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What type of exercise are people doing out there? I seem to read so many blogs by Cross Fit enthusiasts. I don't have the budget for that at all.

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10 Answers

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For me, mostly walking. I like MDA's suggestion of a lot of walking/hiking, lift heavy things once or twice per week and sprints once per week. I'm just not up to more than walking and some flights of stairs at the moment.

Crossfit is fun, but it's easy to overtrain. I noticed a lot of crossfitters with ankle/wrist/knee injuries at the box near me (when I tried it out for a month).

For lift heavy things, bodyweight and dumbbells do it for me.

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+1, great advice and simple. Great warning on Crossfit, easy to overtrain. – Matthew Caton May 22 2012 at 1:39
For overall health, that's about it. You will naturally begin to have desire for challenges, as long as you progress steadily. First you'll notice that you can walk for a longer period, than for a longer distance. Then you had some spints, or climb a tree fast, or swing on one of the branches. I started half an hour one year ago. 3 months later i was walking 10km(6-7 miles) for 2-3 times a week, on a fasted state and some sprints in tha sand, by the sea. Strenght-wise, establish some basic goals(2x bodyweight deadlift or so) and progress from there. – Flip May 22 2012 at 8:47
Dave S. has it right. Strength Train 2-3 times, walk/hike 2-3 times, and run sprints 1-2 times per week. Lift heavy things/run sprints has been used since antiquity. CF has issues with overall programming, periodization, and recovery. Many boxes recognize this and strength training in separate work outs now. Strength Training with metabolic conditioning is not CF. It's lift heavy/run sprints with sprints being replaced with WOD's. – Mark May 22 2012 at 15:23
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Just do what you like and what you can afford. Nothing is more depressing than doing things you don't like, just because others do it. I'm not a fitness type of guy, so I don't bother with crossfit.

Instead I just do what I feel like, running up a hill every once in a while (free), skating for a few hours (I bought some 2nd hand skates for 15 bucks), go swimming when it's warm (in a lake it's free), just take a walk if I'm too tired (also free :) ), I do acrobatics every once in a while (lifting people), I dance a lot (all kinds of dances), I love to play tennis or tabletennis if I can find a worthy opponent (I bought a 2nd hand tennis racket for 5 bucks, and there is a free tennis court in my neighbourhood)... but I do it because I like it and when I feel like to, and I don't feel any urge to do crossfit 'because its paleo' or something.

Just think of something you like, alone or with other people, and incorporate it in your lifestyle, and a lot of things can be cheap or free and a hell lotta fun. :)

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Forget about Cross Fit, lifting weights, HIIT or the newest fitness trend. Try Muay Thai!!!

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I do Kettlebells about four times a week (Viking Warrior conditioning and then the standard lifts). Also walk about five times a week for 5-6 miles at a time, I run sprints about twice a week, swim a couple miles a week and hike about as often as I can without getting fired!

Also have an indoor Rower that I use when I don't have time to go out or when it's really cold outside during the winter.

Morning ritual is decline pushups plank pushups and incline pushups along with a bunch of playful stretching.

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I've read what MDA says about chronic cardio, but I just love to run. That and Bikram Yoga are my favorites and work so well together for me. Also just started the one hundred pushup challenge b/c I know I need to do more body weight stuff and feel like I have no upper body strenght.

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running requires sufficient carbs which is bad for MDA business. – foreveryoung May 21 2012 at 23:36
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Running several miles, say 3-5, maybe a few times per week is nothing like training for and running in marathons and triathalons. The strong evidence against "chronic cardio" is primarily against marathon runners. Dr. Harris, who wrote the best cariod/heat disease post ever, cops to running 3 miles several times per week. Obviously, he is not afraid of what it is doing to him. – Dave S. May 22 2012 at 1:56
I have no strenght either. Btw, strength is the longest single vowel word in the english language. – Dave S. May 22 2012 at 1:58
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What are you doing now?

Do you have fitness goals or do you just want to shake off the couch-dust?

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I'm doing yoga, lifting and biking or walking 4 days a week. – Kelly GB May 22 2012 at 17:46
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OMG another Kelly! I've never seen so many in one place! (welcome to Paleo Hacks for Kellys!)

walking is best, anything really that allows you to just move, even if in place, lunging etc.

doing a series of sprints is also good (10 sets 10, up a hill or stairs)

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Woo Kelly clan! Plus I 2nd the walking, plus just lifting heavy things. Even if it is groceries and not using the cart and the store! – Kelly May 28 2012 at 1:15
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I like Beth Chamberlin's kettle bell DVD's. Pilates. Yoga. My new favorite is the ultimate sandbag workout. 20 minutes 3 times a week and my abs and arms are ripped. Or try BodyrockTV. It's 12 minutes a day and it's free!!

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I just started crossfit a few months ago and I love it. Being able to quantify results is awesome. (I've got a 275lb deadlift, which isn't a lot, but I thought the 45lb barbell was heavy when I started.) It's fun to work out with others and lots of paleo talk going around as well.

Before that I did P90X a few days a week, which was also fun. Although watching the same videos over and over does get old, Tony is a likable dude.

And even before that I just ran around outside with my dog, jumped in lakes and did pushups and pullups wherever I could.

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I saw a commercial for p90x, and I've heard of it before. Would you recommend it to a beginner to exercising "for real real"? – Veriria May 27 2012 at 23:07
Yeah definitely, you'll have to buy resistance bands or dumbbells and pullup bar.. but that is the only required equipment. You can modify any of the moves to suit your ability level.. I enjoyed it. – CS May 28 at 16:32
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I dance (bboying/breakdancing) + ride motorcycle/bicycle when I feel like it. Which is probably 2-3 times a week for each. Good creative play. Good mobility enhancers. Good opportunity for adrenaline.

I do light weight training. (I don't really keep tabs on increasing weight or anything, I just kind of stick weights on and when I kinda go "urrrgh" it's probably enough; then I'd do some reps with a reasonable amount of sets. 20 minutes).

Most of the time I just walk alot, take stairs, not "being lazy" and thinking and using my brain.

I used to do competitive swimming but was not Paleo at the time. I wonder if I would destroy my times now (even 4 years older now at 22) so perhaps I will start that?

I should also start training for Tough Mudder. Hm.

Just lots of low activity, some weights, and get some legit play time in! But massive exercise will not save you. Remember to eat well.

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