I've seen a few fitness pyramids out there that attempt to either represent the work done by our paleolithic ancestors or to alter the paleo model to reach peak 'weight loss' (more later on why weight loss is the worst idea in health). But I suggest a better pyramid that takes into account natural complex movement, strength training, and play.
Unlike the others, this one touts profound psychological and neurological benefits for the average person who wants to maximize happiness and escape unhealthy competition and elitism. Soon, I'll cover the detriments of high-intensity training, but here's what I strive for:
There are a few things worth noting in this pyramid:
Exercise is group-based. Social dynamics mean real and lasting value for the health and happiness of the individual. We are social creatures, after all.
Exercise is mostly non-competitive, and playfully so. Competition is healthy, but not when people become obsessed with winning to the point of stress, or when they start thinking hierarchically about their abilities or worth in the social context.
Fitness is productive individually, cooperative socially. Working on a hobby requires healthy movement and leads to measurable success when the project is complete. Likewise, cooperating with others in a team, rather than competing, is fun and stress-free. Persistence hunting is an anthropological example of healthy, non-competitive teamwork in the paleolithic.
Ultimately, this pyramid is preferable to others because fun is a whole lot more sustainable. It emphasizes play and cooperation over work intensity and competition. In a state of natural play, like working on a hobby or dancing, the individual will instinctively reach comfortable limits of output without affecting health or happiness. In fact, play advances health and happiness on a psychobiological level.
