Barefoot Expo May 16-17 2025

This Episode's Show Notes
Join Our Newsletter: Movement Colored Glasses
Katy’s Virtual Studio - Try it Free for 7 Days!

Inspired by a listener's letter, biomechanist Katy Bowman and biologist Jeannette Loram talk about exercise and sport and how these relate to natural movement. They discuss how Katy’s message has sometimes been reduced to exercise is ‘bad’ and natural movement is ‘better’.

Katy explains that this has never been her position; rather her aim has been to challenge the assumption that the only way to move our bodies is through exercise. Her work has been to expand our framework of human movement and provide a broader understanding of the shapes and volumes of movement required for human health. 

Katy and Jeannette also address issues raised in the listener's letter about gym culture and sports, noting that many of the negatives are perceived rather than actual or are to do with commercialization. They discuss the ubiquity of team sports across human cultures and the many positives that sport can provide, including natural movements—like throwing and catching—that are hard to get elsewhere in life.  

Also in this episode Katy interviews Anna Yona, co-founder of the barefoot shoe company Wildling. Anna shares the origin story of Wildling and their expansion from children’s shoes into the adult market. Katy and Anna talk about favourite customer stories, teenage shoe choices and Wildling’s most recent venture—a rain boot—filling a much needed niche in the minimal shoe market.

Books Mentioned:

My Perfect Movement Plan by Katy Bowman
I Know I Should Exercise, But... by Diana Hill & Katy Bowman
Far From the Tree by Andrew Solomon
Hunter-Gatherer Childhoods Edited by Barry Hewlett & Michael Lamb

Made 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; Venn Design, beautiful floor cushions and ball seats that keep you moving at home or at the office; Peluva, Five-toe minimalist sports shoes ideal for higher impact activities; Wildling, minimal footwear for toddlers, kids and adults made from natural materials; Correct Toes, soft silicone toe spacers that can be worn barefoot or in shoes and Smart Playrooms, design and products to keep you and your kids engaged and active at home; 

Thoughts/questions email us at [email protected]
Your Voice on the Podcast: Read The Credits 

Barefoot Expo May 16-17 2025

This Episode's Show Notes
Join Our Newsletter: Movement Colored Glasses
Katy’s Virtual Studio - Try it Free for 7 Days!

Katy Bowman and Jeannette Loram kick this episode off with a conversation about British walking idioms and nature-based language. They are then joined by Mark Sisson, author, former distance runner and founder of the minimal shoe company Peluva. Mark, Katy and Jeannette talk about human evolutionary history, walking, health and Mark’s latest book Born to Walk. They discuss how running has become the iconic fitness activity but Mark explains how most people would be better served by abundant walking—combined with some strength training and a small amount of higher intensity exercise—to create a more nourishing and less physically stressful movement diet.  

Katy also has a conversation with Karri Bowen-Poole, founder of Smart Playrooms and one of the Move Your DNA sponsors. Smart Playrooms offer equipment and design services for indoor play and activity spaces. Katy and Karri discuss the ethos behind Smart Playrooms, the design process and Karri offers her genius recommendations for equipment to add to every home. Katy and Karri explain how to plan flexible and adjustable spaces so that your movement and play areas stay interesting and grow with your family.

Books Mentioned:

Landmarks by Robert Macfarlane
Born to Walk by Mark Sisson & Brad Kearns
The Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson
Born to Run by Mark McDougall
I Know I Should Exercise, But... by Diana Hill & Katy Bowman 

Made Possible by Our Dynamic Collective of Wonderful Sponsors:

Venn Design, beautiful floor cushions and ball seats that keep you moving at home or at the office; Smart Playrooms, design and products to keep you and your kids engaged and active at home; Wildling, minimal footwear for toddlers, kids and adults made from natural materials;  Correct Toes, soft silicone toe spacers that can be worn barefoot or in shoes; Movemate, dynamic active standing boards that invite movement and play into your workday, without disrupting your workflow 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 Credits 

Barefoot Expo May 16-17 2025

This Episode's Show Notes
Join Our Newsletter: Movement Colored Glasses
Katy’s Virtual Studio - Try it Free for 7 Days!

