The Lost Art of Play
Mark Sisson
Ancestral Health Symposium, 2011
Slide 1: Meta Analysis of DoubleBlind Studies on Effects of Non-Specific
Neuromotor Physical Activity on Homo Sapiens
Species Throughout Evolutionary History: Survey
Matrix of the Practical Significance of Numerous
Dependent Variables
NSNPA Matrices
Or…Play is Great!
The Primal/Paleo/Ancestral Health
Movement
• Diet, Exercise, Sleep emphasized
• Play = grossly neglected element of
A.H. in modern life
Grok Was a Beach Bum!
 3-5 hours procuring food
 3 hours habitat/shelter/basic needs
 10 hours sleep/rest
 6 hours leisure time: (P.E., music, art)
Today: Systematic Cultural Elimination of
Play
• School curriculum - “back to basics”: Cut P.E, Music, Art
• Conventional Wisdom: Play is frivolous, unproductive, luxury item
• American Dream: Struggle, accomplish, consume material things
ARTS
Arts programs affected
by MCCSC budget cuts
American Dream ...Or Nightmare?
We are deeply unsatisfied with more and more, because we are evolved
for another lifeway in which material goods do not matter. It seems like
our genes don’t know what to make of all our “stuff.”
- Art Devany, Ph.D.
Why Engage in
Purposeless Behavior”?
“Apparently
• Develop Emotional Intelligence
• Foster creativity & problem-solving
• Discover innate talents & passions
• Improve mental health/stress management
• Nurture lifelong capacity for “flexibility, novelty and exploration”
Play is Primal!
“…play is a primal, preconscious, preverbal
activity arising out of of ancient biological
structures….Life without play is a grinding,
mechanical existence organized around doing
the things necessary for survival.”
- Stuart Brown, MD
Author of Play: How It Shapes the Brain, Opens the
Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul
Natural Playful Childhood
• Pickin’ daisies (during the game!)
• Rough and tumble is okay
• Getting dirty (builds immune function!)
Innocence Squelched By Rat Rate
• Adult-supervised, overscheduled, risk-managed life
• Competition, regimentation, anti-bacterial wipes, carpools, play “dates”
• 80% pedestrian to 8% in one generation
• Jungle gym: extinction of last link to genetic heritage!
Enduring Endurance Sports
• Struggle and Suffer = Success
• Play? Too risky, unproductive, pointless
• Epiphany: “Having fun yet?”
Traded health for
a 2:18!
“Playing” Golf
• Career success – buddies – nature = FUN!
Whoops…
• Slow foursomes – “wasting time”
• Misplaced competitive intensity
• Epiphany: “Having fun yet?”
Golf Can Be Fun!
Even Endurance Can Be Fun!
• Jonas Colting – 2x Ultraman World Champion Triathlete
Swim 6-bike 90mi; bike 171mi; run 52mi
• “Primal Forest Walk” – Makes hard training playful
Play Deficiency: Dire Consequences
• Social, emotional and cognitive narrowing
• Increased stress, depression, violence
• Stereotyped, inflexible, humorless
• Life without irony, diminished capacity for optimism
- Stuart Brown, M.D.
Play Benefits Brain
•
Longevity correlation
•
Cerebellum and frontal cortex size
•
Total brain development
Play Benefits Career
•
Open, creative, process-oriented mindset = more resilient
•
Adaptable to change = modern economy
•
Playful spirit, positive attitude, emotional awareness = team player
Play Provides Balance
•
Sedentary bodies
•
Linear brains
•
Regulated emotions
•
Fragile self-esteem
Curing the Disease
1. Reflect on happiest times – conjure emotions
and visuals:
Career change? Travel adventure? Dump
lame boyfriend? Pursue happiness!
2. Engage in the moment:
Lose self-consciousness and ego
3. Release attachment to outcome:
Play hard and move on
Releasing Attachment to Outcome
– The Play Portal
Centenarians top longevity secrets:
•
Go with the flow
•
Youthful spirit
Play Hard, Move On
The essence of sports is that while you're doing
it, nothing else matters, but after you stop,
there is a place, generally not very important,
where you would put it.
- Roger Bannister
What Is Play Anyway?
•
#1: Outdoor unstructured physical activity
•
Subjective: fill your personal void
•
“Apparently purposeless”: competition okay if you release attachment
•
Abandon ego and self-consciousness
Play Prescription
1. Follow kids – get silly
2. Mini-work breaks: 5-10 minutes (hacky
sack, trash can hoops)
3. Grand weekend outings: hike, rock climb,
standup paddle
4. Wild times/new rules: speed golf, photo
scavenger hunt, urban orienteering