Embodied Practices in Cultural Sports and Physical Culture

Embodied practices in cultural sports and physical culture examine how bodily experience, sensory perception and social interaction are inseparable from the meanings and values ascribed to movement disciplines. This field brings together ethnography, phenomenology, geography and sociology to reveal how practitioners shape their identities, communities and environments through sport. From informal boxing schools that articulate political allegiances to subcultural craft knowledge in off-road cycling, embodiment is understood as a dynamic interplay between body, space, materiality and ideology. Research emphasises multisensory engagement—how sight, sound, touch and proprioception guide performance and solidarity—and locates physical culture within broader social and ecological ecosystems. In running and swimming, for example, shared sensory attunement fosters collective rhythms and a sense of “togethering,” while the geography of running highlights how routes, technologies and events co-construct place and practice. This body of work underscores global relevance, informing healthier, more inclusive and sustainable approaches to movement, environmental stewardship and community well-being.

Research from Nature Portfolio

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Embodied Practices in Cultural Sports and Physical Culture publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in embodied practices in cultural sports and physical culture across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Embodiment: The integration of bodily sensations, movements and cognitive processes in the constitution of lived experience.

Sensoriality: The qualitative dimension of experience arising from sensory engagement with environments and cultural practices.

Intercorporeality: The mutual attunement and co-regulation of bodies in social and movement contexts.

Runnability: A geographical concept denoting the suitability and affordances of spaces for running practices.

References

1. ‘Boxing Is Our Business’: The Embodiment of a Leftist Identity in Boxe Popolare. Societies (2018).
2. Gravel cycling craft and the senses: scenes, sounds, vibrations, fatigue and typifications on off-road tracks. The Senses and Society (2023).
3. Sensoriality, Social Interaction, and “Doing sensing” in Physical–Cultural Ethnographies. Journal of Contemporary Ethnography (2021).
4. Geographies of running cultures and practices. Geography Compass (2022).
5. Sensitizing the social-ecosystems of outdoor sport environments: A comprehensive framework. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living (2022).