Biomechanist Katy Bowman and biologist Jeannette Loram discuss movement for the bendy body with their guest Dr Libby Hinsley, a doctor of physical therapy specializing in the treatment of hypermobility syndromes and chronic pain. Libby shares her personal and professional journey with hypermobility explaining what hypermobility is and the associated symptoms. Libby, Katy and Jeannette discuss the paradox that bendy bodies have large ranges of motion yet tense muscles and how a sedentary lifestyle is even more of a liability for people with hypermobility syndromes. Libby and Katy outline the ABCs of a movement program for bendy bodies that often struggle with proprioception and are easily fatigued. They emphasize the importance of higher load activities performed with very mindful attention to exercise form. They caution that smaller and slower movements are key whatever the exercise modality. 

Also in this episode, Katy has a conversation with Sohail Shariff of Movemate, creator of segmented active standing boards designed to be used while you work. Sohail explains the personal stories behind the product and its design. Katy shares her appreciation of the boards particularly how  these boards foster dynamic movement of the foot and ankle, something missing with traditional balance boards. Sohail and Katy also discuss the board's segmented design; the multiple articulations create a flowing but stable motion which means Katy can move and focus on work at the same time. Finally they discuss the value of the board in the therapeutic space particularly for those with a need for movement that soothes the nervous system. 

Books Mentioned:

Yoga for Bendy People: Optimizing the Benefits of Yoga for Hypermobility by Libby Hinsley
I Know I Should Exercise, But... by Diana Hill & Katy Bowman 

Made Possible by Our Dynamic Collective of Wonderful Sponsors:

Smart Playrooms, design and products to keep you and your kids engaged and active at home; Movemate, dynamic active standing boards that invite movement and play into your workday, without disrupting your workflow; Correct Toes, soft silicone toe spacers that can be worn barefoot or in shoes; Peluva Five-toe minimalist sports shoes ideal for higher impact activities; Venn Design, beautiful floor cushions and ball seats that keep you moving at home or at the office and Wildling, minimal footwear for toddlers, kids and adults made from natural materials.  

Thoughts/questions email us at [email protected]
Your Voice on the Podcast: Read The Credits 

Barefoot Expo May 16-17 2025

This Episode's Show Notes
Join Our Newsletter: Movement Colored Glasses
Katy’s Virtual Studio - Try it Free for 7 Days!

Are you confused by all the social media messaging about muscle mass and strength training? Join us for this beefy episode all about muscle! 

Biomechanist Katy Bowman and biologist Jeannette Loram discuss the clinical term sarcopenia– age-related muscle decline–and distinguish it from muscle atrophy due to disuse and sedentary lifestyles. Katy and Jeannette tease apart the different elements of muscle decline; mass, strength and function. They debate how each of these can be measured and their importance. Their discussion centers on a listener's question seeking to understand what we should be doing physically to prevent muscle loss. 

Also in this episode, Katy has a conversation with Tyler Benner of Venn Design, a company creating dynamic seating for homes and offices. Tyler explains how his background in physics and sport have contributed to his creativity in product design. Tyler highlights his solar and sports series of Air Chairs and explains how he has created designs that look exactly like a planet or a basketball! He also introduces his latest venture; Strong Feet Athletics, creator of the first barefoot cycling shoe.  

Books Mentioned

Dynamic Aging by Katy Bowman 

Made Possible by Our Dynamic Collective of Wonderful Sponsors 

Wildling, minimal footwear for toddlers, kids and adults made from natural materials; Correct Toes, soft silicone toe spacers that can be worn barefoot or in shoes; Smart Playrooms, design and products to keep you and your kids engaged and active at home; Venn Design: beautiful floor cushions and ball seats that keep you moving at home or at the office; Peluva Five-toe minimalist sports shoes ideal for higher impact activities, and Movemate; dynamic active standing boards that invite movement and play into your workday, without disrupting your workflow. 

