Paleo Fitness: Primal Training and Nutrition to Get Lean, Strong and Healthy

I'm going to preface this review with my own biases so that you know where I'm coming from. I've been into the paleo/primal fitness movement for almost 8 years. I ridden many of the ups and downs from evangelical convert, to skeptical follower to finding my own current "happy place" in terms of nutrition.I'm not going to get into the argument of "is paleo valid" because that's a whole different topic. And this book doesn't really get into the debate. I think when you look at paleo books, or any diet/fitness book in general you have to take into account account the science but also look at the the ideas themselves and ask if they hold up without any backing. Will they make a positive change in the individuals life? Are they practical and sustainable to implement.Paleo Fitness has several strengths in my opinion.It's easy to read and flows well.It gets to the point and doesn't get lost in detail.The "how tos" of the book are straight forward and seem easy to follow.The book provides some nutritional suggestions, a fitness program geared towards 3 fitness levels, and recipes at the back of the book.The fitness program is easy to use and progressive. It can be performed with very minimal equipment.There is an emphasis on spontaneity and play. I personally think that this is a lost aspect of adult fitness. Mr. Edwards encourages free physical expression. I think this aspect of the book brings in an audience that would otherwise ignore another workout.What I don't like about the book:There doesn't seem to be as much instruction about scaling geared towards an older sedentary population.Who this book is for:I think this book is probably best for people who are new to the paleo/primal scene and are looking to make changes. As I stated above, the information contained in the book is not deep in the science or argument of paleo.Furthermore I think it would be great for people who aren't attracted to fitness in the traditional sense. i.e. going to the gym, lifting weights and running on a treadmill.Theres also some good ideas, for the experienced fitness enthusiast, for implementing play into the normal routine.

There are a whole lot of books out today about the Paleo Lifestyle - and most of them start with diet but give fitness a bit of a short straw. Darryl Edwards has reversed this, acknowledging that other books cover the diet aspect of this healthy lifestyle more than adequately and attacking fitness from a Paleo paradigm. Fitness should not simply be about getting stronger or getting better endurance, but rather should be a celebration of movement of all types, injected with a huge dose of fun with a goal of enduring mobility and long-term function.Edwards naturally begins with a great, simple overview of the Paleo framework for diet, which only makes sense as all real health and weight loss begins with diet.But the real treasure of this book is his workout program, full of full-body exercises that challenge fitness but also ensure that proper movement is the goal. And speaking of goals, goal-setting using the S.M.A.R.T. framework is the first portion of the fitness section, making sure that all fitness begins with the proper mindset.Many of the exercises presented are familiar exercises, and many of them will be new to those who are new to the concept of movement-based exercise. The various groups of movement exercises are explained clearly, examples are given of ways to increase intensity on each exercise, and proper active rest is stressed (both between "sets" of exercises as well as active rest days). And a key component of the program is that FUN should be had at all times! Partner exercises are given their important section as well - increasing the fun factor.The programs in the book start at a basic level, and increase in intensity and difficulty at a very good pace. There's nothing too hard here for a beginner, and there is plenty of variety and intensity to keep a person interested on an ongoing basis.I would be more than comfortable handing this book out as a primer to Paleo fitness to anyone, as it contains both the basic concepts and a wonderful program for getting one's self into great shape from the standpoint of both movement fitness and general preparedness.

I have had the pleasure of meeting Darryl Edwards on multiple occasions and doing some group playouts (instead of workouts) with him. They were honestly the most fun I have had while also getting fit, everyone was sweating and breathing hard but they were laughing and had big smiles on their faces the whole time. Darryl has unique ways of making exercise fun and functional, which is the way it should be. In Paleo Fitness he gives the basic outline of paleo nutrition and its numerous health benefits. This includes a 2 week meal plan with delicious recipes from around the world. Next he introduces his views on what fitness should be from an evolutionary perspective and how to incorporate it easily into your life. The book mostly consists of descriptions and illustrations of over 80 movements (not including many creative variations) that can easily be done anywhere with minimal equipment. These movements are practical and playful and help develop all 25 attributes of fitness that Darryl elaborates in the book. My favorite movements have to be all the different types of animal walks and partner carries that he includes. Most people that are into functional movement may already be familiar with bear crawls but have they tried the crocodile walk, the duck walk or the salamander press-up. The best part has to be the 4 weeks of programming at 4 different levels of difficulty. This allows for up to 16 weeks of smartly programmed unique playouts to get you fit and healthy. I would recommend this book to anyone looking to get lean, strong and healthy, especially those of us who don't enjoy exercise.

