Scree

noun : an accumulation of loose stones or rocky debris lying on a slope or at the base of a hill or cliff.

Victor Crittenden: Community, viewpoints, and statistics

Published June 5, 2019  ·  All posts on Jun 5  ·  

Victor Crittenden: Community, viewpoints, and statistics

What makes the DC metro Parkour community unique, and how does it integrate diverse philosophies and populations to sustain and grow the practice of Parkour?

Victor Crittenden digs into the DC Metro Parkour community, explaining what it is, who is involved, and why it is unique. He discusses the various definitions, ethos, and approaches to parkour, and how each shows an important piece of the parkour puzzle. Vic shares his thoughts around the governance of parkour, and finishes with the importance of collecting and analyzing data and statistics about parkour to help promote its future and growth.

It’s important to distinguish between public and private spaces for the future of Parkour.

~ Victor Crittenden (41:04)

The conversation explores the structure and ethos of the DC Metro Parkour community, highlighting its diversity and the collaborative effort to unify various Parkour groups across Maryland, Virginia, and DC. Key components include established gyms like Urban Evolution and American Parkour, university groups at George Mason and College Park, and nonprofit organizations such as PK Move, which focuses on adaptive Parkour for underserved populations. Victor outlines the geographic and organizational complexities, emphasizing the role of jams and meetups in sustaining the community.

The discussion shifts to examining different Parkour philosophies in the area. Some gyms emphasize structured training and family engagement, while others focus on purist, outdoor approaches aligned with altruism and self-reclamation. The value of public engagement and forming connections with city officials emerges as a theme for promoting Parkour. Broader initiatives, such as the formation of USPK (United States Parkour Association) and youth leagues, aim to create a sustainable framework for Parkour development at a national level.

Takeaways

Bridging communities — The DC metro Parkour community thrives by unifying various city and university groups, preventing fragmentation.

Adaptive Parkour — PK Move pioneers adaptive Parkour, ensuring accessibility for elderly populations, cancer survivors, and individuals with disabilities.

Diversity in practice — Different Parkour groups in the region emphasize contrasting approaches, from structured gym environments to purist outdoor practices.

Public engagement — Building relationships with city officials and participating in community projects fosters acceptance and growth of Parkour communities.

Sustaining growth — Regular jams and meetups play a crucial role in maintaining the Parkour community by keeping people engaged and connected.

Governance and unity — National efforts like USP K aim to consolidate Parkour communities under a collective association to represent the U.S. globally.

Youth development — Projects like the Youth Parkour League (YPL) work to introduce structured competition circuits for younger populations.

Data and future growth — Initiatives to collect and analyze data on gyms, demographics, and growth rates aim to inform and attract investors.

Resources

PK Move — Nonprofit organization promoting adaptive Parkour for special populations, including seniors and cancer survivors.

American Parkour (APK) — A leading Parkour gym and community in DC promoting education and outreach.

Urban Evolution — Parkour gym offering structured programs and classes in Northern Virginia.

United States Parkour Association (USP K) — A collective organization aiming to unify Parkour communities across the U.S.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

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Bootstraps

Published May 30, 2019  ·  All posts on May 30  ·  

The parents’ duty to their children is not to cram as many social advantages as possible into their first eighteen years. The parents’ duty is to make sure that when it comes time for the child to pull himself up by his bootstraps, he actually has the bootstraps to pull up.

~ Hugh MacLeod

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Weena Pauly-Tarr: Therapy, motherhood, and impulse

Published May 29, 2019  ·  All posts on May 29  ·  

Weena Pauly-Tarr: Therapy, motherhood, and impulse

What experiences and practices shape the transition from structured movement disciplines to embodied, intuitive forms of movement and healing?

Weena Pauly-Tarr shares her history of dance, her brief encounter with parkour, and how those experiences have led to where she is now. She unpacks her work with somatic therapy, and the profound changes motherhood has brought to her life and practice. Weena reflects on her current interests in embodiment and impulse, and discusses her search for what is next.

The only thing I’ve ever wanted in my life—clearly and said out loud—was to be a mom. not to be a dancer, or not to move to New York… none of that was the thing. It was to be a mom. […] And so when I became pregnant, it was like the biggest gift I’ve ever been given. It was like getting the one thing you’ve always wanted, your whole life. It’s terrifying. Because what if it gets taken away, all that starts to come up. So I think what happened is, I had to grapple with receiving the thing I’ve always wanted.

~ Weena Pauly-Tarr (30:31)

The conversation covers how personal experiences with dance, Parkour, and somatic therapy intersect in a lifelong exploration of movement and healing. Weena’s dance background, including work with impactful movement styles like Streb’s Pop Action, shaped her understanding of strength, fear, and embodiment. Parkour later emerged as a natural extension of this interest, allowing for further exploration of dynamic movement in unconventional settings.

Motherhood significantly shifted her perspective, introducing new layers of vulnerability and embodiment. This experience influenced her shift from performance-based movement to therapeutic and somatic practices. She discusses her evolving approach to working with clients, focusing on impulse, somatic healing, and authentic movement. Her exploration of trauma through somatic experiencing highlighted the connections between past injuries and subconscious movement patterns.

Takeaways

Impact and strength — Early dance experiences emphasized the importance of using strength and physicality in movement.

Embodiment through trauma — Somatic experiences can reveal how unresolved trauma manifests in physical patterns.

Motherhood’s transformation — Motherhood shifted priorities and expanded the practice of vulnerability and authenticity.

Parkour as extension — Parkour became a natural extension of visceral, impact-based dance forms.

Healing through movement — Movement serves as a method for personal and emotional healing.

Impulse as guidance — Allowing movement to arise from impulse promotes deeper embodiment and awareness.

Reframing fear — Both Parkour and somatic practices teach reframing fear and failure as growth.

Resources

Weena Pauly-Tarr @weenapaulytarr

Elizabeth Streb’s TED Talk — Discusses Pop Action and the concepts of impact-based movement.

Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy — A form of somatic healing that bridges bodywork and talk therapy.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

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No reasons

Published May 27, 2019  ·  All posts on May 27  ·  

I myself have been building a list of things that I want out of my practice. I want it to open options for me, to keep myself curious, deepen my understanding and push my boundaries. I want it to allow me to live more authentic experiences and ultimately fill me with gratitude for being on this Earth.

~ Marcello Palozzo from, No reasons to practice

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I find myself at a strange place. “Wants” and “goals” seem to be less interesting for me. Sometimes, I can simply sit for an hour. There’s no sense of accomplishment, and no sense of, “I should be doing …”

Sometimes.

Often though, I’m still driven to line up a tremendous amounts of work, to crush myself trying, to feel I’ve failed when I only manage to accomplish a large portion of the insane goal.

For several years I’ve been writing up a key thought to focus on through the year. 2019’s is, “no.” Coming up on halfway through the year, and I’m beginning to make some progress on shifting my default behavior to listening, sharing, and waiting. Less doing. Less trying. Fewer goals. No reasons.

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Michael ‘Frosti Fresh’ Zernow: Competition, collaboration, and passion

Published May 22, 2019  ·  All posts on May 22  ·  

Michael ‘Frosti Fresh’ Zernow: Competition, collaboration, and passion

What role does competition play in shaping the growth and community of Parkour?

Michael ‘Frosti Fresh’ Zernow discusses his career, passion for community building, and his experiences with the Red Bull Art of Motion competition. He shares his views on competition in general, his unique perspective on how parkour has grown, and the potential it has as it continues to grow. Frosti explains his involvement in the United States Parkour association, his love of collaboration, and how he’s found and followed his passions throughout his journey.

I think competitions can help create an understandable way for the outside world to connect with this amazing community that we’re building and if we can be involved in it in a way where our voices are heard and where our presence is known then we can build something really beautiful.

~ Michael Zernow (38:23)

The conversation explores the evolving relationship between Parkour and competition, focusing on how competitions, such as Red Bull’s Art of Motion, have shaped the sport. The discussion reveals how Frosti navigates being an athlete, host, and entrepreneur, balancing personal growth with the desire to grow the Parkour community. His experiences shed light on the importance of community building and outreach, as well as the role of organizations like the United States Parkour Association (USPK).

Frosti reflects on his career trajectory, highlighting how competitions and collaborations have allowed him to stay involved in the Parkour scene beyond just being a performer. The conversation touches on the philosophical divide within Parkour about whether competition enhances or detracts from the sport’s core values. Frosti’s perspective emphasizes the need for competition to inspire and provide opportunities for young athletes, while maintaining respect for those who choose to pursue non-competitive avenues.

Takeaways

Community building — Parkour thrives on creating relationships, and early jams were crucial in connecting athletes across regions.

Role of competition — Competitions, like Red Bull Art of Motion, provide growth opportunities for athletes but also provoke debate within the Parkour community.

Athlete transition — Many professional Parkour athletes transition into coaching, entrepreneurship, and event hosting as their careers evolve.

Corporate involvement — Red Bull’s approach to Parkour is viewed positively by some for its investment and willingness to collaborate with athletes, while others question corporate influence on the sport.

Collaboration — Frosti highlights the value of working with artists, musicians, and other athletes to expand the reach and creative potential of Parkour.

Inspiration — Young athletes like Nate Weston use competition as motivation to refine and expand their skillsets.

USPK — The formation of the United States Parkour Association aims to unify and provide a collective voice for Parkour practitioners in the U.S.

Growth of Tempest — Tempest Freerunning’s expansion of gyms and outreach programs reflects the increasing mainstream acceptance of Parkour.

Philosophy of movement — Frosti’s journey underscores the personal growth and self-expression that emerge through Parkour, regardless of competition.

Resources

Tempest Freerunning — Parkour and Freerunning gym co-founded by Frosti Fresh, promoting movement and training across multiple locations.

Red Bull Art of Motion — International Parkour competition showcasing top athletes and fostering community engagement.

United States Parkour Association (USPK) — Organization supporting Parkour athletes and practitioners in the U.S. through events, certifications, and community building.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

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§5 – M’urgency Kit

Published May 19, 2019  ·  All posts on May 19

This entry is part 5 of 5 in the series Travel Gear

I sometimes call this the “M’urgency” kit as it covers both emergency and urgency situations. After the small convenience bag, this is my most-used, ready-to-go item.

First off, you have to decide wether you need a full, commercial, medical kit. If, like me, your primary concern is the common items you need, then I recommend going the route described here. There’s an unavoidable trade-off between size/weight and preparedness which you have to evaluate for yourself.

Deciding what to include was difficult. I began by searching the internet for emergency kits, but all of them had way too much stuff. On the other hand, I could create two separate kits: A micro-sized kit of a few ounces, and a larger one for more serious traveling. In the end, I settled on the kit described here as the best of both worlds. It is worth its weight in gold. Any time I have a bag, this kit is inside.

I’m a huge believer in having things pre-packed. “Containerizing” everything does use some additional space and weight, but it’s worth it if you can find the perfect size containers. For this kit, you want a sturdy container that will resist crushing, since this kit is going to take tons of abuse; It will be thrown around, leaned on, jostled and stuffed in/out of bags countless times before that one day when you need it.

My kit began with a clear-plastic “art box” — unfortunately, I’m not sure where this box came from. In my first iterations, I used this box, held closed with some rubber bands. One day I realized that this box would fit inside a zippered-bag I had laying around. The bag was an ’80s cassette-tape case, which I literally had from the ’80s for storing cassettes. I tossed the cassettes and the internal hard plastic organizer, and the art box fits easily but cannot open once zipped inside.

Eventually, the already tired case came apart and I had to buy a new one off eBay. You might have trouble finding these now because I bought most of them off eBay when I realized they were becoming rare. Since they are different colors, they are easy to find when rummaging in a backpack. (Another one of these bags will appear in a subsequent post.)

