Stresscraft

Folks, I have some great news.

Frank Forencich, the Exuberant Animal himself, has written another book. It's called Stresscraft. I'll give you one guess as to what it's about.

Given our modern stressful lives, I will assume that you are short on time, so here's a "bottom line on top" summary:  Go to the website, buy it, and read it. I am hard pressed to think of a better use for $10.

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I've talked a lot about Exuberant Animal and Frank's other books in the past. Out of everyone in the primal health/fitness world, Frank stands apart as one of the few who understands and talks about Big Picture stuff. While a pathetically large percentage of the paleo community wastes time arguing with everyone (and themselves) about carbs, macro nutrient ratios, and whatever else they want to squawk about, Frank continues to tell a bigger and better story. If you haven't been to an Exuberant Animal event, heard Frank speak, and/or read his books, you are missing out on a fantastic voice within the community - one that has a lot of wisdom to share.

This book is a little different than some of Frank's previous ones in that it is tightly focused on discussing stress. Well, maybe tightly isn't the right word. As Frank points out early and often, stress is a far reaching force in all of our lives. The book is not so much about the physiological and psychological components of stress. If you're looking for that, as Frank mentions in the book, you should really read Robert Sapolsky's Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers. Stresscraft is more about how to actually manage stress in your day to day life.

It's important to say that this isn't a book about stress elimination. As Frank discusses, stress can be an extremely positive force... in the right amount. The trick, Frank says, is to hit the sweet spot between not enough stress and way too much. Dosage is everything.

The meat of the book, entitled "Arts and Crafts" dives into the nuts and bolts. The advice and techniques start small and specific. There's a lot about breathing, food, and movement. Then Frank steps back a bit and discusses learning, focus, attention, and flow. There's a fantastic chapter on Control that really spoke to me.  Then Frank blasts off into the stratosphere and does what he does best - talk about Big Picture. Emotions and Time are in there (including a great bit on Chronos vs. Kairos that really got me thinking) as is the importance of community, connection and compassion. Ubuntu is prominently featured (the font nerds among you have probably noticed my homage to Ubuntu on this website) Finally, there's some musings on creativity, story, beauty, and meaning that in the hands of a less talented writer and teacher would come across as simplistic puffery, but Frank really makes work.

I've read everything Frank has written and I think this is my favorite yet. Frank's writing is as engaging as ever and while there were some standard Exuberant Animal themes covered, there was also a lot of "new stuff" in this book. I strongly recommend you check it out.

And remember to breathe.

Exuberant Animal East Coast Jam!

I have returned from an incredible weekend up in Virginia where I attended the Exuberant Animal East Coast Jam. It was a fantastic event filled with fantastic people. If you want the short version, here it is: Go to the EA Events page, look for the next event that is close to you and go. You won't regret it. If there isn't one close to you, host one. Seriously.

The weekend's activities took place at the lovely Frying Pan Farm Park. I arrived just before 5PM on Friday and immediately engaged in the first of many Kwame-hugs with Kwame Brown.  We hadn't seen each other for a long time and there were many hugs to be made up.

My favorite thing about EA events is the diversity of people who show up. We had some pretty serious athletes in attendance right next to dancers, educators, lawyers, etc... all ages, all fitness levels, all together in the same space. While it may sound like a recipe for disaster, it's actually a crucial part of the experience - more on that later...

The basic flow of EA events is 45 minutes of movement, 45 minutes of talking, rinse, repeat. The flow works extremely well - the movement gets you nice and tired - but not too tired - and primes your focus for the lectures and discussions.  After 45 minutes of sitting and listening, you're ready to move again. A common theme throughout the weekend was the importance of movement for focus and engagement. Corporations and schools could learn a lot from this model.

The lectures ran the gamut from a panoramic view of our current modern lifestyle, to evolution, to a little neurobiology and social neurobiology, to stress, to the importance of play.  We talked about diet and exercise, obviously, but also lifestyle, education, development, sociology, etc. The diverse backgrounds of the attendees was really an asset here - everyone had unique insights and contributions. Frank keeps updating and improving his material. I thought I had heard most of his talk but was delighted by all the new content that had been added.

