The Night of Science: Muscles! Presentations on body modification
On the Night of Science, 25 January from 18:00 to 21:00, museum visitors can look forward to presentations on bodybuilding and body modification.
In their presentations, Managing Editor of Liikunta & Tiede magazine Jouko Kokkonen, PhD; Wellness Coach and Trainer Jarno Lemmelä, MSc Sport Science; and Science Journalist Juha Matias Lehtonen and MSc; Food Science Sports Nutritionist Laura Manner, will be exploring topics such as ideal bodies, the history of gyms, healthy ways of building muscles and the impact of age and sex on training and muscles.
Between the lectures, participants will also be able to take part in short exercise sessions led by Physical Education and Dance Teacher Donata Pennanen and test their strength using a grip strength tester at the Finnish Society of Sport Sciences’ booth.
The detailed programme will be published later. The event is part of the exhibition programme of the Your Body – The Sweaty History of Gyms exhibition. The event is being organised in collaboration with the Finnish Society of Sport Sciences as part of the official programme of the Night of Science.
Entry to the event is free of charge.
Programme:
18.00 PhD Jouko Kokkonen: Images of the ideal Finn
18.30 Break and small workout
18.45 Master of Sports Science Jarno Lemmelä: Muscles, performance and health
19.15 Break and small workout
19.30 Master of Food Science Laura Manner: Weight speech and how it relates to wellbeing
20.00 Break and small workout
20.15 Master of Theology Juha Matias Lehtonen: The gender of muscles and fat
Founded in 1933, the Finnish Society of Sport Sciences (Liikuntatieteellinen Seura, LTS) is a multidisciplinary non-governmental organisation formed by persons and communities interested in sports sciences and culture. The Society carries out monitoring, assessment, development, and communications related to sports sciences, culture and policy. LTS publishes Liikunta & Tiede magazine and produces publications and events related to sports sciences.
The Night of Science is a block party for science and research. It is celebrated annually in Helsinki. The next event takes place on Thursday the 25th of January 2024. The program is made by many different organisations and actors and the multiple events offer science and research in many different forms. All events are free of charge.
Lectures/keynote speeches:
PhD Jouko Kokkonen: Images of the ideal Finn
The keynote speech is about the ideals for different bodies and also the history of gyms, from the athlete images of the 19th century to exercise outfits and today’s culture.
Interesting case studies include the racial doctrine related to sports and bodies, and its abandonment, or how the ideal image of a leader used to involve being overweight and how we moved from that to the sporty and lean leaders.
Jouko Kokkonen is the managing editor of the Liikunta & Tiede (Sports & Science) journal, a historian who wrote his dissertation on sports and nationalism, and adjunct professor of Social Sciences of Sport at the University of Jyväskylä, specialising in the history of movement, exercise and sports.
Master of Sports Sciences Jarno Lemmelä: Muscles, performance and health
For what do we need strength and muscle mass? What kind of strength training improves health and performance, and how does age affect your muscular strength?
Jarno Lemmelä, Master of Sports Science (sports physiology). Training and coaching experience in the fields of sports, health and wellbeing.
Master of Food Science Laura Manner: Weight speech and how it relates to wellbeing
Weight speech refers to the attitudes and ideas related to the body, weight and nutrition that we indicate when we speak, either consciously or subconsciously. Weight speech reflects our values and may affect our behaviour in terms of exercise and food. Is dessert a reward? Is it acceptable to comment on others’ appearance, or your own? Is it OK to point out what’s on another person’s plate? And how can weight speech that supports wellbeing affect an athlete or a person who exercises regularly? Can it be connected to better performance?
Laura Manner is the sports nutrition specialist in charge at the Finnish Olympic Committee, National Olympic Training Center Helsinki and the Metropolitan Sports Academy Urhea. She has over a decade of experience in high-performance sports and working with children and young people in various sports. Laura’s personal background is in dance and gymnastics, where the ways of speaking about weight and the body have recently been analysed in many ways.
Master of Theology, science journalist Juha Matias Lehtonen: The gender of muscles and fat
A look into the complex relationship between the biological body and the social gender. What kind of muscle or fat is masculine, and what is feminine? And which types of tissue are considered beautiful, which are seen as ugly or grotesque?
Juha Matias Lehtonen, 41, is a religion scholar, science journalist and non-fiction writer. His latest book, Sairaan kaunis (‘Sick beauty’), was published by Tammi in the autumn. The book deals with the history of beauty ideals and health beliefs.
The mini workouts during breaks are led by sports pedagogist and dance teacher Donata Pennanen.