Biomechanist Katy Bowman and biologist Jeannette Loram talk all about swimming. They discuss the history of human swimming; whether humans are natural-born swimmers, evidence for swimming in the past and physiological adaptations found in swimming and diving cultures.

They discuss the four classic swimming strokes as well as other ways to move in the water and explore the movement macro-and micro-nutrients found in swimming. They talk about joint and bone support and the trade-offs of exercising in buoyant water. They also offer tips for avoiding swimming-related neck and back pain.

Finally, Katy and Jeannette touch on the aquatic Olympics and athletic longevity and also share their personal swimming histories and favorite ways of moving through the water.

Biomechanist Katy Bowman and biologist Jeannette Loram talk with English professor Vybarr Cregan-Reid about books and the body. Katy, Jeannette and Vybarr discuss being ‘rescued’ by books, the value of fiction in developing empathy, reading as a workout for the brain, how literacy may have changed our brain and the current denigration of fiction within education. They debate ideas about the evolution of storytelling and its role within different cultures, whether reading is a high-tech version of storytelling and how oral story differs from written story. They also touch on how writing and reading can be hard on the body and offer some personal tips for offsetting long hours of writing.

Following on from our Hiking Poles episode, biomechanist Katy Bowman and biologist Jeannette Loram answer all your other questions about hiking. Katy and Jeannette discuss how to prepare for hiking, walking with a backpack, hiking gear and clothing and how to manage fatigue or pain. They flesh out the functional movements involved in hiking, why downhill can be so hard on the knees and calves and how a backpack changes the loads to your body. Katy also provides a weekly plan of exercises to support hiking and explains how swimming and walking are the perfect movement pair.