  • large, heavy-duty plastic bag for every time I wish I had a bag for trash, food… and emergency phone storage when getting soaked unexpectedly.
  • safety pin; pinning, but also can eject SIM cards
  • …and the plastic box; the really hard part is to pack the box so it does not rattle when you shake it :)
  • facial towelettes are awesome; a bathroom sink, one of these used for more than “face”, and a clean shirt.
  • I don’t normally use sunscreen; but the day you need it a swipe-on stick of facial sunscreen can save you and several friends
  • next layer down (I’m a child of Tetris :)
  • save some athletic tape rolls near their end and they fit. Useful for taping anything of course. Similar to wrapping some tape around your water bottle for random use
  • there’s a space in the tape rolls!
  • on the right is a tiny plastic bag with 3 nylon gloves. Yes three, because you always tear one.
  • this tiny little pill holder is amazing. You can open it with one hand by pinching it anywhere around it’s middle and it *clicks* open immediately.
  • packed in here are my preferred selection of drugs. A few standard pain killers and my preferred allergy drug.
  • the cotton ball ensures things don’t rattle. Here, it’s important to keep the pills from jiggling into powder as well as to eliminate noise.
  • top row…
  • a small band-aid box I found somewhere. It was a standard pack of various band-aid sizes which I’ve repurposed.
  • couple of small gauze pads and some alcohol wipes
  • bottom row…
  • a needle and a few yards of thread
  • two safety pins
  • disposable ear-plugs
  • small and large butterfly “sutures” and band-aids

Clearly, this also requires some maintenance. What I usually do is any time I use something (say, I give someone some Advil) instead of refilling the pills, I toss ALL the pills and replace the stockpile to keep them fresh. Anything you keep in here can go out of date or dry up etc. and keeping this kit “fresh” is as important as creating it in the first place.

As I said at the top, I don’t expect you to build this exact kit. :) But I do hope that it has given you a few ideas for what you might want to keep on hand.

Teresa Vazquez-Dodero: Motherhood, stereotypes, and risk

Published May 15, 2019  ·  All posts on May 15  ·  

Teresa Vazquez-Dodero: Motherhood, stereotypes, and risk

What impact does practicing Parkour have on personal transformation and navigating the challenges of motherhood?

Teresa Vazquez-Dodero describes the changes and sacrifices of motherhood, both in body and mind. She explains her initial experiences with parkour, how the community drew her in, and her views on defying stereotypes in parkour. Teresa discusses her unique perspective of risk, her studies in multiculturalism, and finishes by sharing the benefits of parkour for all ages.

I would describe this relationship as the most liberating body— or relationship with my body and relationship with my environment that I’ve ever had in any sports situation.

~ Teresa Vazquez-Dodero (1:14)

The conversation explores the transformative effect Parkour has on physical and mental well-being, particularly through the lens of motherhood. It highlights the dramatic changes and sacrifices involved in raising twins and the physical challenges that accompany it. Through Parkour, Teresa discovers a liberating relationship with her body, which contrasts starkly with her previous struggles after pregnancy. She emphasizes how Parkour reconnects her with movement, allowing her to reclaim aspects of herself that were sidelined during motherhood.

Another focus is on breaking societal norms and defying stereotypes, particularly those surrounding age, gender, and motherhood. Teresa reflects on her initial fears of not fitting into the Parkour community but ultimately finds acceptance and encouragement. Her insights extend to broader topics such as risk perception, personal responsibility in maintaining physical health, and the importance of continuous movement. She draws parallels between movement, personal growth, and larger societal observations derived from her academic background in multiculturalism and race studies.

Takeaways

Parkour and self-liberation — Parkour provides a liberating relationship with the body and environment, fostering freedom beyond structured gym environments.

Motherhood and physical transformation — Pregnancy, particularly with twins, significantly alters the body and challenges personal movement, leading to a long recovery process.

Reclaiming identity — Parkour helps reclaim aspects of personal identity that are sidelined during the demands of motherhood.

Risk and societal perceptions — Risk in Parkour is often perceived differently from within the practice, where the emphasis is on maintaining health and preventing long-term issues.

Age and movement — Parkour offers a pathway to sustaining movement and health as individuals age, challenging norms that equate aging with physical decline.

Community and inclusivity — The Parkour community welcomes diverse participants, valuing different perspectives and experiences regardless of age or background.

Resilience through adversity — Parkour serves as a metaphor for overcoming life’s challenges and rebuilding physical and mental strength post-adversity.

Cultural insights and race studies — Teresa draws connections between movement practices and her academic studies, highlighting broader societal patterns and introspective analysis.

Resources

Parkour Generations — A resource for Parkour classes and training, referenced as the community that supported Teresa’s Parkour journey.

Smith College — Teresa’s alma mater, where she studied literature, multiculturalism, and race studies.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

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Who wants to become a manager?

Published May 12, 2019  ·  All posts on May 12

As a manager, this state of flow is less common, if not non-existent. You aren’t diving deep on a task during an uninterrupted block of time, as required in flow – you’re the one helping others dive deep on a task. You’re also not receiving immediate feedback about your progress in the same way you would as an individual contributor, which is another critical element of flow. As a manager, you might not find out until months later if a decision you made or a conversation you had positively or adversely affected your team.

~ Claire Lew from, Do I truly want to become a manager?

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I think there’s a continuous pull to increase the total amount of work-output that we accomplish. Year by year, we improve our skills, learn new areas of interest, and even change careers entirely. We’re optimizing. The hard question is: Optimizing for what? Why?

I know I’ve been lured by the trap of thinking that if I just had help, then I’d be able to optimize. If I had more help, I’d be able to make more money, make more time, make more happiness for my myself, or make more happiness for the world. It’s taken me a long time to realize that, managing work and doing work are two different things.

