Frank Forencich: Play as if your life depends on it
Biznik member Frank Forencich is a Stanford-trained biologist and author of several books about exercise. I met Frank at a Biznik happy hour event a few weeks ago, and learned that he’s planning a book release party on Sept. 16 in Seattle for his most recent book, “Exuberant Animal.” I asked Frank a few questions recently to learn more about his “primal, practical and playful” approach to staying fit.
Q: Tell me a bit yourself and your background.
I’ve spent over 25 years studying the body and teaching movement classes. I’ve trained intensively in karate, aikido, functional fitness and massage. But what really brought this all together was my experience studying human evolution in college. I realized that the human body has a very real and important history that we can take into account as we struggle to live in the modern world. Every detail of our anatomy and physiology has been sculpted by 6 million years of evolution, most of it as hunters and gatherers in the mosaic grasslands of East Africa.
Q: Your profile photo shows you in what looks like a tribal setting someplace far away from Seattle. What are you doing there?
That photo is from a trip I made to the Kalahari desert in Botswana, southern Africa. I went there to see the last of the authentic ancestral lifestyle and to draw some conclusions about what it means for modern people. I’ve also visited a tribe of bushmen in Tanzania, East Africa. Seeing primal peoples in their natural setting is a powerful experience. The contrast between ancestral living and modernity becomes particularly stark.
Q: What is GoAnimal?
GoAnimal is a health and training philosophy I’ve developed over the last 10 years. The method is primal, practical and playful. By emphasizing human evolution, functional fitness and pleasure, I give my students and readers a path to sustainable success. GoAnimal movement classes are play-based, with lots of fitness games, team-building, core conditioning, locomotion and general exuberance. The experience is both fun and functional. I described the GoAnimal method in my first book, Play as if Your Life Depends on It.
Q: What is it about play that is so interesting to you?
Play is often trivialized in our workaholic culture, but it’s actually essential to our lives as mammals and primates. Depending on how we calculate it, play may be as much as 100 million years old. We learn through play and we stay healthy through play. Unfortunately, our obsessive work habits have come to dominate even the world of physical movement – in today’s world we work all day and then do work-outs in the evenings. In the process, we’ve exchanged our passion, joy and exuberance for a sense of labor and obligation. It’s no surprise that so many people hate to move their bodies; we’ve engineered the pleasure out of the process. Play offers a great alternative.
Q: What’s happening at your book release party on Sept. 16th?
The new book is called “Exuberant Animal.” I’ve been working on it for almost 4 years and now it’s ready for release into the wild. The party will showcase the book, of course, but there will be plenty of time for recreation, drumming and dancing. I’ll also do a short demonstration of some GoAnimal games. Naturally, the spirit will be exuberant. Bring a drum, shakers or other percussion instruments. Drum circle facilitators will be on hand to keep us in rhythm.
Details: Saturday, September 16
7:00 pm to 1 am.
Alki room, Seattle Center
http://www.exuberantanimal.com/party.htm
The event is free, but you’re encouraged to buy a book.
Wine and beer are extra.
Frank’s other websites:
www.exuberantanimal.com
www.goanimal.com
slowfitness.com
September 10th, 2007 at 6:49 am
Frank, I was so excited when I discovered your book. I work at Northwest Hospital and came across your book lying on a table outside the marketing office. I have been preaching this comprehensive approach to a healthy lifestyle for all of my adult life. I have informaly coached several people to better health just by living it myself. I have raised six children, which has naturally kept me very active, and now work at Northwest hospital where I see daily the results of movement deprived people. Some times I have felt like the only one on the planet who thinks this way. There is a lot of resistance to this way of thinking. I eagerly plowed through your book, feeling more validated with every page. I would sure like to meet likeminded people. This is my passion, and I would participate with enthusiasm in any seminars or workshops that are taking place in the area.
Sincerely,
Jenny Young
Thank you,