Chris McDougall Asks: Are We Doing Fitness the Right Way?

Chris McDougall’s new book “Natural Born Heroes” promotes functional fitness.

What counts as fit? Being fast, having six-pack abs or being able to bench press more than anyone else at the gym? Chris McDougall, author of “Born to Run,” the book that launched the minimalist running movement, doesn’t think so. His latest book, “Natural Born Heroes,” explores the concepts of agility, flexibility and movement diversification—in other words, useful fitness. And that is the very question McDougall wants people to ponder. Is your fitness useful?

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If your workouts lack variety (here’s a tip for runners—if all you do is run, your workout routine could use an upgrade), small tweaks can make a big difference towards becoming a more balanced athlete. Read on for five of the ways McDougall recommends stepping out of your comfort zone to expand your fitness tool kit.