I understand some people are drawn to—derive inherent pleasure from—managing others well and leading productive teams. But to date, I am not one of those people. This has left me in the unstable position of being pulled in opposing directions by two ideas: I would like to do fulfilling work. But to do more fulfilling work than I am currently, I need help from others. The key for me is to work with others in a spirit of collaboration; To not slip into my default mode of optimization, (specification, control, and micro-management.)

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§16 – Don’t be that guy

Published May 10, 2019  ·  All posts on May 10  ·  

This entry is part 28 of 37 in the series Study inspired by Pakour & Art du Déplacement by V. Thibault

Serendipity.

I’ve been working on writing these thoughts for over three years. Without actually checking, I think it was the Fall of 2015 when I sat in Le Jardin Joan d’Arc and read my copy of Thibault’s book in one, all-day sitting. Almost 4 years ago?

I created this particular blank note for Chapter 16 in May of 2016. “16”?

As I’m writing, it is May of 2019. Another, “May”?

About three years ago I started the project which eventually became Movers Mindset. Two years ago the project grew to include a podcast.

This morning, I feel compelled to “finally” get around to writing something for Chapter 16. I open my digital copy, flip to Chapter 16, and I read, “Chris ‘Blane’ Rowat once wrote…”

Care to guess who I am interviewing for the podcast today? Yes, really.

This is sublime.

All those threads woven together lead to this moment of realization at 8:00 in a rented London flat, 6,000km from my home.

Critically, while I’ve known for months the exact date and time of Chris’ interview, I’ve not read Chapter 16 recently enough to have remembered that it starts with his sentiments. If I had, I’d certainly have made some complicated plan to co-publish this writing and the podcast, or something—but this serendipity would not have materialized. Energized by the jolt of adrenaline when I read Chapter 16 this morning, I now feel a renewed belief in the entire Movers Mindset project! (Which is good, because most days there’s more strenuous labor than love in the labor of love.)

But, serendipity and coincidence are bullshit.

It’s just my brain, (yours may be the same,) working its tremendous powers of pattern matching. This morning my mind found a slightly-more-interesting-than-usual pattern and screamed, (ala the old adrenal gland,) that it had found something that demanded much closer attention. I’ve been spurred to carefully read Chapter 16 about five times this morning, to mull over my thoughts, to spend an hour or so writing, and to think of all the people I want to share this story with. I was inspired to create a vision of how the interview will go, new questions have popped into my head, and I’ve thought of a specific person who I now realize I’d forgot for about two years!

I wonder: What would life be like if I simply paid closer attention?

What if—instead of needing a kick in the adrenals to be this motivated—I could begin to intentionally notice things a bit smaller than this morning’s coincidence?

What if!

…and of course, “don’t be that guy.”

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Marcus Lincoln: Texas Winter Jam, challenge, and travel

Published May 8, 2019  ·  All posts on May 8  ·  

Marcus Lincoln: Texas Winter Jam, challenge, and travel

What role does overcoming obstacles through movement play in personal growth and community building?

Marcus Lincoln shares his experiences both as a participant and an organizer of the Texas Winter Jam, and the importance the event holds for the national and local communities. He explains his ideas on challenge mindset, and his approach to both training and coaching. Marcus discusses his plans for traveling, the impact travel has had on him, and the adventure of learning new languages.

Parkour is interesting. It’s not that you can do the cool moves or that you’ve learned them quickly. It’s more about that process of learning them.

~ Marcus Lincoln (11:27)

The conversation explores Marcus Lincoln’s experiences as a participant and organizer of the Texas Winter Jam, an annual event that unites movement communities across Texas. Marcus shares how the jam transitioned from summer to winter and how it continues to foster collaboration among practitioners across different cities. His insights reveal how organizing the event has helped him develop problem-solving skills and build deeper connections within the community.

Marcus discusses how his move from Texas to Boston introduced him to the challenges of training in a colder climate, enhancing his resilience and adaptability. He reflects on how seasons influence training and how practicing in challenging environments fosters personal growth. The conversation also touches on Marcus’s passion for travel and his plans to visit France to experience the roots of Parkour, highlighting the importance of connecting with the origins of the practice and expanding personal horizons through new cultural experiences.

Takeaways

Texas Winter Jam — An annual gathering that connects Texas movement communities and fosters collaboration and growth.

Event organizing — Building leadership, adaptability, and communication skills by managing large-scale events.

Training across climates — Developing resilience by adapting movement practice to seasonal changes.

Parkour mindset — Viewing obstacles as opportunities for problem-solving, fostering mental and physical growth.

Community connections — Strengthening friendships and professional networks through shared movement experiences.

Travel and movement — Expanding skills and perspective by exploring international movement communities.

Challenges in coaching — Recognizing and addressing individual student challenges to foster growth and confidence.

Continuous improvement — Using personal weaknesses as starting points for creative training approaches.

Movement creativity — Designing routes and challenges that blend personal strengths and areas for improvement.

Resources

Parkour Generations Americas — Organization where Marcus Lincoln coaches and trains, providing Parkour events and coaching certifications.

Texas Winter Jam — Annual community-driven movement event organized by Marcus Lincoln and others.

ADD Academy — French academy for Art du Déplacement, where Marcus plans to visit for deeper training experiences.

Rendezvous London — International Parkour event Marcus attended and coached at.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

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Being a great guest

Published May 6, 2019  ·  All posts on May 6  ·  

This entry is part 5 of 5 in the series Parkour Travel

This post is entirely rules, tips, and ideas about how to be an insanely great guest in someone’s home. It’s organized into three sections. The first two sections are meant to get you thinking about how your host, and other guests, perceive you. The third section is focused on the day-to-day details of living in an unusual space. It’s meant to get you thinking about solutions to problems, and ways to make travel more enjoyable.

tl;dr: Empathy.

For my purposes here, empathy is the psychological identification with the feelings, thoughts, or attitudes of another person. I’m not suggesting that you must continuously empathize with everyone. I’m suggesting that empathy is a tool that can be used to inform your plans and behavior. Simply put, artfully using the soft skill of empathy will transform you into a great guest.

