The Physical Intelligence That Helps You Take Action

Today's blog post is based on a podcast by The Art of Manliness:

Ever wonder why you don’t walk into walls? How you know you have to step gingerly on ice? How you decide whether you can or can’t scale a certain rock? My guest today says the answer lies in our special sense of bodily know-how. His name is Scott Grafton, and he’s a neurologist and the author of Physical Intelligence: The Science of How the Body and the Mind Guide Each Other Through Life. We begin our conversation discussing how physical intelligence is the mutually responsive interaction between your body and your mind that allows you to interact effectively in the world. Scott then explains how our mind and body work together to build our conception of space and that without this ability we couldn’t create an area of operations in which to take action. We then discuss how our mind and body communicate with various types of terrain, how we can lose that ability by limiting our movements to simple, safe environments, and how that may explain why old people fall down more. We then discuss how problem-solving can be a very physical activity and whether the feeling of fatigue is more a matter of the body or the mind. We end our conversation discussing ways you can keep your physical intelligence sharp as you age.

Here are the highlights from the show:

• What is “physical intelligence”?
• What is it that makes us human? What fulfills us most?
• How our brain constructs the concept of space around us
• What happens to people who have lost this ability?
• Why do older people fall down, even when they have good strength?
• What is “body schema”?
• What bears can teach us about physical intelligence
• What causes fatigue?

At the end of the discussion they were talking about how it's better to hike a trail as opposed to walking on a treadmill to keep your physical intelligence sharp. An ideal way to do this is with orienteering. I wrote a little about orienteering here which is mostly a copy of an article from The Art of Manliness.

I was going to write about the permanent orienteering courses set up by the Bay Area Orienteering Club but they have some semi permanent Coronavirus courses...check them out here. The two courses are Brown and Green, which are considered advanced courses...I've never done anything more difficult than Orange. Check here for a description of the course color designations. Although there are easier permanent courses located at the same park, as well as numerous other permanent courses throughout the Bay Area. As well as one in Modesto. I don't know if any of the parks are closed right now. It may be a good idea to check ahead. If you're outside of the Bay Area, check out Orienteering USA.

Interesting days

Today - Making The First Move Day, Beer Day, World Health Day, Beaver Day and No Housework Day

Tomorrow - Zoo Lovers Day, Day of Pink and Draw a Picture of a Bird Day

Next Tuesday - Dolphin Day, Look Up at the Sky Day, Equal Pay Day and Be Kind To Lawyers Day

May 7 - Password Day, Roast Leg of Lamb Day, Love’s Baby Soft Day and Cosmopolitan Day