Body Hack

The Gaza Strip is home to one of the longest ongoing conflicts in modern human history Joining Palestinians at the sites of protests along the border with Israel host Todd Sampson hopes to understand the extreme cost of wartime stressors on the human body Sampson focuses on those who have found ways to adapt live and work in one of the most protracted conflict zones in the world

In Ethiopias Omo Valley the cradle of human civilization host Todd Sampson meets two tribes and witnesses ancient extreme rituals With the Suris Todd meets women who reject stretching their bottom lip to wear a plate He then travels south to the Hamar where a boy becomes a man by jumping over a line of cattle while his female relatives are whipped until they bleed as a sign of devotion

In Mexico City Sampson joins the Lucha Libre wrestling superstars who have embraced danger and fear in the hope of entertaining the masses and becoming heroes Todd trains under the guidance of superstar Cassandro a wrestling champion who has overcome decades of physical abuse drug abuse selfharm and homophobic stigma to emerge as one of Lucha Libres most beloved wrestling and LGBTQ icons

Joining the indigenous Nenet people of Siberias Yamal Peninsula Sampson faces minus 30°C weather as he herds an army of 2000 reindeer from winter pastures to summer camps He concludes his visit at the village of Panaevsk in the hope of taking part in a traditional reindeer festival where tribes compete in wrestling and racing matches before continuing their yearlong journey onto the ice

In Utah part of the USs heartland Sampson explores the world of extreme drivers and how they use their bodies to cope with the challenges of adrenaline extreme stress and debilitating fear He joins a fatherson team of demolition derby champions Johnny and Dalton Gullo and then takes on a bonejarring challenge a smash and bash demolition derby known as The Day of Wreckoning

Sampson explores Japans cultural history through martial arts He learns from a samurai master the centuriesold science of the sword before progressing to its modern counterpart of Kendo a form of martial arts taught to police cadets He spends a day with Japans ideal man a mountainous Sumo wrestler and learns new perspectives on fitness and strength Then he meets athlete Mizue Hasegawa

Sampson delves into and beyond black magic and tales of possession as he visits four distinct aspects of muchmaligned voodoo Joining a priestess he explores the powers of placebo and alternative medicine as he takes part in the bloody sacrifice of several animals and witnesses the priestess performing rituals In the midst of yearly voodoo festival Sampson experiences religious rituals