Why Bother?

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Why? Because decent human beings treat other human beings decently. (Did I need to write that? I hope not.)

If you are not already motivated to improve and to be a good guest, consider these benefits:

Lubrication: If your host likes you, they’ll interact with you more, you’ll experience more of their life, knowledge, and culture, and they may even help you more by driving you somewhere, or introducing you to someone. There is a wide margin of experiences which you cannot plan. But if things are going well via your being an awesome guest, then you’ll more often find yourself invited into that margin by your host.

Pete and Repeat: If you want to be invited back, you need to be a good guest. If you enjoyed a first visit (with your host, to the community, to the city, to the country), you’d probably enjoy a second visit. Notably, second visits are logistically easier because you know the lay of the land. So it’s a double-win if you visit again. Rare and valuable are hosts who become true friends through repeated visits.

Avoiding self-sabotage: Invitations generally only appear when meeting someone in person, so new invitations are fairly rare. If you are an annoying guest, your reputation will quietly precede you, and invitations won’t be extended.

Lead from the front: We are social animals. (Everyone varies as to how much social interaction we prefer, but no one is an island.) So it’s wise to help weave the social fabric by setting a good example. An excellent way to save the world is to be the change you want to see in the world. Be the traveler who breaks the ice, (appropriately of course,) who dives into the distasteful chore, who finds ways to include everyone, and who kicks off the cascade of cohesion and camaraderie.

The Cardinal Sin

Invitations are never extendable to others; Never invite another person to your host’s home.

Invitations are never extendable to others; Never invite another person to your host’s home.

Corollary: Be cautious with social media. Avoid, revealing your host’s exact address, or the details of their private life.

Here are cringe-worthy examples I’ve seen: Someone you’re training with needs to use the bathroom? Someone needs a place to stash their belongings? A place to shower? A place to crash for the night? No, no, no and no. You should always and forever consider yourself a guest. Guests are, by definition, not the host and only the host can invite others.

Treat your host’s home like a magic kingdom. It’s a rare privilege, reserved for the select few, to even know where it is located, let alone be permitted to glimpse the interior. Only your host may pierce that veil and reveal the kingdom to those whom they alone choose.

I’ve spoken to many people, and there are differing views held by persons in the guest role. Some incorrectly believe that a guest’s behavior may change, pushing, or crossing, the boundaries I’m describing, based on the host and the situation. (Pro-tip: Be the host and then you can do whatever you want. Until then, you are a guest.) The guest’s role is unwavering. Hosts and their “homes” vary widely from open-door, dog-pile, continuous-house-parties, to Zen-temple-like retreats of peace and quiet known to only a select few. The boundaries of acceptable behavior are set by your host, will vary widely, and are usually not explicitly detailed. But that variety in homes and boundaries does not change the guest’s role and responsibilities in the least.

Lead from the front, be considerate, and practice empathy.

15 Suggestions

Be careful what you wish for: Your host may go out of their way to arrange something you didn’t actually want. If this happens, you should follow through with what you asked, enjoy it, and remember to pass your heartfelt thanks to your host. (Ask me the story about the swimming pool in Japan.)

Be predictable: Since, as a good guest, you are actively paying attention to how your presence is imposing on your host, you can work to minimize friction and problems. Once you start to see how this works, you’ll think of a myriad of small things you can do to be predictable. Think about your communications from your host’s point of view. (Here’s that empathy skill again.) Always let your host know what to expect.

Everyone has routines: Your mission is to figure out your host’s routines, and to figure out what their intentions are. (The later is much harder than the former.) Do they want no disruption of their normal routine, or do they want to get up early to do things with you? Do they want you to feed yourself, or do they deeply enjoy cooking and sharing meals? The inroad here is found by realizing that your goal is to make your interaction with your host, and your affect on them, intentional.

Sleeping: The biggest challenge is to tease out when your host expects to sleep and expects to awake, and to try to fit yourself to that. This can be hard to do well. If you wait too long, they will eventually ask you, and it can get awkward if you give an exact response—”I go to sleep at 9:30 and get up at 5:30″—if that is significantly different from their normal routine. I usually open the conversation about sleeping by mentioning what time I need to get up (for an event, transportation logistics, etc..) But, challenges can still arise because sleep is the thing I’ve arranged my life around, and it is rare that I encounter others with this same level of attention to sleep.

Scheduling: Of course, if you have a specific thing to do (event, train, plane, etc), and they watch TV (or play games, etc.) at night, you should join them a little, but then go to sleep. Hopefully your sleep spot is out of the way. Sometimes sleeping on the floor is great because you can say goodnight and head off to your nest. Sometimes sleeping on the floor is a problem if your assigned space is the common space where staying-up is happening. Know your schedule in advance and factor that in when planning where you’ll sleep.

Bed: In the morning, stow your bed by putting your sleep system away or putting the sofa back together. If you’ve found yourself in a guest bedroom, make the bed.

Bathroom etiquette: This is hero-level stuff done by dream guests. If the shower is in the only bathroom, before you head to the shower, politely ask if anyone would like to use the bathroom. Always bring all your own bathroom stuff, (soap, shampoo, whatever you need, you should be able to carry it when traveling.) Leave absolutely nothing in the bathroom. (If there are multiple guests, the bathroom can get insane.) The exception would be your towel: If you’re the only guest, it should be hung neatly to dry in the bathroom. But if there are lots of guests, your towel needs to go dry in your sleeping space. (If you have a tech towel that dries quickly and shower before bed, it will dry by morning in your sleeping area.)

…and more Bathroom tips: Showering at night keeps the bedding cleaner, (your host’s, or yours if you’re using your sleep system.) Technical clothing that dries quickly can be washed with you as you shower to dry as you sleep. Take cooler showers to save hot water for others, and to make less fog in the bathroom. Always run the fan. Next, imagine you are being timed while in the bathroom. …and imagine there’s a line of people waiting. …and then imagine yourself waiting desperately in that line to use the bathroom. If there are many guests, get yourself presentable as quickly as possible, and then crack the door while finishing up the things you can do while dressed. Most people will knock on the door if it is cracked open. You can then pause your work to politely step out for them.

