2) Contemporary equivalents of exercises in point one (above): Exercises we have designed to emulate the movements of our evolutionary past. Cleaning (shouldering), jerking, 400m sprint (running), 100m sprint (swimming), pull-ups/dips/monkey bars (climbing) etc.
3) Exercises to improve our capacity to perform those in points one and two (above): All O-Lifitng drills, weighted vest work, interval running, altitude training, stretching and mobility etc (many of these lead to increase our capacity to perform the exercises in point four (below).
4) Exercises to demonstrate our fitness (encouraged by CrossFit ‘Sport’): Everything in points one and two, plus exercises that do not directly emulate a movement of our evolutionary past, but are no less proficient in testing our fitness. Rowing, double-unders, wall ball, box jumps, sports, dare I say ‘snatch’ (though this could also belong in category three, above, though I hesitate to place it any higher than that).
5) Contrived, invented exercises that are not proficient at testing fitness (as defined by CrossFit – they don’t move large loads, long distances, quickly, or for which there is a more efficient way to perform the same task). Just about any exercise machine with a fixed range of motion, or where a muscle is isolated where it would not have been 10,000 years ago.
So we see a distinct evolution of movement, and we appreciate that not everything we do is ‘functional’. Some of it exists to test skill and proficiency at a sport – and this is fine.
Don’t forget that most (though certainly not all) of these movements (regardless of the category) act to improve health. If it’s an exercise that doesn’t cause you damage, it probably causes you good. Be careful of criticising people who exercise. It’s a continuum – the aim should be to progress along this continuum to include more of the exercises in points one to four (particularly point two), and less of the exercises in point five. They aren’t bad for you (generally), there’s just something else that’s better.
