommend you consult with a doctor or health practitioner.

The second thing you’ll want to do is take stock of where you’re actually at now — an easy way to do that would be to simply take a before picture, and set a few SMART goals for yourself. If fat loss is a goal of yours, you can also measure your body fat to get a baseline.

Mobility, Flexibility & Warming Up

An essential part of being healthy enough to work out is to be mobile & flexible enough to do the exercises — this ensures that you have proper posture and range of motion while exercising.

Beyond that, it’s also important to warm up before you exercise, as it helps increase delivery of blood flow, oxygen, and nutrients to your muscles.

With that in mind, below are some of our best resources to increase mobility & flexibility — and the best ways to warm up for exercise. And some of all 3 combined!

1. Energizing Morning Stretching Routine
2. Beginners Guide to Foam Rolling
3. How to Hack Your Mobility in 1 Minute
4. Why Dynamic Stretching is the Best Warmup for Any Workout
5. The Truth About Stretching & Mobility
6. How To Improve Your Posture
7. 9 Easy Stretches That Eliminate the Damage of Sitting

“Paleo” Workout Routines

Exercising in the Paleo lifestyle involves whole incorporating body movements that build functional strength that will help you hunt for your dinner, run away from rival tribes, and survive the occasional sabertooth tiger encounter.* This includes things like bodyweight exercises, kettlebells, yoga, olympic lifts, TRX training, and other related activities.

Oh yeah, and this type of exercise will also help you look better, feel better, reduce risk of injury, and a LOT more.

Here’s some of our best workout routines, broken down by category.

Bodyweight Workouts

Good news: you don’t need access to a full gym in order to have an effective workout.

You can build strength and endurance doing bodyweight exercises at home or while traveling. Even if you are using equipment, we definitely recommend adding some primal bodyweight exercises into your routine!

1. The Paleohacks 21 Day Bodyweight Jumpstart
2. How to Exercise Like a Caveman
3. How To Workout With No Equipment
4. How To Exercise At Home (Plus an Equipment Free Full Body Workout!)
5. No Equipment, No Problem: 25 Bodyweight Exercises You Can Do At Home
6. 27 Fast, Explosive Plyometric Exercises

Kettlebell Workouts

You’ve likely seen people using kettlebells at your gym — and for good reason. Kettlebell exercises are some of the best Paleo/Primal movements because they involve cardiovascular endurance, strength, and full-body coordination. In short – these fun little iron balls will kick your butt, build muscle, and rapidly burn fat. Sound good?

6 Kettlebell Workouts Every Beginner Should Know

TRX

The TRX is a relatively new piece of exercise equipment that we absolutely LOVE here at Paleohacks. It’s found at most gyms, however, you don’t need to have a gym membership to use it. The great thing about the TRX is that it can also easily be setup at home, or even outside — as long as you have something to attach it to (a tree works!) The TRX leverages gravity and your bodyweight to create workouts that challenge your strength, flexibility, coordination, and core strength with dynamic movements.

We’d definitely recommend trying it out — here’s some of our best resources to get started:

1. How To Get Started With The TRX (Beginner TRX Workout)
2. How To Progress With TRX (Advanced TRX Workout)
3. Flexibility & Mobility with TRX (Bonus Stretch Routine)

HIIT / Cardio

While we’re not against “regular” running, jogging, or walking — if you’re looking to get the most bang for your buck with Cardio exercise, High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is the way to go.

Instead of long periods of movement, HIIT utilizes short bursts of high intensity activity (running, swimming, biking, etc. – whichever you prefer). It’s been proven to burn fat with greater efficacy than other cardio activities, and best of all — it only takes a few minutes!

1. 10 Effective High Intensity Interval Training Workouts
2. 5 Reasons To Start Interval Training
3. Low Intensity Vs. High Intensity Exercise
4. The Muscle Metabolism Accelerator Workout

How Do I Get A Better [Insert Body Part]?

Abs Workouts

1. 10 Ways To Get A 6 Pack Abs
2. 6 Core-Strengthening Abs Workouts
3. 6 Stability Ball Exercises To Tone Your Abs
4. 10 Different Plank Exercises For A Stronger Core
5. The 21-Day Ab Challenge

Butt Workouts

1. 8 Exercises To Tone Your Butt That Aren’t Squats
2. 9 Tips & Exercises For A Better Butt
3. The Ultimate 21-Day Butt Challenge

Chest Workouts

The 10 Best Ways To Do A Pushup

Yoga

We are huge proponents of Yoga — its benefits include increased flexibility and mobility, relaxation & stress reduction, improved muscle strength & posture, better blood flow, it makes you happier — and a LOT more. Here’s our best resources to get started on your own Yoga routine:

1. The Basics of Yoga (And Common Mistakes to Avoid)
2. 5 Yoga Poses to De-Stress
3. The 10-Minute Yoga Routine for Perfect Sleep
4. Yoga Basics and 4 Common Mistakes
5. The 5 Best Yoga Poses to De-Stress
6. 8 Yoga Hip Stretches That Feel Amazing

How should I eat as an active person?

Once you become more active, your diet will definitely have to change to keep up with your activity level and your goals. Below are some of our best articles to help you stay on track when it comes to eating as a more active person.

1. Paleo For Athletes
2. Energy Boosting Paleo Snacks for Athletes
3. The 8 Golden Post-Workout Rules
4. What To Eat For A 10k Marathon
5. Paleo Protein Bars Recipe

What about hydration & sports drinks?

This may come as a surprise — but you DON’T actually need to drink fluorescent colored sugar water — a.k.a. your average sports drink — to stay hydrated while working out. For the most part, all you need is water. Here’s the details:

1. The Truth About Sports Drinks & Hydration
2. 7 Reasons You Need To Drink More Water
3. 8 Tips To Stay Hydrated

Any special considerations for Women?

Should women lift weights? The short answer is yes – the benefits are plenty (including increased fat loss, improved mood) and you won’t ‘bulk up’ without an extreme amount of effort.
The Benefits of Weightlifting For Women

Other Exercise Routines

1. 5 Fat-Burning Superset Workouts
2. 7 Stability Ball Exercises For A Full-Body Workout
3. 5 Dumbbell Exercises That Burn Fat

General Fitness Information

1. 14 Ways To Exercise Without Even Noticing
2. 12 Ways Music Improves Your Workout
3. The 7 Best Ways To Build Muscle
4. The 3 Biggest DOs and DON’Ts of Strength Training