Here’s a terrific conversation with Werner Herzog and Jesse Thorn on The Turnaround.
Herzog’s opinion is that one must never go unprepared; always go maximally prepared. But I’m wondering how going in unprepared works with trying to capture conversations that contain the wonder of discovery [by the host.]
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The degree to which we have developed our independent will in our everyday lives is measured by our personal integrity. Integrity is, fundamentally, the value we place on ourselves. It’s our ability to take and keep commitments to ourselves, to “walk our talk.” It’s honor with self, a fundamental part of the Character Ethic, the essence of proactive growth.
~ Stephen Covey
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This is going to be long. You’ve been warned.
Years ago, early in the life of my podcast, someone waved their phone at me and said, “sometimes the podcast playback jumps back to the beginning, and then I cannot skip or scrub forward to resume where I was.” I shrugged. What’s one problem report for Google Podcasts on Android, particularly since this was early days for Google’s Podcasts app.
Curious.
Aside: “scrub” is audio lingo for manually sliding through audio. On apps, there is usually a small grab-here marker at the current play position. If you touch that and slide, the audio will scrub along until the time where you let go. (Versus “skip” buttons which jump forward or backward a set amount of time.)
I have a vague memory of some later time, where some automated analysis of our podcast feed reported that we “don’t support range requests.” I initially ignored this, but made a note. One day—months later—I looked up what an [HTTP] range request is, and verified that our web site does in fact support range requests.
Curioser.
A week ago, I got another problem report. From an Android user with the Google Podcast app. First off, it’s no longer early days for that app, so I’m less inclined to just “blame the app” when someone speaks up. Second, the callout was more thorough. This person had tried several different of our episodes, (all of which exhibited the problem,) and they had verified that some other podcasts they subscribe to did not exhibit this problem.
“Curioser and curioser,” said Alice.
Our podcast is self-hosted. We run a virtual instance of CentOS on BlueHost, with Apache and WordPress, with the Seriously Simple Podcasting (SSP) plugin producing our podcast RSS feed. Seriously, none of that is simple. But it does mean that we have a tremendous amount of control—if we want to look under the hood. (Stop here. Take 4 minutes to watch that if you’ve never seen Mike’s New Car.)
I asked the person who waved their problem at me years ago, “hey, uh, do you still see that problem?” (Yes they do.) …and I reached out to James Cridland at podnews.net and he verified that he too sees this behavior with my podcast files. …and he pointed out that he was seeing, (it’s not clear exactly what tool he used—but it doesn’t matter for this story,) content-type: gzip for the media file that we were serving.
Wait, wat.
Why am I serving a compressed (i.e., gzip’d) version of an MP3 file? That’s already a file containing compressed data; It probably increases in size when you gzip it. Not to mention the CPU cycles wasted gzip’ing the many-megabyte sized files for each reqeust.
Next the voice in the back of my head started pointing out that HTTP range requests—where the web client (in this story a podcast player app) can ask for a specific range of bytes from a resource—sure feels like the sort of thing that might be related to pulling down some of a file now, and then more of the file later after you’ve listened to it for half an hour. Maybe if we didn’t support range requests that would mess up skipping and scrubbing? But wait, no, I checked two years ago, (and I just rechecked,) that we support range requests. So what the heck?! Is the problem related to compression, to range requests, the combination, or something else?
Spock mode on. Start checking everything methodically. When you’ve eliminated all other possibilities, whatever remains, must be the case.
What if we don’t actually support range requests on our media files? So I started digging into how Seriously Simple Podcasting (SSP) handles the actual feeding out of files.
Aside: I know enough about Apache and PHP to know that just because Apache supports range requests on files (“here’s 100 bytes from that MP3 you asked for…”) doesn’t mean that a PHP program would necessarily be able to answer a range request. Spoiler: It’s very hard to support a range request programmatically in PHP. So I need to know what exactly—Apache or SSP, which is just a pile of PHP code—actually feeds the media file?
So I posted on the SSP support forum…
I’m trying to troubleshoot a problem reported with the Google Podcasts player on Android. (I’ve one reporting user and I cannot personally reproduce the problem.) In the process, I went down a rabbit hole looking into HTTP range requests.
I’m wondering: If the the SSP plugin is serving the MP3 audio files via PHP (which would require the PHP code to implement supporting range requests) or if, after a redirection from the stats-collection URL, it let’s my web server (Apache) just send out the static file (in which case Apache itself handles range requests.)
One of the devs responded:
Do you perhaps have a URL describing HTTP range requests and how they relate to serving files behind the PHP redirect, so that I can understand how it could be causing the problem? From the cursory review I’ve done, it would appear we should update the plugin to support range requests, would you agree?
Which startled me both because range requests are apparently more obscure than I was thinking they are, and that this was a very nice olive branch from a developer right out of the gate. Anyway. I was already really doubting that SSP was causing this problem, so I put on my big-boy detective pants and dug deeper.
Leading me to post:
…I think it’s not actually a problem [with SSP], but I wanted to double-check my analysis with someone familiar with the code.
