Never Leave the Playground

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    "But Blake, how does this relate to CrossFIt?"
     Great question!  This may be my greatest feat yet, but I think I can do it.  Bear with me here.  The translations below are for you semi-illiterate haters that won't read more than 3 sentences.

     Play and curiosity of the kind displayed by this guy distinguishes adult humans from more primitive adult primates.  Curiosity aids in developing intelligence by encouraging critters to discover the world around 'em.  For most species this curiosity fades as the animal matures, but humans maintain the quality, giving us a distinct advantage in becoming intelligent due to the maintainance of the desire to discover.  However, this is an expensive characteristic to cultivate because it slows the maturation process and extends the period of time it takes to raise a child, lowering the liklihood that more children will be born.  Developmental biologists would describe this maintenance of curiosity as a pedomorphic trait.  Pedomorphism is the retention by adults of traits previously seen only in juveniles.
    Translation: It is "paleo" to act immature—> CrossFit
    It seems to me that play is a fountain of youth for the mind, maintaining the neurological connections that would otherwise erode due to lack of use.  This is evident in this man's coordination and skill at these tasks. They've not only allowed him to maintain a youthful outlook but also maintained the agility, motor control, and memory uncommon for most his age.  Unfortunately, in the world we live in today "immaturity," as some might call it, is discouraged.  
    Translation: Fitness, activity, and play keeps you mentally and physically young. 
     Though I recongize fitness cannot be all about fun, I try incorporate the previously mentioned ideas into our time in the gym.  This should be obvious in the warmups when I prescribe animal crawls and other goofy movements.  I encourage you to make up your own not JUST because I'm being a lazy jerk, but rather, I am encouraging you to exercise a part of your creative/youthful brain that may have not been stimulated in years, for some of you at least.
     Translation: Animal crawls are the shizznit and keep you lookin' hot. 

There, I did it, and it only took 316 words!

Interesting trivia from researching for this blog: Toy dogs often display an extreme level of pedomorphism, resembling not just infant, but fetal wolves.