Dr. Turner Osler studied anthropology at Princeton, before becoming a surgeon and research epidemiologist. After 30 years working at the University of Vermont’s trauma center, Dr. Osler left the operating room and began a career as a research epidemiologist, which required hours of sitting at a computer, resulting in unrelenting back pain. Being an expert on the spine, he decided to try to design a chair that would work with, rather than against human anatomy and physiology.
This was an excellent episode, very interesting and informative. I agree with most of what was discussed although I feel that I should push back, somewhat, against CPR's criticism's of exercise. I agree that gyms are boring, I try to avoid them as much as possible - but we now know that resistance training is essential for living a long, healthy, and illness/ injury free life. Your muscles start wasting away from your 30s onwards, and so without regular stimulation they will atrophy - same goes for your bone density that also responds to exercise. One of the leading causes of death in old age is from falls that people never recover from... the low bone density and muscle atrophy caused by a lifetime of inactivity results in a double-whammy of both the fall itself (no strength or balance) combined with no muscle to cushion the fall, and brittle bones. The fall renders elderly completely immobile, and then it all goes swiftly downhill from there.
It's the same deal as with jaw, tooth, and skull shape development you were discussing that responds to chewing, exercise, and nose breathing when we're growing up - the same logic applies to your muscles throughout your lifetime; the body is constantly responding to the feedback you give it. If you don't regularly stress your muscles, you'll lose them - and the older you get, the more difficult it is to stimulate them and synthesise new ones - as our ability to absorb protein diminishes with age. Taking pleasurable walks in the countryside and the odd splash in a cool river, while definitely enjoyable and highly recommended, are no substitute for regular strength training and cardio ... there are many ways to achieve this without joining a gym, but for most people working 9-5, a gym is the most convenient option.
I think there's a healthy middle ground to be found between shunning all exercise as being boring and unnecessary on the one hand, and being a gym rat obsessed with their physical appearance on the other.
Great episode! I find it interesting how often intuition leads people to believe that our most fundamental movement is walking. I suppose this isn't entirely wrong. Homo sapiens are very efficient bipedal walkers. Our bipedal walking is about four times more efficient than a chimpanzee's bipedal AND quadrupedal walk. Our walk is also twice as efficient as our run.
The thing is, most people don't realize how ancient this efficient "human" bipedal walk actually is...When I was writing my undergrad thesis "The Evolution of Running" my advisor, Donald Johansen, (who discovered and described the famous Lucy specimen) chastised and then schooled me on how Lucy's (or Australopithecus afarensis - 3.2 million years old) bipedal walk was indistinguishable from that of modern humans. The efficiency of their bipedal walking is estimated to match our own. Daniel Lieberman also argues that despite the large feet and curved toes of the hobbits ( Homo floresiensis) their bipedal walk was likely very close to our own. But he noted that "the long, slightly curved toes probably posed no hindrance to walking, but would have created problematically high torques around
the toe joints during running."
I would argue that once the hominin skeleton, regardless of the specific morphological configuration, evolved something that would allow the skeleton to support body weight rather than the musculature of the body, the majority of the benefits of bipedal walking would have been realized. This was accomplished in various hominin species and ridiculously early.
All that to say, that yes us modern humans, or our species as a whole, are super efficient bipedal walkers, but so is the rest of the genus Homo. Following the data, one can only conclude that what really sets Homo sapiens apart is our ability to run. But even this statement is not entirely accurate. It's more accurate to say that our lineage evolved to run. Homo erectus was probably not our equal at sustained running but they were the first. Over time, this lineage spit out Homo sapiens. Our physiology attests to a running lineage.
For example, the nuchal ligament is only present in mammals that run such as dogs, horses, rabbits, and us. The endocannabinoid system mirrors this story and is most active in running mammals. The sexy big ass, that constantly catches our gaze, is inactive during walking. But it's a powerhouse as soon as we decide to run. The Australopithecus genus lacks the springy Achilles tendon while the Homo genus (the large variation found in Homo habilis might indicate it's the bridge of this trait) posses this feature. Evolutionary anthropologist Fred Spoor's work reveals something fascinating about the inner ear canals of members of the genus Homo. Homo erectus and Homo sapiens have nearly identical inner ear canals while the inner ear canal that senses vertical orientation is smaller (therefore less sensitive) in Homo neanderthalensis. This is probably a signal of both environment, flat savannah vs. mountains, and behavior, running/persistence hunting vs. walking/ambush hunting.
I could go on and on but I should probably cut to the chase.
