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    In Praise of Walking by Shane O'Mara Summary

    In Praise of Walking
    Shane O'Mara
    3.33 (2612 Reviews)
    Science
    Psychology
    Health
    Overview
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    Author
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    Overview of In Praise of Walking

    Discover why neuroscientist Shane O'Mara calls walking our "superpower" - a brain-boosting, creativity-unleashing activity reshaping urban planning conversations worldwide. What daily practice do wellness experts say simultaneously fights aging, depression, and cognitive decline while requiring zero equipment?

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    "Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

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    "Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

    @Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC
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    "Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

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    "The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

    @Leo, Law Student, UPenn
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    483

    "Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

    @Cashflowbubu
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    "Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

    @Moemenn
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    "I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

    @Chloe, Solo founder, LA
    platform
    comments
    12
    likes
    117

    "Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

    @Raaaaaachelw
    platform
    star
    star
    star
    star
    star

    "Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

    @Matt, YC alum
    platform
    comments
    12
    likes
    108

    "Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

    @Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC
    platform
    comments
    254
    likes
    17

    "Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

    @djmikemoore
    platform
    star
    star
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    star

    "BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

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    "BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

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    "The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

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    Elon MuskCharlie KirkBill GatesSteve JobsAndrew HubermanJoe RoganJordan Peterson
    Award winning collection
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    Key Takeaways

    1

    The Forgotten Superpower: Why We Walk

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    Walking - the most ordinary human activity - is actually our most extraordinary evolutionary achievement. While we celebrate our big brains and language abilities, it's our upright, bipedal gait that truly defines us as human. This seemingly simple movement required dramatic anatomical changes across millions of years, from our skull's base to our specialized feet with their forward-facing toes and elastic arches. The evolutionary payoff was enormous: walking upright freed our hands, allowed us to carry food and children, and enabled us to travel twice as far as a chimpanzee for the same energy expenditure. Yet today, we're abandoning this fundamental adaptation. Modern humans move remarkably little - smartphone tracking reveals we average only a few thousand steps daily, creating serious health consequences. Compare this to the Tsimane hunter-gatherers of Bolivia who walk everywhere and enjoy extraordinary cardiovascular health. Their coronary artery calcium scores are a fifth of Western populations, with an 80-year-old Tsimane having the vascular age of an American in their mid-fifties. Our bodies still function best when we honor this fundamental adaptation - our evolutionary legacy demands movement.

    2

    The Brain That Walks: Movement Creates Mind

    3

    Learning to Walk: The Art of Bipedal Navigation

    4

    Walking Cities: Designing for Human Movement

    5

    Nature's Pharmacy: Walking for Body and Mind

    6

    Walking Together: The Social Power of Movement

    7

    The Path Forward: Reclaiming Our Walking Heritage