Episode 58: The nerds vs. jocks battle is a lie

“Skinny Steve” was a nerd before he became the beefy jock Captain America. Except maybe he was still a nerd even after he bulked up.

We're sick of the nerds vs. jocks trope in pop culture. In this episode we unpack how that trope came to be, and how to get beyond high school PE trauma. We talk about science fiction that fetishizes workout routines (Arrow's salmon ladder!?), and portrays nerds as physically weak. Plus, we're joined by trainer Robyn Warren, creator of Geek Girl Strong, who explains how to build exercise into your nerdy life -- and why PE classes need to change.

Notes, citations, & etc.

Robyn Warren, fitness mastermind, physical trainer, and owner of Geek Girl Strong

Jonathan Korman’s Twitter thread about PE trauma

Revenge of the Nerds, dir. Jeff Kanew

Stranger Things, created by the Duffer Bros.

Science shows you can be fat and fit

Fat Thor in The Avengers: Endgame

Fat Lee Adama in Battlestar Galactica

Arrow and the salmon ladder

Study at UC San Diego on how exercise promotes neuroplasticity

Descartes’ idea of the mind/body split (sometimes called Cartesianism)

Superman

Batman

Iron Man

Hulk (and Smart Hulk)

Person of Interest, created by Jonathan Nolan

Alias, created by JJ Abrams

Warehouse 13, created by Jane Espenson