If you are handy: Fix things. But only if you are absolutely sure you can succeed! Sometimes you can just leave things a touch more organized, more clean, or less broken, then when you arrived. Do not make a big deal of it nor point out what you’ve done.

Disappear during the day: Not only you body, but all your stuff too, should disappear! Either carry everything with you whenever you leave, or have a large bag to leave at your host’s. (There are large, packable duffels that take up little space when stuffed.) This enables your host to move all your stuff easily if needed. (It also tends to keep children and pets out of your stuff.) If you do this well, instead of your host feeling like you’re there for three days, it’s more like three, separate, one-night visits; They have fun sharing a meal, some conversation, then everyone’s asleep, and then it feels like your visit ends in the morning.

Refrigerators: Use the fridge, but remove all of your stuff. Seriously, no one will eat your left-overs, (except obviously useful items like eggs.) If your host gives you a tour of the fridge, (literally, or by mentioning it in passing,) then do eat/drink their stuff. If they do not mention it, do not touch their stuff. Mastery level: change your eating habits so you don’t eat breakfast. Find your lunches and dinners out-and-about and place zero food-load on your host. Then, if they want to eat socially, you can add that back in.

Not seen and not heard: By default you should be invisible, and as quiet as a mouse. Make no noise, don’t watch TV, play games, etc. Let your host lead. If they want to interact, make noise, watch TV, playing games, etc., then join in!

Before arrival: Tell your host how and when you are arriving (“My train gets in at 4:30, so it will be about 5 by the time I get to your place by subway.”) This way they know when to expect you, and that you are not expecting them to pick you up. Then, if they want to offer you a ride, (or whatever,) they can. You should always be thinking: All I need is shelter and a bathroom; Anything else is icing on the cake. (wifi? electric power?! food?!! …omg awesome!)

Intentional updates: Your host should always know when to next expect to hear from you; This means you make the effort, not that you nag them. When you leave for the day you might say, “I’m not sure what time I’ll be back. I’ll send you a message after lunch.” …or, “I’m going to be late this evening, I’m having dinner with so-and-so.”

Oops happens: When things go wrong, own up to it immediately. If you break something, tell your host. However, if you ask, “can I fix/replace this,” most people will lie and say to not worry about it. Instead, you must first figure out how to fix/replace it, and say, “I see there’s a home depot across town. After breakfast I’ll take the subway over and get another one of these.” Sure, you will miss the morning of the event you came to attend (!), but you broke it and you should be the one who misses half a day fixing it. You’ll learn a hard lesson and be a better person for it.

Review: After each visit, take the time to think about what went well, what went badly, and wether your visit matched up with your expectations. Continuous improvement is the key!

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Daily steps of weight tracking

Published May 4, 2019  ·  All posts on May 4  ·  

My weight fluctuates a lot during the day, and day-to-day. So I picked a consistence time and procedure. I try not to over-think it, and simply do the same thing each time, generally, in the morning after I go to the bathroom.

After doing this for a few years, I no longer care about the fluctuations. The whole point of this is to get a handle on the trends. The individual jumping around of the numbers is irrelevant. Once you see the numbers jump all over the place for a few weeks, you learn to stop caring about what the scale says on any given day.

My scale measures in 2/10’s of pounds. So I can get “123.4” or “123.6”. It’s digital, has huge numbers, and it lives right in the open in the bathroom where I can just step on it at any time. This is important as it removes all possible “friction” to weighing myself. I don’t even need to slide the scale out to step on it.

Next to the scale hangs a tailor’s tape measure. I use the metric scale on the tape since that gives me centimeters and tenths. (If I used the inches scale, I’d have to convert the 1/8’s of inches into decimals, so it’s easier to get 4 digits from the metric side.)

I step on the scale and grab the tape measure. By the time I look down, the scale is done deciding my weight. I step off scale and measure the largest circumference. This requires honesty, but is very easy to do once I did it a few times: I just relax, let it all hang out, and slowly let the tape measure slip longer as I try to slip it down around my waist. (I suppose, that some day, when I have a “waist” in the proper definition, I’ll have to tweak my method. That will be a great problem to have.)

I might get 232.8 pounds– I just remember 2 3 2 8.
I might get 110.7 centimeters– I just remember 1 1 0 7.
…and I walk out of the bathroom mumbling, “2 3 2 8 1 1 0 7”

In subsequent posts I’ll go into what I do with the numbers in terms of math, spreadsheets and why the units are irrelevant. But for now, that’s the data capture that I try to do every day. It’s fast and easy. Step on scale, measure “waist”, and record eight digits.

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What feels right is probably wrong

Published May 3, 2019  ·  All posts on May 3  ·  

This leads me to the point I wish above all to emphasize, namely, that when a person has reached a given stage of unsatisfactory use and functioning, his habit of ‘end-gaining’ will prove to be the impeding factor in his attempts to profit by any teaching method whatsoever. Ordinary teaching methods, in whatever sphere, cannot deal with this impeding factor, indeed, they tend actually to encourage ‘end-gaining.’ The instruction given to the golfer of our illustration to keep his eyes on the ball is typical of the kind of specific instruction given by teachers generally for the purpose of eradicating specific defects in their pupils, and, as we have seen in this case, this instruction was a stimulus to him to try harder than ever to gain his end, and so to misdirect his efforts worse than ever.

~ FM Alexander, The Use of the Self, pp66-67, 1932 (emphasis added)

I think there’s a lot more context necessary for that to make sense. One could go read the book; It’s small. But setting that aside for the moment.

Alexander raises the important point that what feels right may in fact be wrong. So the harder I try to do something correctly, by trying to do what feels right, the more likely I am to reinforce doing what is wrong. This starts to make more sense once I understood that the Brain is a Multi-layer Prediction Model. Once something is modeled incorrectly—when I move this way, it feels right—it’s going to be really difficult to change that model.

