I'm Darryl Edwards, a personal trainer and clinical nutritionist based in London, England. This blog documents my experiences with a primal lifestyle that has made me fitter and healthier in my forties than ever before.
Let's Explore Fitness!
Paleo for weight loss, performance and disease prevention. Read my full review here.
The impact of too much stress in our lives - impotence, obesity, heart disease and much more...
Usually we have to go back to basics to progress, this is a great place to start!
"Think about the toxic chemicals you put onto your body, and are exposed to on a daily basis. Frankly, quite worrying..."
First published in the mid 1990s. Amongst other things, disputes the 'fat intake causes obesity' argument and reasons why the high carb/low-fat diet doesn't work.
An inspirational read, whether you are a 'runner' or not. This book also investigates why expensive 'cushioned' running shoes increases the likelihood of injury.
An insight into real, simple and nutritious food. Insightful.
An excellent, non-scientific common sense quick reference to the often confusing question : "What should I eat?"
An alternative to Cordain's first book "The Paleo Diet" if who want to consider the impact of Paleo on athletic performance. It is geared towards endurance athletes but an interesting read nonetheless.
I'm an omnivore. I believe it is healthy to eat naturally-reared meat, non-farmed fish as well as a wide variety of fresh vegetables. This book is an interesting read and has a lot to say about why becoming a vegetarian isn't necessarily the best option for humans. However read this, do your own research and make up your own mind.
A discussion about the complex nervous system working in the gut, which produces neurotransmitters such as serotonin. In fact much more serotonin is produced in the gut than the brain!
This provides extraordinary insight into the reasons behind adopting a paleolithic diet. Some aspects are controversial and many may feel it is too dogmatic. I have often gone back to this book and re-read it for clarification as Dr Loren Cordain is often mis-quoted. There is now a revised edition (2010 edition) to counter some of its earlier criticisms, this is an excellent resource and a must-read for any one serious about paleo nutrition.
This book offers a comprehensive insight into the science, coaching and discipline of running. Energy systems, coaching and training. Often quoted as the bible of running.
Monday, June 6, 2011 at 1:16 | by Darryl Edwards Just having fun freestyling on a park bench with Ben during Saturday's primal group class.
Balance in Primal Fitness, Videos Monday, October 18, 2010 at 7:52 | by Darryl Edwards Video: Balance Work (Practice)
Balance - the ability to control the body's stability whilst moving (or stationary) regardless of its base of support. One of the 20 Components of Fitness.
The video below is of me attempting to use a park bench as a balance beam.
How to improve your balance:
There is no need to use a BOSU, swiss ball, balance board or a park bench for that matter. There are much simpler methods.
Balance, Balancing, Methode Naturelle, Natural Movement in MovNat, Videos Monday, June 7, 2010 at 15:31 | by Darryl Edwards I'm not a big fan of Swiss/BOSU balls. Although I do feel these can offer a 'challenge' in testing one's balance ability.
There is no doubt they are a common sight in gyms, and the argument often used to justify their proliferation is an increase in core engagement because of the additional inherent stabilisation required by the body.
A recent study by Brandon Uribe and his team casts doubts on their effectiveness. The investigation tested muscle activation performing presses (bench/shoulder) on a fixed bench versus a stability ball. They tested the muscles involved in this activity (including the abs) and they concluded using an unstable surface made no difference during muscle recruitment.
Makes you wonder why you would bother using a nonstable surface - if there is no gain? I can think of a good reason to be as 'stable' as possible though (apart from safety). Using a stable support is more likely to increase total muscle activation due to the greater loads possible during lifting i.e. you can go heavier with a solid platform!
To test balance simply perform an exercise or activity you normally perform bilaterally (i.e. on two legs) and do the same on one leg - such as a squat. Or even perform an exercise with your eyes closed such as a deadlift. You will most likely find the above a significant challenge to the stabiliser muscles, without the use of a 'ball' of any kind.
BOSU, Balance, Swiss Ball in Fitness 