Being a Primal Man
February 21, 2011 by ABDada · Leave a Comment
Last week, a recently gained gal pal queried me about what exactly I mean by “being a primal man.” I hadn’t actually given it much thought, in terms of overall definition, so spent the weekend examining myself, my goals and my activities to come up with a reasonable breakdown of what I mean when I say that term.
For me, I firmly believe that my life and lifestyle is firmly dictated by my genetic programming. Humans have existed for a very long time on this planet, and while genetically we may have progressed, there’s plenty of reason for me to believe (and support, and live) the idea that we’re not that different from our ancestors tens of thousands of years ago.
The further I move from that Neanderthal lifestyle, the worse I look, feel and act. The closer I follow what seems to be a primal man’s lifestyle, the better my life is in every way: health, relationships, sex, finance and goal reaching.
I considered the “goals” of the primal man: to eat, to protect himself and his community, to live a long life and have plenty of offspring, to have fun, to plan for rainy days, to have a clean and comfortable home, and to provide for his offspring so that they too can have as good of a life as him, if not better. Since adulthood, I’ve tried to live this way without definition. It just feels right.
Drilling down into each of these areas of a primal man’s life isn’t too hard. When I find a struggle in life (rare, but it happens), I consider what the primal man may have done, and adapt my habits to reflect that. More often than not, it works. When I share these activities with other men in my life, it works for them, too. It’s unscientific, but part of my social growth is about trying different theories and conjectures on myself and other men and then contemplate the gains or losses.
1. Eating as a Primal Man. I am an avid follower of Mark Sisson’s Primal Blueprint lifestyle. In terms of diet, it’s meat and fat based, with a severe reduction in carbohydrates. That means plenty of steaks, pork, fish and some fowl, butter and lard, and a reduction in fruits and vegetables (but not completely).
It’s like the Atkins Diet on steroids, and it works — at 37 I am stronger and faster. My sex drive is amazing (as is my stamina). I’m happier and healthier is every monitored way. I don’t have to work out more than twice a week, and I only work out for 20-30 minutes per session. No more crazy cardio or running long distances, no more treadmills or Stairmasters. Just some heavy weights, and an attention to good form. Plus, a diet that satiates me all day long and doesn’t leave me hungry for modern snacks and that junk.
2. Protecting yourself and your community. Part of protecting yourself is part bodily health and part financial health. The primal man of centuries ago had to be strong to defend himself from not just animal attacks, but also other men who wanted his tools, his family, his beasts of burden or land that he utilized.
Being strong isn’t hard — you can be strong just by working out at home two days a week, 20-30 minutes per day. It’s unrealistic for a man today to be overweight and weak. Also, being financially stable lends strength to your protective actions — if you need a tool or weapon, you can buy it. If you need to flee for whatever reason, you can afford to. If you need to build defenses into your homestead, the options are there.
3. Living a long life and having plenty of offspring. In order to live a long life, you need financial stability, health, and the ability to defend yourself. This involves items #1 and #2.
Having plenty of offspring means have the sexual drive and stamina to reproduce, as well as having the hormonal balance your body needs to increase the chance of impregnation. I don’t have children (yet), but I definitely can if I find the right person to mate with. Still, staying in tip top sexual health is an important aspect of living the primal man’s lifestyle.
Sex also provides for many different areas of your life, from physical health to mental clarity to emotional well-being.
4. Having fun. Enjoying the fruits of my labors is important to me, but I have rules that I live by in order to fully enjoy my entertainment. Too many males go out and party even though they’ve done nothing positive for their lives. Sometimes they do this because they’re bored or lonely or addicted.
For me, enjoying my free time includes sporting alone or with others, mental exercises in the form of games, leisurely sex, nights out at the bar or a nice restaurant, and even napping on occasion. In order to maximize the outcome of one’s entertainment, the primal man knows he must be financially solid as well as physically healthy. Giving yourself a night out after a successful day at the office or a completion of a goal is wise, but partying for no purpose can lead to lethargy, depression and addiction.
5. Planning for rainy days. Having contingency plans aren’t just an option, they’re a needed requirement. With so many possible things that can happen, it’s important to consider as many possible problems you could face, and then come up with contingencies for those problems. This involves being physically, mentally and financially healthy.
When you’re prepared mentally, financially and physically, a tidal wave for most males might be just a spring shower for you. A primal man doesn’t get sad when something bad happens, he finds a solution and then works a little bit harder to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
6. Having a clean and comfortable home. In today’s society, bigger is considered better and shinier is considered superior. This is false, all false. A primal man is not about having the biggest or best of anything, just the minimum he needs to produce a profitable experience out of ownership of the item in question.
You don’t need a gorgeous Porsche if you can’t truly afford it. You don’t need a McMansion 5000 square foot house unless you can use it all. The biggest something is, the harder it is to maintain. A nice sized apartment can be perfect for a single man, but what is inside the apartment matters more.
7. Providing for one’s offspring. If you don’t have children, you can still plan for the chance you might. If you do have children, focusing on their futures is of as much importance as is how much time you spend with them. A primal man prepares his sons for being primal men, and his daughters for meeting primal men who can provide and protect them.
I don’t care what “equal rights” movements say, but I believe a man should strive be the best man he can, and a woman should be the best woman she can be, in order to have the healthiest and easiest lives they can. Being a good father matters to more than family, it matters to how you handle your employees and customers, your friends and lovers, too.
The purpose of this site is specifically to help men consider what it means to be a primal man, a hawk as I call it in some articles. I focus on and plan to continue focusing on each of these parts of the primal man’s lifestyle. This is what you need to aim for, males. This is what will make many of you females happier, if your man is the best he can be for himself, and then for you. If you don’t subscribe to my free email newsletter, sign up in the right sidebar so you can get each and every article. I always appreciate your emailed questions or comments to each article, and you can also “friend” me on Facebook.
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