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Quadrupedal Movement

Published May 2, 2019  ·  All posts on May 2  ·  

This entry is part 71 of 72 in the series My Journey

Quadrupedal Movement (QM) is a diverse collection of movements using both hands and feet on the ground to support one’s weight.

QM is almost always done using just the feet, and not the knees, since our knees are not capable of taking prolonged usage or impact. That said, there are some small-size, low-impact, movements using various surfaces of the knees, lower legs, buttocks, and thighs which integrate well with the usual hands-and-feet-only QM.

There are countless variations of QM. Many variations are physically demanding, but many are drastically easier than the more usual bipedal movements: Using a railing with your hands for balance and support as you ascend stairs, using walking sticks and canes, and “scrambling” on hands and feet up steep slopes, are all common variations of QM.

Start here https://gmb.io/locomotion/

slip:4ugilo1.

…and then take a look at some advanced options, Two Hours and a Slab of Concrete.

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Meta: I’m retiring this series, “My Journey.” Over the years, my blog has changed a lot. In the beginning I had a lot of more random things here and I used this series as a way to highlight this aspect of my blog writing. Today, the blog itself is basically a record of my journey.

Lauren Messeck: Projects, voice over, and play

Published May 1, 2019  ·  All posts on May 1  ·  

Lauren Messeck: Projects, voice over, and play

What motivates someone to blend parkour, yoga, and play into a movement practice that fosters creativity and personal growth?

Lauren Messeck describes her work with the Parkour Visions project, Movement for All, and her personal project, Yoga Move. She discusses her interest in climbing, bare feet versus minimalist shoes, and her background in the performing arts. Lauren reflects on her voice over work, and expresses her passion for helping people to rediscover play.

I can engage with the world in this way that I hadn’t done in a while. And it was awesome.

~ Lauren Messeck (7:00)

The conversation explores how an online search for playful movement led to the discovery of parkour and a thriving community. Lauren shares how parkour complemented a background in yoga and the performing arts, blending these disciplines to create new movement experiences. The discussion touches on the importance of play, the role of community in fostering personal growth, and the development of workshops that merge yoga and parkour.

Further, Lauren elaborates on her involvement with Parkour Visions, an organization dedicated to expanding movement-based programs. This includes efforts to secure funding for community-driven projects, support regional hubs, and make movement more accessible to the public. The conversation also reflects on personal growth through movement, the significance of reconnecting with play, and how simple tools like minimalist shoes and meditation enhance the experience.

Takeaways

Rediscovering Play — Movement and play are not just for children but are essential for adult well-being and creativity.

Community Support — The parkour community thrives on inclusivity and encouragement, fostering connections that extend beyond physical practice.

Parkour and Yoga Integration — Blending yoga with parkour introduces new ways to experience mindfulness, structure, and flow in movement.

Barriers to Entry — Financial and logistical obstacles often prevent movement projects from flourishing, highlighting the need for funding and support.

Fear and Failure — Embracing failure and discomfort is key to progress in both parkour and personal growth.

Minimalist Approach — Minimalist shoes and barefoot training enhance proprioception, reinforcing a deeper connection with the ground and movement.

Certification and Training — Bringing certification programs to regional areas strengthens local communities by providing coaches with tools and education.

Voice and Expression — Voiceover work and movement share parallels in how expression, confidence, and character are developed.

Resources

Parkour Visions — An organization supporting regional parkour communities and movement-based initiatives.

The Movement Creative — A New York-based parkour group focusing on creative, playful movement and community engagement.

Brooklyn Zoo — A parkour and movement gym in Brooklyn that serves as a hub for creative movement and play.

Bouldering Project (Queensbridge) — A climbing and bouldering gym offering opportunities for dynamic movement and community interaction.

Fighting Monkey — A movement practice that blends play, structure, and coordination to develop physical resilience.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

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A grievous error

Published May 1, 2019  ·  All posts on May 1  ·  

“Setting the bar too high.”
“Setting stretch goals with the knowledge that coming up short will be the norm.”

…are symptoms of forward-looking assessment of progress. Assessing progress by looking forward is a grievous error. “What have I accomplished?” is only measurable by looking back at what has been accomplished. This error is one of my big problems—I’d even say it’s my problem. I’m working on it by practicing looking back to assess progress. :) My instinct and habit though is to look forward. Thus, more practice is needed to make looking back the default.

What have I accomplished?
What is the affect of what I have done?
How far have I moved?
How much have I learned?

Such questions can only be answered by considering the change between two points in my past.

The hard part—at least for me—is to keep out the “I wanted.” “I accomplished that much, but I wanted to accomplish [insert goal here],” creeps in through the open door of assessment.

By shifting my eyes just a bit to my left, I can see my personal oath which is stuck next to my monitor. There are a few phrases in it which are specifically meant to help me keep, “but I wanted to…” firmly locked outside.

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Evolution of my field recording kit

Published April 26, 2019  ·  All posts on Apr 26  ·  

Day One

Zoom H4N recorder, a pair of SM58s (didn’t even have pop filter foam covers) with table-top mic stands. I went to the trouble of finding a power cord that matched the Zoom’s bayonette jack (on the chin at the left, between the XLR cables) and had a standard USB plug on the other. This of course only worked because the Zoom would accept 5v DC. One pair of Vogek folding headphones for me. Stand USB battery brick. I kept this all packed into a Pelican case much smaller than a shoebox.

(more…)

Open Podcast Directory — A proposal to globally enable auto-discovery of podcasts

Published April 26, 2019  ·  All posts on Apr 26  ·  

THIS POST IS HISTORICAL — See instead https://openpodcastdirectory.org/

When you want to visit a web site, you do not need to search for it in a central directory of web sites. Your web browser simply goes into the DNS system and finds the address to connect to.

Today, podcasts are managed inside a huge directory. But they do not need to be in a directory!

