Territory Friday Favorites - Podcasts!
By Ian Ramsey
At a time when we’re all spending more time at home and less time being social, podcasts can be a great way to get information and new perspectives, take in great storytelling, or just relax. While you run. While you cook. While you drive to the trailhead. From long-form interviews to bite-sized narrative pieces podcasts, here are a few of the podcasts I’ve really been enjoying over the past few months. Next time you’re out for a run, throw one of these on, and I hope you’ll benefit just as I have. Enjoy!
Flow Research Collective Radio is all about helping you unlock the upper edge of your potential. Essentially, how to harness your neurobiology to train up flow states, accelerated learning, and higher level performance. To get a good introductions to the science of flow states, check out the first episode with Steven Kotler, and if you want to go deeper, check out the episode about performing in high-pressure environments with Stanford neuroscientists Andrew Huberman and Navy Seal Rich Diviney.
1619 is a NYTimes audio series about how slavery has shaped America, from the deep past to the present moment. Essential history. Really good storytelling, and given everything our nation has been experiencing in recent months, vital to today.
The Ready State is an interview podcast hosted by Kelly Starrett (physical therapist, Crossfit pioneer, coach and author of books like Becoming a Supple Leopard) and Juliet Starrett (three-time world-champion paddler and entrepreneur). If you have a cranky knee, chronic back pain or tight hips, you can probably look up a Kelly Starrett video that will help you to address your issue through basic techniques of mobility and tissue health. Each season of this podcast is organized around a theme like Pain (season 2) or Aging and Longevity (Season 5). Kelly Starrett has really good, approachable language around mobility, health and movement, and will help you think about recovery and athleticism in new ways. In particular, I’d recommend the interviews with ultrarunner Amelia Boone, surfer Laird Hamilton, and longevity guru Mark Sisson.
Dolly Parton’s America-This extraordinary series starts with the question of why everyone in America-from evangelicals to drag queens-loves Dolly Parton, and then proceeds over the course of eleven episodes to look at her life through the lenses of feminism, race, religion, sexuality, commercialism, migration and other topics. Even if you’re not remotely interested in Dolly Parton, you’ll learn so much about America. And I bet you’ll walk away as a Dolly fan.
This Land is an eight-part series hosted by Rebecca Nagle, Oklahoma journalist and citizen of the Cherokee Nation, This Land traces how a straightforward homicide opened up an investigation into the treaty rights of five Native American tribes, and eventually led to the largest restoration of tribal land in U.S. history.
The Psychology Podcast with Scott Barry Kaufman digs into all aspects of the mind, brain, behavior and creativity. While I’ve benefited greatly from doing a deep dive into many of these episodes with topics ranging from the evolutionary psychology of virtue signaling to how to build better habits, I’ll point you toward an outstanding interview with Brene Brown about creativity, vulnerability and courage.
The Gabby Reece Show: Gabby Reece is a former professional volleyball player, mother, entrepreneur, model and fitness professional. Her interview podcast tends toward the vulnerable, the powerful and the honest. All of these qualities are very evident in her powerful interview with extreme skier and author Kristen Ulmer about how to develop a positive relationship with our fears.
Feel Better Live More is a health podcast hosted by Dr Rangan Chatterjee. His interview, “How Breathing Can Transform Your Life“ with Brian MacKenzie is one of the best summaries I’ve heard of the importance and practice of breath work and how it affects the body, brain and emotions. Brian MacKenzie is a pioneer in human health and performance who has turned the endurance world on its head with his science-based “Power Speed Endurance” protocols as well as a variety of other initiatives. This interview connects yoga, endurance sports, meditation, trauma, and cutting-edge science. Lots to chew on here. I’ve used breath work for everything from altitude training to mindfulness to developing metabolic efficiency. It’s one of the secret weapons that we can use as runners-and humans.
As a longtime mindfulness practitioner, I’ve benefitted from the writings of Buddhist teacher Pema Chodron for many years. In a historical moment that is challenging all of us, I think we can fall benefit from this episode of Oprah’s Super Soul Conversations: Pema Chodron on Dealing with Difficult Times.
Ian is a writer, teacher, outdoor athlete and longtime friend of Territory Run Co.
Learn more about Ian here: http://www.ianramsey.net/
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