Stuff You Should Know

Contortionism: Bend It Like Gumby

March 19, 2026·43 min·3-min readconversationalculture
Podzilla Summary (3 min)
TLDR
Josh and Chuck dive into the bizarre, fascinating world of contortionism, tracing its ancient roots from Syria and Egypt to Mongolia’s modern-day dominance, while unpacking the biology, training, and cultural baggage behind the art of extreme flexibility.


TOPICS COVERED
  • **Ancient O

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Mentions

Books, people, and resources mentioned in this episode.

People

OliviaJoseph ClarkBeatrice Mary ClaxtonOndoor Gigeen ZavarSastral Ordenablig

Books

Kamasutraby Vatsyayana

Companies

Mongolian State Circus

Topics

Ancient HistoryBiologyFitnessHistory Of ScienceMental HealthPop CultureWomens Health

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