Movement Logic: Strong Opinions, Loosely Held

In this episode of the Movement Logic Podcast, Dr. Sarah Court and Laurel Beversdorf critically evaluate the claims made by YogaU Online about the connections between breathing practices and bone health during a recent promotional webinar for a new workshop called “Breath As Medicine: Yogic Breathing for Vital Aging.” They meticulously analyze research studies cited by YogaU, debunking pseudoscien...

In this episode of the Movement Logic Podcast, we take a hard look at one of our own core messages and ask: does it have to be heavy to build bone? We unpack a landmark systematic review and meta-analysis that compared more than 100 exercise interventions in postmenopausal women, looking at low, moderate, and high intensities across resistance training, impact, and combined programs. We explain th...

In this episode of the Movement Logic Podcast, Laurel unpacks what warm ups actually do—and why cool downs aren’t necessary. She explains how warming up sharpens focus, raises tissue temperature, and primes the nervous system, setting you up to perform better and reduce injury risk. Laurel shares five simple principles for effective warm ups, clears up myths about stretching and “activation,” and...

In this episode of the Movement Logic Podcast, Dr. Sarah Court explores the fascinating impact of the placebo effect on sports performance and rehabilitation. Dr. Court discusses recent studies, including a unique experiment involving a pink, calorie-free drink that boosted bench press performance among trained lifters. The episode delves into how beliefs and expectations can lead to measurable ph...

In this episode of the Movement Logic Podcast, Laurel explores whether you can train fascia, separating myths from facts about this connective tissue. She discusses her personal journey with fascia-focused methods, including self-massage and Yoga Tune Up, and questions commonly held beliefs about fascia adaptation from exercise. Laurel critiques the metaphorical narratives versus physiological mec...

In this episode of the Movement Logic Podcast, Dr. Sarah Court, PT, delves into the trend of walking with weighted vests to improve bone density, especially among perimenopausal and menopausal women. She reviews multiple long-term and short-term studies on the subject, comparing the effectiveness of weighted vests in bone metabolism, bone mineral density, and balance improvement. Sarah argues that...

In this episode of the Movement Logic Podcast, Laurel explores how we’ve come to assign moral value to certain movement concepts—like compression, flexion, anterior tilt, and instability—and why that language does more harm than good. She unpacks how terms that are neutral by definition often get rebranded as “bad,” “dangerous,” or “dysfunctional” in movement and rehab spaces. Rather than offering...

In this episode of the Movement Logic Podcast, Laurel shares six universal takeaways from training for and running her first marathon—and how they apply to any long term, challenging, exercise-related goal. Whether your goal is to build strength, increase stamina, or just feel more capable in your daily life, this episode explores fundamental training principles, helpful mindset coaching, and empo...

In this episode of the Movement Logic Podcast, Sarah explores the commonly held belief that any amount of exercise is better than none. Using recent research, she discusses the benefits of minimal exercise on cardiovascular health and longevity but also highlights the limitations of this advice. She emphasizes the need for strength training and power exercises to meet the comprehensive physical ne...

In this 'Inbetweenie' episode of the Movement Logic podcast, Sarah delves into the widespread misinterpretation of a 2014 research study titled 'Ability to Sit and Rise from the Floor as a Predictor of All-Cause Mortality.' Popularly known as the Sitting Rising Test (SRT), the study has been sensationalized in the media and on social platforms, claiming that the ability (or inability) to get up fr...

In this episode of the Movement Logic Podcast, we dive into cardiovascular health and the role of cardiorespiratory fitness in supporting longevity —especially for women as they age. We break down the science behind moderate and vigorous aerobic exercise , explain how it differs from strength training, and explore why both are essential for long-term health. We also tackle some of the most persist...

Welcome to Episode 97 of the Movement Logic Podcast! In this special episode, Laurel and Sarah talk to four women who recently completed the Bone Density Course: Lift for Longevity about their experiences. Whether it’s building strength and stability for hiking and biking, reclaiming confidence in their bodies, or surprising themselves with what they can lift, each woman brings a unique and inspir...

In this episode of the Movement Logic podcast, Sarah and Laurel dig into the grift surrounding popular bone health programs, critically analyzing Bones for Life, Bone Coach, and Buff Bones. They introduce the Grift-O-Meter™ scale to rate each program on their misleading tactics and claims about osteoporosis treatment. They conclude by decrying the patronizing nature of some fitness regimes, urging...

