A tour of the often overlooked side of college student fitness.

Many students find that the expense of school, in terms of both time and money, makes it difficult stay in shape. Thankfully, your friendly neighborhood Rearguard is here to give you the scoop on several alternative fitness programs that any student can use.

For our first foray into the world of alternative fitness, we will explore Primal Fitness. Specifically, the Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson, available through his website and the usual booksellers. He also offers a great deal of information free online at marksdailyapple.com. You may think that Sisson’s just another fitness hack, touting his own brand of Thigh Master (sorry Suzanne Somers), but you’re in for a surprise.

The basis of the Primal Blueprint is that the human race hasn’t evolved much since the dawn of technology. Due to this lack of adaptation, the conveniences of the modern world have left us prone to disease and general lack of fitness. Our bodies haven’t kept pace with the advances we’ve made in agriculture and technology, at least not in a good way.

Sisson’s goal is to bring us back to our “primal” state, and it’s perfect for college students. To combat the growing lack of physical conditioning in our world, the Primal Fitness model tells us to think back to our ancestors’ daily tasks and trials. Before the invention of cars, or even the wheel itself, the only way to get around was to walk. If the seasons changed and your source of food moved to warmer temperatures, so did you – carrying every thing you owned with you.

Modern science will often tell you that only a few hours per week on the treadmill, carrying a bottle of water, are necessary to staying thin and trim. The same science claims years of overeating and lack of physical movement can be reversed by spending more time on the treadmill running at 80% of your maximum heart rate. Yet we see our hunter-gatherer roots in small tribes in South American and Africa, tribes rippled with muscle and devoid of obesity, who rarely “jog.” Instead, these tribes walk long distances interspersed with short periods of intense running.

Want to get in shape? Take a hike in the beautiful Portland area, get out for a few hours and explore town without stopping every five minutes for a coffee break. Instead of spending needless hours on the treadmill, go for a short jog on the roof of the Stott center, throwing in the occasionally lap or half-lap sprint.

Another thing missing: lifting heavy things. When was the last time you moved something heavy? Helping a friend move a few months ago? Our ancestors moved heavy loads day in and day out, but we’ve grown sedentary. We usually assume that lifting weights is the domain of muscle heads who grunt and yell in the gym, but anybody can do it. Try loading up your book bag for a few squats or even rocking a daily set of pushups. Instead of the elevator, take the stairs with that loaded backpack. There are a multitude of ways to get your body moving weight without donning spandex pants and tank tops.

Finally, most of us can remember a time in our past when we were in better shape and had boundless energy…when we were kids. We used to laugh, run, and play for hours without stopping. We’d fall exhausted on to the ground after playing tag at recess, and now we spend hour days huddled together in small rooms straining to see an overhead projector. Is it any wonder that we’ve ended up the way we do? Join a campus rec club, wrestle with some friends, or just find an active hobby that you enjoy. Regardless of what you do for “play,” get out and have fun being active.