The podcast for active people who overcome obstacles to maintain that lifestyle, obstacles such as chronic or recurrent pain or injury, aging, illness, weight management, time management, motivation, life changes, life balance and just plain life.
In addition to telling these stories, My Body Odyssey poses complex questions about wellness, fitness, and human anatomy, while avoiding simple answers, since the human body in motion is anything but simple.
Why do we consult the same anatomy charts yet look completely different running, cycling, swimming and dancing? (And, yes, some of us should not dance…)
Why do we measure exercise results in calories burned and miles covered but never stress and impact on muscles, bones and joints?
Why do even young, well-conditioned athletes sustain injury during movements executed hundreds of times before?
Why do we have a good and bad side of the body? Shouldn’t we seek symmetry?
To explore these questions, we’ll consult experts in the fields of Anatomy, Physiology, Biomechanics, Sports Medicine, Physiatry, Kinesiology, Physical and Massage Therapies, Yoga, Pilates, and more. And we’ll recount the creative adaptations of active lifestylers from a wide range of locations, backgrounds, age groups and activities.
“First a basketball then tennis player then runner, I tore my hamstring not once but at least six times. Finally learned to stop stretching chronically tight hamstrings and strengthen them, while stretching hips and quads. Wish I’d known that many tears ago.”
We’re looking for personal stories from active folks of all ages who’ve navigated an anatomical challenge or two or several, learning about their own strengths and weaknesses in the process.
What challenges have you faced?
How have you overcome them?
What did you learn in the process about both general and your own personal anatomy?
And what do you differently because of this knowledge?
Send us 100-200 words about your own Body Odyssey and we may contact you for a future segment.
“I used to live for my long weekly cycling rides despite constant hip pain. Then I realized sitting on planes during the week and bikes on weekends was messing with my pelvic floor. Put my bike away and learned to swim and paddle board. Sure I miss the bike on a beautiful fall day but not the subsequent pain and tightness.”
“The problem is we arrive on the planet without a user’s manual.”
ESTHER GOKHALERobert has been a lifelong sport enthusiast and frequent fixture in the waiting rooms of Doctors, Physical Therapists and Imaging Clinics. He’s achieved varying degrees of mediocrity in basketball, tennis, platform tennis, running, cycling, swimming and triathlons (so far), while injuring most every joint and muscle in the process. Family medical history necessitates Robert’s daily exercise but his lumbar spine isn’t always with the plan.
Robert was educated at Princeton and Brandeis Universities and previously worked as a Non-Profit Administrator, Financial Journalist, and Executive Recruiter prior to forming Fluent Knowledge and creating My Body Odyssey.
KATY BOWMAN