Does any of this mean that for most of our life history Homo sapiens were Forest Gump and always running? Probably not. But it does show that the ability to run whether it be to hunt, scavenge, or simply cover long distances, was a strong enough selective pressure to give us many of the physical features that we take for granted. A lot of people have a hard time justifying conclusions based solely on our biology because it doesn't perfectly answer the questions we have. But when viewed as a record of historical behavior it does implicate the life history of our species and indicates that running became increasingly important in our lineage culminating in Homo sapiens. Bipedal running in modern humans is still twice as efficient as any form of chimpanzee locomotion.
This one was a very mentally stimulating podcast like all of your podcasts. Your story about scuba diving is a compelling argument at pointing out the vulnerabilities with feelings but ill be honest I didn’t fully resonate with it. Have you considered that trying to understand the mechanics of human feeling could be the same as trying to understand the mechanics of god itself? With AGI on the rise and logic being its strength I think it’s important that humans recognize our strength which is feeling the fuck out of things.
Loved what you said about confusing a lack of physical awareness/numbness with "comfort". That could be applied to so much of life! When we're aware of our (challenging) emotions, it can be overwhelming and we often want to return to our perceived "comfort", kidding ourselves that's what life is. I think we might have forgotten that a full life is about feeling everything, whether that's stones underneath your feet, or the uncertainty of not knowing. Thanks for the reminder!
Your comment on movement education is right on spot. Many times some of the issues we develop as a society (back pain, balance loss, lack of coordination, etc.) is due to physical illiteracy. Even when it seems that a person could be weak, the problem is related to either posture or bad mechanics. Even in apparently health people, when there is movement education (Physical Education) things like strength, endurance, mobility, including cardiorespiratory capacity improve without actually being "trained". Ive experienced this phenomenon at schools, gym, and rehab settings when a physical education approach is implemented - instead of a strengthening one.
Btw, thanks for sharing this, because In my book I touch on activities that while not seeming very active are beneficial and the idea of active sitting is a fantastic physical activity that can be done.
Regarding the senses (you mentioned sight) the very exposure to the outside environment itself is is a great exercise to optimize them without working them out. I argue in my book (WIP) that there is a huge problem with over-exercising the senses to make up for not using them (and it is fucking people up); talking about exercise overdose.
And sit on the edge of your conventional office chair
Basically you have to raise your chair and adapt your posture as indicated in this link https://qor360.com/workstation/
This was an excellent episode, very interesting and informative. I agree with most of what was discussed although I feel that I should push back, somewhat, against CPR's criticism's of exercise. I agree that gyms are boring, I try to avoid them as much as possible - but we now know that resistance training is essential for living a long, healthy, and illness/ injury free life. Your muscles start wasting away from your 30s onwards, and so without regular stimulation they will atrophy - same goes for your bone density that also responds to exercise. One of the leading causes of death in old age is from falls that people never recover from... the low bone density and muscle atrophy caused by a lifetime of inactivity results in a double-whammy of both the fall itself (no strength or balance) combined with no muscle to cushion the fall, and brittle bones. The fall renders elderly completely immobile, and then it all goes swiftly downhill from there.
It's the same deal as with jaw, tooth, and skull shape development you were discussing that responds to chewing, exercise, and nose breathing when we're growing up - the same logic applies to your muscles throughout your lifetime; the body is constantly responding to the feedback you give it. If you don't regularly stress your muscles, you'll lose them - and the older you get, the more difficult it is to stimulate them and synthesise new ones - as our ability to absorb protein diminishes with age. Taking pleasurable walks in the countryside and the odd splash in a cool river, while definitely enjoyable and highly recommended, are no substitute for regular strength training and cardio ... there are many ways to achieve this without joining a gym, but for most people working 9-5, a gym is the most convenient option.
I think there's a healthy middle ground to be found between shunning all exercise as being boring and unnecessary on the one hand, and being a gym rat obsessed with their physical appearance on the other.
Great episode! I find it interesting how often intuition leads people to believe that our most fundamental movement is walking. I suppose this isn't entirely wrong. Homo sapiens are very efficient bipedal walkers. Our bipedal walking is about four times more efficient than a chimpanzee's bipedal AND quadrupedal walk. Our walk is also twice as efficient as our run.