In this insightful episode, Dr. Sarah Court sits down with Dr. Caitlin Casella, PT, DPT, to discuss the evolution and current state of physical therapy. Dr. Casella shares her journey from being a full-time yoga instructor to becoming a PT, the transition from yoga to developing her own physical therapy practice, and her thoughts on the business models in PT clinics today. They delve into the chal...

In this episode of the Movement Logic Podcast, Laurel and Sarah explore why power training deserves a spot in your movement routine—especially as you age. They kick things off by reviewing the different types of strength before introducing the concept of power, breaking down the fact that, yes, there are different types of power too. You’ll hear why power is critical for balance, fall prevention,...

In this episode of the Movement Logic Podcast , hosts Laurel Beversdorf and Dr. Sarah Court critically examine common beliefs surrounding spinal flexion exercises and osteoporosis, particularly from a yoga and Pilates perspective. They delve into two pivotal studies on exercise and fracture risk, both led by Dr. Mehrsheed Sinaki, a renowned specialist in physical medicine and rehabilitation at the...

In this episode of the Movement Logic podcast, Laurel and Sarah dissect a recent email they received from Dr. Loren Fishman, in which he expressed frustration over their critique of his study on yoga and bone density.  In this episode, they address Fishman's email and take another look at his study, Twelve-Minute Daily Yoga Regimen Reverses Osteoporotic Bone Loss.  Laurel and Sarah's con...

In this episode of the Movement Logic Podcast, Sarah and Laurel are thrilled to interview esteemed exercise scientist Professor Belinda Beck, investigator in the groundbreaking LIFTMOR trial. They discuss the necessity of high-intensity resistance and impact training for improving bone density, comparing it to less effective exercises like Pilates, yoga, and walking. Professor Beck shares insights...

We start off Season 6 with Part 1 of our 3 Part series on Longevity. What are the capacities we need to retain or develop in order to continue to live the lives we want to at the end of our lives? In Part 1, hosts Sarah Court and Laurel Beversdorf dive deep into the capacity of strength. We discuss the difference between strength endurance and maximal strength, and the myriad benefits of heavy str...

In this episode of the Movement Logic Podcast, host Laurel Beversdorf explores the concept of 'dead butt syndrome' or 'gluteal amnesia', debunking both as a non-evidence-based myths perpetuated in fitness and health discussions. Laurel discusses the misleading information in a recent New York Times article titled Sitting All Day Can Cause Dead Butt Syndrome, and emphasizes the importance of eviden...

In this very special Inbetweenie, we're interviewed by Dr. Adam McAtee, PT, on his Evidence-Based Pilates podcast to talk all things bone density. You will learn: · The 3 aspects that make up bone strength: BMD, bone size, and bone architecture · Catabolism and anabolism across your lifespan · Why Pilates and yoga aren’t going to cut it long term for bone building · How weight bearing and weight l...

In this in-between episode of the Movement Logic Podcast, Laurel discusses two major myths: the longevity significance of grip strength and the role of single leg exercises in improving balance. The discussion touches on the misinterpretations of grip strength's correlation with health and longevity, different types of grip and their training, and the genetic factors influencing grip strength. It...

In this in-between episode of the Movement Logic Podcast, Sarah discusses a new product for osteopenia called Osteoboost, a wearable medical device that uses gentle vibrations to improve bone density and strength, offering a non-invasive alternative to traditional treatments. Sarah delves into the research behind the device, its FDA clearance, and its effectiveness compared to medication and exerc...

In this solo episode of the Movement Logic Podcast, Laurel Beversdorf dives into the topic of exercise recovery. She differentiates between the physiological 'Big R' recovery and the 'little r' recovery, or aggressively marketed “recovery optimization” practices that the wellness industry loves to sell. Laurel discusses how sleep, nutrition, and strategic exercise stress management are critical to...

Welcome to Episode 84 of the Movement Logic podcast! In this Inbetweenie, Laurel and Sarah Court discuss health misinformation and practical tips for spotting misinformation around exercise for osteoporosis, “in the wild”. 00:00 Introduction 01:07 Bone Density Course update 02:22 Continuing the discussion on science and pseudoscience 04:56 Yoga U email and legal considerations 08:14 Six tricks of...