I'm Darryl Edwards (aka The Fitness Explorer), founder of Primal Play, this website is no longer being updated - please check out www.primalplay.com for current details on my work, passion and lifestyle approach.

What is Primal Play? 

Eat for Health, Move for Life!

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Reading List
  • Animal Moves: How to move like an animal to get you leaner, fitter, stronger and healthier for life
    Animal Moves: How to move like an animal to get you leaner, fitter, stronger and healthier for life
    by Darryl Edwards

    Animal Moves

    • improve strength, speed and stamina
    • increase mobility, flexibility and stability
    • look, feel and perform better

    Find out more and details on how to purchase at www.animalmovesbook.com

  • Paleo from A to Z: A reference guide to better health through nutrition and lifestyle. How to eat, live and thrive as nature intended!
    Paleo from A to Z: A reference guide to better health through nutrition and lifestyle. How to eat, live and thrive as nature intended!
    by Darryl Edwards

    "If you are looking for a simple way to better understand Paleo concepts, Darryl's Paleo from A to Z guide is the go-to resource.
    -Mark Sisson, best-selling author of The Primal Blueprint and publisher of Mark's Daily Apple

  • Paleo Fitness - A Primal Training and Nutrition Program to Get Lean, Strong and Healthy
    Paleo Fitness - A Primal Training and Nutrition Program to Get Lean, Strong and Healthy
    by Darryl Edwards, Brett Stewart, Jason Warner

    "This book is a useful reference to enable individuals just starting out on the Paleo path as well as those who want to explore more challenging, playful and interesting ways to move."

    -Robb Wolf, New York Times best-selling author of The Paleo Solution

     

  • 7 Day Introduction to Paleo Fitness: Get Fitter, Get Stronger, Get Healthier in Seven Days. Move as Nature Intended.
    7 Day Introduction to Paleo Fitness: Get Fitter, Get Stronger, Get Healthier in Seven Days. Move as Nature Intended.
    by Darryl Edwards
  • The Paleo Solution: The Original Human Diet
    The Paleo Solution: The Original Human Diet
    by Robb Wolf
  • Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers
    Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers
    by Robert M. Sapolsky
  • Primal Blueprint: Reprogram Your Genes for Effortless Weight Loss, Vibrant Health & Boundless Energy (Primal Blueprint Series)
    Primal Blueprint: Reprogram Your Genes for Effortless Weight Loss, Vibrant Health & Boundless Energy (Primal Blueprint Series)
    by Mark Sisson
  • Slow Death by Rubber Duck: The Secret Danger of Everyday Things
    Slow Death by Rubber Duck: The Secret Danger of Everyday Things
    by Rick Smith, Bruce Lourie, Sarah Dopp
  • Wahls Protocol, The : A Radical New Way to Treat All Chronic Autoimmune Conditions Using Paleo Principles
    Wahls Protocol, The : A Radical New Way to Treat All Chronic Autoimmune Conditions Using Paleo Principles
    by Terry Wahls, Eve Adamson
  • Born to Run: The Hidden Tribe, the Ultra-Runners, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen
    Born to Run: The Hidden Tribe, the Ultra-Runners, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen
    by Christopher McDougall
  • In Defence of Food: The Myth of Nutrition and the Pleasures of Eating: An Eater's Manifesto
    In Defence of Food: The Myth of Nutrition and the Pleasures of Eating: An Eater's Manifesto
    by Michael Pollan
  • Food Rules: An Eater's Manual
    Food Rules: An Eater's Manual
    by Michael Pollan
  • The Paleo Diet for Athletes
    The Paleo Diet for Athletes
    by L. Cordain
  • Vegetarian Myth, The
    Vegetarian Myth, The
    by Lierre Keith
  • The Second Brain
    The Second Brain
    by Michael D. Gershon
  • The Paleo Diet: Lose Weight and Get Healthy by Eating the Foods You Were Designed to Eat
    The Paleo Diet: Lose Weight and Get Healthy by Eating the Foods You Were Designed to Eat
    by Loren Cordain
  • Eat Drink Paleo
    Eat Drink Paleo
    by Irena Macri
  • Cholesterol Clarity: What the HDL is Wrong with My Numbers?
    Cholesterol Clarity: What the HDL is Wrong with My Numbers?
    by Jimmy Moore, Eric C. Westman
Friday
Jan142011

Health: Use your imagination and go 3D

Training in 3D

Your muscles and joints work through every conceivable angle so your training should reflect this.

