Although the world is becoming mostly sedentary, our bodies still require a wide variety of daily movements in order to work well. Many of us struggle to get re...
Katy's new book 'I Know I Should Exercise, But... ' Presale View This Episode’s Show Notes Join Our Newsletter: Movement Colored Glasses Katy’s Virtual Studio In recent years there has been significant backlash against the idea that posture is related to good health. Join biomechanist Katy Bowman and biologist Jeannette Loram for a philosophical, historical and biological journey into the controversies around posture. Katy and Jeannette discuss whether posture is really a thing; is ‘good’ posture important or does your body work just fine regardless of how you hold it? Have we simply inherited postural ideals that are remnants of cultural, social and political baggage? Katy and Jeannette tease this out by discussing definitions of posture, the history of postural ideals and the difficulty in relating pain to posture. They turn to extreme examples of posture and Katy’s work in alignment to offer a more nuanced perspective on posture and physical experience in terms of load to tissues over time. Books & Articles MentionedThe Structure of Scientific Revolutions by Thomas S. Kuhn The Rise and Fall of American Posture by David Yosifon & Peter N. Stearns My Perfect Movement Plan by Katy BowmanMade Possible by Our Dynamic Collective of Wonderful Sponsors Movemate; dynamic active standing boards that invite movement and play into your workday, without disrupting your workflow; Smart Playrooms, design and products to keep your kids engaged and active at home; Correct Toes, soft silicone toe spacers that can be worn barefoot or in shoes; Wildling, minimal footwear for toddlers, kids and adults made from natural materials; Venn Design: beautiful floor cushions and ball seats that keep you moving at home or at the office; and Peluva Five-toe minimalist sports shoes ideal for higher impact activities. Thoughts/questions email us at [email protected] Your Voice on the Podcast: Read The CreditsÂ
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Ep 172: Is Standing the New Smoking?
Katy's new book 'I Know I Should Exercise, But... ' Presale Biomechanist Katy Bowman and biologist Jeannette Loram, discusses a recent study on sitting time, standing time and circulatory risk. They cut through the media hype and explain what the study shows and why any prolonged static position might have health consequences. Katy and Jeannette contrast our cultural norm of being in the same position for many hours a day with the diverse resting positions of the Hadza, a hunter-gatherer group with low cardiovascular risk but also a large amount of rest time. Katy explains how repetitive positioning generates higher pressure in specific locations in our circulatory system setting us up for injury, whereas varied positioning and light movement keeps the cardiovascular system supple and the pressure distributed throughout our system.  Jeannette and Katy touch on other issues to do with repetitive positioning including mobility and discomfort and offer practical suggestions for supporting your mobility and cardiovascular health while stationary. Finally don’t miss Katy answering a listener's question on hyperkyphosis via bananas and semi-permanent hair dye!Â
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Ep 171 HOW DID YOU MOVE HOW WILL YOU MOVE 2024
Katy's new book 'I Know I Should Exercise, But... ' Presale On this episode Katy and Jeannette continue the Move Your DNA annual tradition of reflecting on the past year and looking forward to the next. Through a series of questions Katy and Jeannette reflect on 2024, discuss movement goals for 2025, and invite you to play along. They explore moving through injury, menopause and how to keep progressing with age. They share their plans for 2025 and Katy provides novel strategies to help us all MOVE towards the goals we have for ourselves and our families.Â
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Ep 170: Don’t Ignore the Head and Neck
Katy's new book 'I Know I Should Exercise, But... ' Presale Biomechanist Katy Bowman talks to biologist Jeannette Loram about the importance of head and neck movement. This year, Katy’s annual exercise advent offers 24 moves for the head and neck and Katy explains her personal and professional reasons for choosing this theme.  Jeannette and Katy discuss the head and neck as a hub for our sensory, nervous, immune, digestive and vestibular systems, all of which require movement to support their functions. They discuss common issues of the head and neck region, as well as how repetitive head positioning and neck immobility can relate to broader experiences in the body, such as Katy’s discovery of a decrease in her height that she is working to reverse. They discuss the basic movements of the head and neck and also cover the structures of the region including a neck anatomy lesson provided by their favourite 1970s musical ‘Grease’ and a third-grade attempt to mimic the album cover! They share their own head and neck care practices and suggest strategies for listeners to add more daily movement for this part of the body; from changing their sleep set-up to pairing specific neck movements with a daily cue.
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Ep 169: A Dog's Best Movement Diet
Katy's new book 'I Know I Should Exercise, But... ' Presale Biomechanist Katy Bowman talks to biologist Jeannette Loram about dog movement. This discussion stemmed from witnessing a balance ball therapy session for dogs. Just like modern humans, modern dogs now require physical therapy. In this episode, Katy and Jeannette discuss how to use Katy’s ‘movement nutrition’ framework and apply it to your furry friends. Katy and Jeannette discuss the evolution of dogs and the difference in movement experience between free-ranging ancestral dogs compared with today’s urban canines. They discuss how human-chosen pacing is not necessarily the most comfortable for dogs since their most efficient gait pattern is a trot, not a walk. They discuss the importance of meaningful movement for a dog, emphasizing the importance of smell and play as ‘command-free’ movement. They also talk about the importance of mentoring movement for dogs, especially safety skills such as swimming.  Finally, they talk about their own dogs and their favourite —and often quirky—activities from climbing trees to log dragging and how dogs and humans can enhance each other’s movement diets.
Although the world is becoming mostly sedentary, our bodies still require a wide variety of daily movements in order to work well. Many of us struggle to get regular exercise, but even that can fall short of nourishing the body from head to toe. How can we move more—a lot more—when we have sore, stiff parts and overly busy lifestyles?
Join Katy Bowman M.S., biomechanist, author, and movement educator as she combines big-picture lessons on biomechanics, kinesiology, physiology, and natural human movement with simple and practical solutions and exercises to get all your body parts moving better. Katy’s lighthearted and funny approach helps us all put the movement back in our lives, and the joy back in our movement!