As a follower of the Paleo/Primal lifestyle I was drawn to Darryl's book with interest into new ideas to implement into my current exercise regime.I have been a Personal trainer for many years working with clients in the usual way that we have been told and getting frustrated with the limited results my clients were getting. I thought there must be a better way and looked outside the mainstream advice and found this kind of lifestyle. I made the change and noticed that I not only started to improve my health and fitness but also that of my clients. I investigated further that lead me to buying Paleo Fitness, I connected with it immediately as had always tried to work the body in a "Functional" way, full body movements and body weight exercises but found that the Paleo Fitness really opened my eyes to new ideas and movement patterns that I had not considered before.The exercise's are broken down and explained concisely with a good selection of progressive images.The selection of workout plans are scaled over three levels of difficulty.The book not only has a great insight into movement but also introduces the foundation of the Paleo diet and lifestyle. Explaining what foods are compliant with the evolutionary approach to diet and those that are not. The book also has a nice selection of recipes to introduce to your nutritional plan.I would recommend this book to anyone who is new the Paleo/Primal lifestyle and also those like myself who have been following this lifestyle for a while. It can bring a new element to your fitness regime and give you a whole new reason to train, Fun!

I have NEVER wrote a review for ANYTHING but felt compelled to share my thoughts and experiences since purchasing it. Having bought it some time ago mainly as a point of reference I found myself longing to try out the 12 week challenge but as a busy mum of 3 under 5 I never imagined it possible. How wrong could I be!! Currently on week 5 of 12 I have not only found the time to do it but have actually made the time to do it involving my 3 youngsters too! The exercises come with an easy to follow description and photographs of how it should be performed - admittingly in the first week or so my techniques left alot to be desired but now they are almost recognisable to what they are meant to be! The book has completely changed my approach to "exercise" and I'm seeing and feeling the benefits. Having followed a paleo lifestyle on and off for 3 years this is a perfect accompaniment whether you are just beginning, revisiting or have been living this life since time began!!

I enjoyed this book. It only gives a small amount of info about the Palos diet but that's o.k because it's not a diet book. It has lots of easy to follow exercises with good photos to help you to get them right I am sure if I do the fitness programme I would be very fit. The exercises look fun and there is a good variety so you won't get bored but like anything else if you don't do it you won't see results.

Darryl's approch to fitness is easy to understand, easy to start and most importantly, easy to include in the rest of your life.Health and fitness depends on movement, Not just 12 weeks on intense programming to 'get ripped' This book will educate you in one of the best ways to achive life long fitness through fun movement and play. Perfect for beginers to fitness, but there is plenty to challange even the most fit and should challange the mindset of people thinking health and fitness is about going to the gym 4 times a week and using machinces and pumping out hours on the cross trainer.The paleo diet side is not a detailed in it's explainations and science as something specifically focused on diet. But there is everything you need to understand the concepts, and if you need more info there are plenty of good options out there.And you don't need to follow the paleo diet to benifit from the exercises, you of course should, but it's not essential :)

I have always been looking for ways to incorporate exercise in my busy life style to keep me fit, strong and energetic as well as a way of watching my diet. Having tried various methods of dieting and spent a fortune in gym fees I decided to try different way of doing things.When I attended Darryl's class I found myself looking into Paleo fitness more and more and eventually bought his book.Paleo Fitness book is a good jump start Guide if you're new to Paleo or just curious about it. This book really is great! it covers everything you need to know but does not overwhelm you with details.I've had this book a few weeks now and tried all of the recipes and have liked every one of them. The recipes and exercise plan are very easy to follow.I now know more about what to eat for better health and have noticed a difference in my energy levels (I always used to be tired before this)I would definitely recommend this book, it is very easy and enjoyable to read.