There are three planes of movement defined as:

  • Coronal (Frontal) Plane
  • Sagittal Plane
  • Transverse Plane

Any explanations I have found on this topic tend to be quite complex (or ambiguous) so I will make this as abstract as possible. 

Each plane has two distinct directions:

The Coronal (or Frontal) Plane works with side-to-side motion such as a side lunge, jumping jacks and overhead press. 

The Sagittal Plane incorporates forward and backwards motion such as press-ups, forward lunges and squats.

The Transverse Plane involves rotation at the hips, for example swinging a golf club, floor-to-overhead diagonals with a kettlebell or a transverse lunge.

Most training tends to be single-plane working predominately in the Sagittal plane with occassional references to the other planes.  In real life it is rare you restrict yourself to one plane, for example sprinting involves all 3 planes to varying degees.  Mixing things up and training in multi-planes will reduce muscular imbalances, improve joint mobility and help to avoid injury. 

To be honest you dont need to know what thes terms mean or what axis of movement they correspond with.  But it does help to understand what they can mean to your programme.  Just be mindful they exist, use your imagination and add another dimension to your training.  Go and explore 3D.

Tuesday
Jan112011

Workout: 3 Pull-Ups Are Easy

Warmup: 

  • 10 Push-Ups
  • 10 Air Squats
  • 10 Sit-Ups
  • 10 Pull-Ups
  • 10 Tricep Dips
  • 10 Back Extensions
  • 10 Forward Walking Lunges
  • 10 Backward Walking Lunges
  • 10 Overhand Inverted Rows 

Workout:* 

  • 25 Jump Pull-Ups
  • 3 sets of 15 @ 50% of BW deadlifts (rest as required)
  • 2 sets of 12 @ 75% of BW deadlifts (rest as required)
  • 2 sets of 10 @ 1 x BW deadlifts (rest as required)

Finisher:

  • "3 Pull-Ups Are Easy":  
    • Dead hang for 10 seconds (any grip)
    • then pull and hang at half-way point for 10 seconds
    • then pull and hold at top for 10 seconds
    • then lower to half-way point for 10 seconds
    • then dead hang for 10 seconds
    • that's one pull-up
  • Then
    • repeat above but hold for 5 second periods
  • Then
    • repeat above and hold for 2 seconds
Sunday
Jan092011

Workout: You Are Not Allowed To Use The Park As A Gym!

* Please note there is a hint of sarcasm in the post title.
--
Warmup:
  • 400m Easy Jog
  • Air Squats
  • Jack Hammers
  • Frogger
  • Air Squat and Jump Squats drills 

Workout: (combinations of) --> 

  • Sprint Drills - catching partner
  • Assorted Pull-Ups
  • Tree Climbing/Muscle Ups
  • Box Jumps
  • Piggy-Back Squats and Piggy-Back Rides
  • Balance Practice

Note: London Bye-Law 3 states: you are not allowed to climb trees in the park.

Wednesday
Jan052011

Workout: 300 (Battle of Moorgate)

Warmup: 

  • 10 Push-Ups
  • 10 Air Squats
  • 10 Sit-Ups
  • 10 Pull-Ups
  • 10 Tricep Dips
  • 10 Back Extensions

 

Workout:* 

--

300 Reps in total.

* Complete these 300 reps as quickly as possible, completing each set of reps before moving onto the next exercise.

"We are taught never to retreat, never to surrender" - King Leonidas


Times
:

Darryl: 17:22

James: 18:15

Finisher:

  • 10 x 10sec Drivers (aim to rest for a few seconds each round)
  • (substitute with 10x10sec sprints)