For me, the heart of the experience is the movement sessions. When I first heard about EA, about 3 years ago, I looked at some of the movements and games posted on the website and thought, "Psh, this stuff looks easy." Then I tried a few and fell down a lot... and the next day my legs and butt were so sore I could barely move. I've been a believer ever since. The EA games are potent developers of athletic ability - real athletic ability. But the thing that makes them so special is the scalability. EA games begin with developing a rapport - a relationship - with your partner and then riffing off of it. We had some really big burly guys in attendance, and they were able to work with (and be challenged by) some relatively tiny partners all through developing rapport and then occasionally applying some handicapping. Everyone worked with everyone, a core tennant of an EA event.

I was thrilled to be able to teach a few of the movement sessions. That was an absolute blast - everyone did extremely well with some pretty challenging stuff. I hope I was able to demonstrate that Parkour style movement is not just for crazy young men.

So, the weekend was amazing. Frank is a visionary in the field - it's been fun watching the ripple effects of his AHS talk throughout the Paleo community. All of the participants were beautiful people - I loved getting to know all of them. I totally kicked Kwame's ass at hamburger eating. I brought my camera with the intention of capturing some of the magic, but I promptly forgot about it once the event began and did not manage to take many pictures.  Here are a few and I'm sure there will be more going up soon from other people.

Paleo is...

There have been quite a few interesting blog posts coming in the wake of the Ancestral Health Symposium (btw, have you noticed the talks are going up? Check 'em out!)

Before we go much further check out this great post by Josh on the Exuberant Animal blog. Then you really should read this article by Frank.

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I love talking about memes. They are the driving force behind our cultural evolution. After listening to a lot of good (and some bad) ideas in Los Angeles I've come up with some memelets of my own. I release them here in the hopes that you will let me know what you think of them, share them with friends, and then observe how they might change the conversation. I'll start broad and get more interesting.

You ready?

Paleo is more than diet and exercise. As Frank said, a continued emphasis on tiny pieces will weaken the overall message. The pieces are important. But only when combined into a whole. Not to fall back on hackneyed terms, but this is a lifestyle. There's more to health than HIIT and eating grass-fed steak.

Paleo is taking radical responsibility for yourself. Your health is ultimately up to you. Not Robb Wolf, Erwan Le Corre, Mark Sisson, Sally Fallon, (me?), etc. All of those folks have great things to say and you should look to them for ideas and guidance. But it all comes down to you. If I had a magic wand that I could wave to make everyone healthy and strong I would not do it - because we wouldn't learn anything.

Paleo is taking radical responsibility for others. You are your environment. You are your community. That's not some metaphysical mumbo-jumbo. It's fact. If you don't believe me, go down to your local sewage treatment plant, dip a glass in the water, take a deep drink, and see what happens. We are responsible for each other and our environment. Be kind. Be helpful. Pick up trash. Cultivate strong communities.

Paleo is about paring away. This is not something you add to your life. It's a process of stripping away non-essentials. Ultimately, it's all about your connection to the world. Usually, material things just get in your way. For too long the story of western culture has been about the mindless acquisition of stuff. Stuff we don't need... often paid for with money we don't have. More Stuff won't make you happy. Instead...

Paleo is a craving for new experiences. We are a curious species. We are explorers. We are story-tellers. Material things depreciate in value after we get them. Memories appreciate in value. Get out there. Try new things. Test yourself. Growth is not something that happens to you. You make it happen - by going there. Get lost. Get dirty. Get caught. Hang off the edge of a mountain. Ride out a storm at sea.

Paleo is a deep appreciation of simple magic. The world is incredible. And you don't need to go to the Marrakesh Night Market to experience something amazing. Watch a spider build a web. Watch a pretty girl dance. If you're in the Triangle area of North Carolina, go check out Paperhand Puppet Intervention's latest masterpiece "The Serpent's Egg" With a few pieces of wood, some old paint, and an abundance of creativity they've created real magic.

...I could go on but I'd rather hear what you have to say.  I'll leave with this "Paleo" mindset:  Life is a gift and it doesn't last long. Don't wait to try things. Be a creative force. Contribute. Offer to help and don't be afraid to ask for help. Be grateful for what you have. It was true for our ancestors and it remains true for us.

Please add to this list in the comments below!