Thoughts/questions email us at [email protected]
Your Voice on the Podcast: Read The Credits 

Barefoot Expo May 16-17 2025

View This Episode's Show Notes
Join Our Newsletter: Movement Colored Glasses
Katy’s Virtual Studio

This is a special episode with two features and several guests! 

In the first feature, biomechanist Katy Bowman is joined by psychologists Dr Diana Hill and Dr Kelly McGonigal. Katy and Diana have co-written a new book I know I should Exercise But… 44 Reasons We Don’t Move and How to Get Over Them and they came together with Kelly, author of the The Joy of Movement, to talk about personal obstacles to movement, movement frameworks & vocabulary and how to find your ‘movement genius’. 

In our second feature Katy welcomes author and masters athlete Brad Kearns, to talk about the minimalist five-toed shoe company Peluva, one of our podcast sponsors. Brad shares the early history of the company and how you go about making a minimalist shoe. Katy and Brad discuss the niche that Peluva fills in the minimal shoe market and Brad shares his favourite customer success stories. 

Books & Articles Mentioned

I Know I Should Exercise But…44 Reasons We Don’t Move and How to Get Over Them by Diana Hill & Katy Bowman

The Joy of Movement by Kelly McGonigal 

Born to Walk by Mark Sisson with Brad Kearns 

Made Possible by Our Dynamic Collective of Wonderful Sponsors 

Peluva Five-toe minimalist sports shoes ideal for higher impact activities, 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; Movemate; dynamic active standing boards that invite movement and play into your workday, without disrupting your workflow; Smart Playrooms, design and products to keep you and your kids engaged and active at home; and Correct Toes, soft silicone toe spacers that can be worn barefoot or in shoes;

Thoughts/questions email us at [email protected]
Your Voice on the Podcast: Read The Credits 

Barefoot Expo May 16-17 2025

View This Episode's Show Notes
Join Our Newsletter: Movement Colored Glasses
Katy’s Virtual Studio

Biomechanist Katy Bowman and biologist Jeannette Loram discuss Matters of the Heart. They cover the anatomy, tissues and function of the cardiovascular system, highlighting key concepts of heart health that are underappreciated. They discuss the importance of the flexibility of red blood cells, arterial walls and the heart muscle itself. They also explain the vital role of skeletal muscle contraction in healthy circulation. Muscle contraction during exercise not only assists the return of blood to the heart from the extremities, it is also the signal for blood vessels near working muscles to dilate or widen ‘pulling’ blood from arteries into the tissues. 

Katy and Jeannette talk about a movement diet to support the cardiovascular system. They emphasize the importance of higher intensity activity for taking the heart and arteries through their full ranges of motion. Their discussion also offers up a much larger buffet of exercise options than you might have previously considered. Strength training, big body work and stress-reducing movement all have complementary benefits for the cardiovascular system. 

Also in this episode Katy interviews podiatrist Dr Ray McClanahan, founder of Correct Toes and one of our podcast sponsors. Correct Toes are a toe orthotic designed to return toes to their natural alignment as the widest part of the foot. Ray explains the functional benefits of aligned toes, including improved balance, circulation and strength. Katy and Ray chat about how and why Correct Toes came about and they also discuss the future, with an introduction to some of Correct Toes latest products.

Books & Articles Mentioned
My Perfect Movement Plan by Katy Bowman
Move Your DNA by Katy Bowman

Made Possible by Our Dynamic Collective of Wonderful Sponsors 

Correct Toes, soft silicone toe spacers that can be worn barefoot or in shoes;  Peluva Five-toe minimalist sports shoes ideal for higher impact activities, 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;  Wildling, minimal footwear for toddlers, kids and adults made from natural materials and Venn Design: beautiful floor cushions and ball seats that keep you moving at home or at the office. 

Thoughts/questions email us at [email protected]
Your Voice on the Podcast: Read The Credits 

Barefoot Expo May 16-17 2025

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 Mentioned
The 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 Bowman

Made 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 Credits 

Barefoot Expo May 16-17 2025

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! 

Barefoot Expo May 16-17 2025

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. 

Barefoot Expo May 16-17 2025

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.