The thing is, most people don't realize how ancient this efficient "human" bipedal walk actually is...When I was writing my undergrad thesis "The Evolution of Running" my advisor, Donald Johansen, (who discovered and described the famous Lucy specimen) chastised and then schooled me on how Lucy's (or Australopithecus afarensis - 3.2 million years old) bipedal walk was indistinguishable from that of modern humans. The efficiency of their bipedal walking is estimated to match our own. Daniel Lieberman also argues that despite the large feet and curved toes of the hobbits ( Homo floresiensis) their bipedal walk was likely very close to our own. But he noted that "the long, slightly curved toes probably posed no hindrance to walking, but would have created problematically high torques around
the toe joints during running."
I would argue that once the hominin skeleton, regardless of the specific morphological configuration, evolved something that would allow the skeleton to support body weight rather than the musculature of the body, the majority of the benefits of bipedal walking would have been realized. This was accomplished in various hominin species and ridiculously early.
All that to say, that yes us modern humans, or our species as a whole, are super efficient bipedal walkers, but so is the rest of the genus Homo. Following the data, one can only conclude that what really sets Homo sapiens apart is our ability to run. But even this statement is not entirely accurate. It's more accurate to say that our lineage evolved to run. Homo erectus was probably not our equal at sustained running but they were the first. Over time, this lineage spit out Homo sapiens. Our physiology attests to a running lineage.
For example, the nuchal ligament is only present in mammals that run such as dogs, horses, rabbits, and us. The endocannabinoid system mirrors this story and is most active in running mammals. The sexy big ass, that constantly catches our gaze, is inactive during walking. But it's a powerhouse as soon as we decide to run. The Australopithecus genus lacks the springy Achilles tendon while the Homo genus (the large variation found in Homo habilis might indicate it's the bridge of this trait) posses this feature. Evolutionary anthropologist Fred Spoor's work reveals something fascinating about the inner ear canals of members of the genus Homo. Homo erectus and Homo sapiens have nearly identical inner ear canals while the inner ear canal that senses vertical orientation is smaller (therefore less sensitive) in Homo neanderthalensis. This is probably a signal of both environment, flat savannah vs. mountains, and behavior, running/persistence hunting vs. walking/ambush hunting.
I could go on and on but I should probably cut to the chase.
Does any of this mean that for most of our life history Homo sapiens were Forest Gump and always running? Probably not. But it does show that the ability to run whether it be to hunt, scavenge, or simply cover long distances, was a strong enough selective pressure to give us many of the physical features that we take for granted. A lot of people have a hard time justifying conclusions based solely on our biology because it doesn't perfectly answer the questions we have. But when viewed as a record of historical behavior it does implicate the life history of our species and indicates that running became increasingly important in our lineage culminating in Homo sapiens. Bipedal running in modern humans is still twice as efficient as any form of chimpanzee locomotion.
This one was a very mentally stimulating podcast like all of your podcasts. Your story about scuba diving is a compelling argument at pointing out the vulnerabilities with feelings but ill be honest I didn’t fully resonate with it. Have you considered that trying to understand the mechanics of human feeling could be the same as trying to understand the mechanics of god itself? With AGI on the rise and logic being its strength I think it’s important that humans recognize our strength which is feeling the fuck out of things.
Loved what you said about confusing a lack of physical awareness/numbness with "comfort". That could be applied to so much of life! When we're aware of our (challenging) emotions, it can be overwhelming and we often want to return to our perceived "comfort", kidding ourselves that's what life is. I think we might have forgotten that a full life is about feeling everything, whether that's stones underneath your feet, or the uncertainty of not knowing. Thanks for the reminder!
Applied their tip on how to sit properly with a regular office chair and already feeling better. Thanks for making my life better 🙏
What was the tip? I must have missed it.
Love this
Your comment on movement education is right on spot. Many times some of the issues we develop as a society (back pain, balance loss, lack of coordination, etc.) is due to physical illiteracy. Even when it seems that a person could be weak, the problem is related to either posture or bad mechanics. Even in apparently health people, when there is movement education (Physical Education) things like strength, endurance, mobility, including cardiorespiratory capacity improve without actually being "trained". Ive experienced this phenomenon at schools, gym, and rehab settings when a physical education approach is implemented - instead of a strengthening one.
Btw, thanks for sharing this, because In my book I touch on activities that while not seeming very active are beneficial and the idea of active sitting is a fantastic physical activity that can be done.
Regarding the senses (you mentioned sight) the very exposure to the outside environment itself is is a great exercise to optimize them without working them out. I argue in my book (WIP) that there is a huge problem with over-exercising the senses to make up for not using them (and it is fucking people up); talking about exercise overdose.
Gracias por compartir!
Thanks for sharing Dr Oslo's work, as a chiropractor this is great for me to see. The chair looks amazing.