Meet the Open Podcast Directory

If you want to find the podcast for example.com why doesn’t your podcast player simply go find that podcast by looking it up in DNS?

All that needs to happen is for people to put information into DNS—a record that says, “the podcast RSS feed is at this URL”—and then podcast players can simply make a DNS query.

  • create a DNS record for host “_opd” in your domain
  • record type TXT
  • record data is the URL of a podcast feed
  • multiple TXT records are permitted, to enable auto-discovery of multiple podcasts within a given domain

In this way, each podcast’s content creator uses the existing, global DNS system to publish the location of the podcast’s feed URL.

Moving your podcast

Want to change where your podcast is hosted? Simply update your DNS.

Why?

Content creators are currently dependent on directories. Apple’s iTunes directory is the de facto standard. We are already seeing a splintering of the podcast space…

Not all shows are podcasts, by John Gruber
The podcast monetization problem…, by Tanner Campbell

$ dig txt _opd.moversmindset.com
 ; <<>> DiG 9.10.6 <<>> txt _opd.moversmindset.com
 ;; global options: +cmd
 ;; Got answer:
 ;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 15816
 ;; flags: qr rd ra; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 1, AUTHORITY: 0, ADDITIONAL: 0
 ;; QUESTION SECTION:
 ;_opd.moversmindset.com.        IN  TXT
 ;; ANSWER SECTION:
 _opd.moversmindset.com.    86101   IN  TXT "https://moversmindset.com/feed/podcast"
 ;; Query time: 1 msec
 ;; SERVER: 10.0.1.1#53(10.0.1.1)
 ;; WHEN: Fri Apr 26 09:34:04 EDT 2019
 ;; MSG SIZE  rcvd: 91

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Adam McClellan: Business, coaching, and outreach

Published April 24, 2019  ·  All posts on Apr 24  ·  

Adam McClellan: Business, coaching, and outreach

What are the inherent challenges of growing and monetizing a Parkour community without losing its core values and spirit?

35 episodes and 2 years later, Adam McClellan returns to Movers Mindset. Adam deserves a large measure of credit because he was willing to be the original guinea pig for this crazy experiment. Our first interview was a simple Q&A style but in this episode we have an in depth conversation about the cycles a community goes through, the nature of parkour, and the type of people who are drawn to it. Adam explores the intersection of parkour and business, and how the two coexist, before discussing the nuances of coaching children. He opens up about his knee injury and recovery, his thoughts on normalizing parkour to the public, and different ways to design a parkour gym.

One of the things we value about Parkour is there isn’t that hierarchy and structure in place. It’s just you and me, and we’re hanging out, you don’t have to call me anything— There’s no assumed authority, right? We’re just training together.

~ Adam McClellan (21:40)

This conversation explores the growth and evolution of a Parkour community as it transitions from informal outdoor training to a structured business model. The discussion highlights the shifts in community dynamics when money and formal structures are introduced, drawing parallels between martial arts schools and Parkour. Adam reflects on how scaling up often leads to a loss of intimacy and core values, raising questions about whether Parkour can retain its spirit as it grows.

Key topics include the role of leadership in shaping community culture, the unavoidable influence of business practices on Parkour, and the challenge of teaching children while preserving the deeper philosophical aspects of the discipline. There is also a focus on personal injuries, their impact on training, and how physical setbacks shape the journey of a Parkour practitioner.

Takeaways

The growth of Parkour communities — Scaling introduces structure and money, often challenging the core values that initially attract practitioners.

Leadership’s role in community — The personality and values of leaders heavily influence the community’s trajectory and inclusivity.

Business and Parkour — Structuring Parkour as a business introduces operational necessities that can shift focus from movement and personal growth to profit and efficiency.

Teaching children Parkour — Teaching children emphasizes physical skills over the deeper self-exploration aspect inherent to Parkour for adults.

Injury and recovery — Personal injury experiences reshape one’s relationship with movement and coaching, often influencing how practitioners train and teach.

Cultural perceptions of Parkour — Public perception, especially from institutions like police or schools, shapes the accessibility and acceptance of Parkour in local communities.

Community dynamics — Communities inevitably evolve based on the personalities and shared experiences of the core members.

Parkour as self-exploration — The practice naturally fosters personal growth and reflection, often leading practitioners to deeper self-awareness.

Resources

Lehigh Valley Parkour

ADAPT Qualifications — Mentioned in the context of coaching certifications for Parkour instructors.

David Belle Speed Vault — A classic example of the Parkour speed vault technique referenced during the discussion.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

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Flashback to August 2018

Published April 21, 2019  ·  All posts on Apr 21

This post is from some quick notes I made in August 2018. I’m only just getting around to publishing it now, 8 months later, as part of this series. Today, at ~230 pounds, 215 seems like a dream.

—

I’m recently back from traveling to Denmark and France to attend two Parkour events back-to-back. As usual when I’m traveling, I don’t attempt to keep up my normal routines so there’s no data recorded for most of July 2018.

I’m happy to return still around 215 as I try to get back to my routine of “chaining together” my mornings. Compared to July, I’m not as active, but I’m trying to AVOID the, “let’s be super active and try the 100-days-of-activity challenge,” mistake I made in 2017 when I came home from the same events all excited about movement.

Anyway, what about that ratio of 1958? …it’s so low that it’s not even on the graph! This reminds me of two things I believe I’ve noticed:

  1. The ratio lags behind when I’m actively losing weight. My guess is that the different components (water, subcutaneous fat, visceral fat, and muscle) change at different rates. So when losing fat from calorie deficit, the peripheral/subcutaneous is liberated first—which aligns with my recollection that visceral fat is more tenacious.
  3. The best ratio is very hard to find—to actually see it in the measurements. I have to lose weight gradually, and then stay at the new weight for many weeks to see the ratio rebound to above 2000. (Reminder, the ratio is in wacky units of “tenths of pounds per millimeter midriff circumference” because of how I record the numbers. The numerical value of the ratio is of no concern; It’s only useful for trending.)