For range requests, it’s RFC7233 — but before you even bother looking at that. I think the answer is that SSP doesn’t handle the serving of the audio file via PHP, but rather leaves that to the underlying web server. (In my case, that’s Apache, which handles range requests of static assets.)
Straight from my RSS feed, I have (for example)
<enclosure url="https://moversmindset.com/podcast-download/4734/062-chris-and-shirley-darlington-rowat-serendipity-family-and-relationships.mp3" length="29493071" type="audio/mpeg"></enclosure>and if I fetch that URL, I get SSP doing a redirection. Here I’m asking Curl to get me a range of bytes:
Craigs-iMac:~ craig$ curl -I --range 500-600 https://moversmindset.com/podcast-download/4734/062-chris-and-shirley-darlington-rowat-serendipity-family-and-relationships.mp3 HTTP/1.1 302 Found Date: Fri, 11 Oct 2019 14:55:48 GMT Server: Apache Pragma: no-cache Expires: 0 Cache-Control: must-revalidate, post-check=0, pre-check=0 Robots: none X-Redirect-By: WordPress Set-Cookie: PHPSESSID=6576b49ab4d78ab7628bb05a727805dd; path=/ Location: https://moversmindset.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/MM_62_Chris_and_Shirley.mp3 Content-Type: text/html; charset=UTF-8
Aside: -I with curl says just give me the headers for a response for the requested resource. Not the actual resource. The 302 HTTP status, combined with the Location: header is standard web-speak for a web server saying, “please go get this resource instead.” Critically this is a 302 which is a “temporary” redirect, not a 301 which is a “permanent” redirect. With 302, if you want this resource again or more of it with another range request, you should ask for it again at the original URL. Versus with a 301, where you should not ask again, you should use the new location going forward with any subsequent requests. tl;dr: 302 + Location is what I expected to see.
…that curl request gives me a standard redirection. As expected(!) since SSP wants to track statistics. That new
302location is a direct-link into the WP assets storage. When I curl that, making a range request again, it works perfectly. (Apache is happy to give me the 101 bytes I’m asking for.) Below is both the headers-only (-I in Curl) and a full fetch….
Craigs-iMac:~ craig$ curl -I --range 500-600 https://moversmindset.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/MM_62_Chris_and_Shirley.mp3 HTTP/1.1 206 Partial Content Date: Fri, 11 Oct 2019 14:58:33 GMT Server: Apache Last-Modified: Sun, 06 Oct 2019 14:51:01 GMT Accept-Ranges: bytes Content-Length: 101 Vary: Accept-Encoding Content-Range: bytes 500-600/29493071 Content-Type: audio/mpeg
Craigs-iMac:~ craig$ curl --range 500-600 https://moversmindset.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/MM_62_Chris_and_Shirley.mp3 > ./foo
% Total % Received % Xferd Average Speed Time Time Time Current
Dload Upload Total Spent Left Speed
100 101 100 101 0 0 389 0 --:--:-- --:--:-- --:--:-- 388
Craigs-iMac:~ craig$ ls -alh ./foo
-rw-r--r-- 1 craig staff 101B Oct 11 10:58 ./fooAside: First a bunch of headers saying that I would receive [if I actually asked] 101 bytes of content-length, and then an actual request where I end up with 101 bytes in a file on my computer. tl;dr: everything as expected.
So I think the answer is that SSP doesn’t interfere with HTTP range requests. And that means the problem I’m trying to solve can’t be caused by my site not correctly answering range requests.
At this point, I folded my arms with one of those “hurumph” noises. Then I thought of something: Ya’ know, since it’s Apache that is going to feed me that MP3 file, it would totally be able to change its behavior based on what the web client, (aka, the podcast player app, Google Podcasts,) said it would accept as a response.
Aside: The Web is a conversation between web clients and web servers. Every request—and there can be hundreds of requests to show you one page—starts with the client asking for a resource and listing the types of responses it will accept. Think: am I wanting an image resource, an audio file, a blob of HTML, etc. Also, what types of encoding of those resources can the client understand. tl;dr: No more tl;dr’s here. We’re in the belly of the beast now.
So how do I tell curl to manipulate the encodings it should tell the server it would accept. Answer: By adding a header via the -H flag.
So reviewing: Here’s a normal ask for the headers for a specific media file. This isn’t a range request, this is just an ask for the headers for an entire resource:
Craigs-iMac:~ craig$ curl -I https://moversmindset.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/MM_62_Chris_and_Shirley.mp3 HTTP/1.1 200 OK Date: Thu, 17 Oct 2019 13:09:27 GMT Server: Apache Last-Modified: Sun, 06 Oct 2019 14:51:01 GMT ETag: "220031-1c2074f-5943f1052a358" Accept-Ranges: bytes Content-Length: 29493071 Vary: Accept-Encoding Content-Type: audio/mpeg
That’s exactly what I expect: If I actually asked for the resource, I’d get about 30 megabytes of content back.
And what would happen if I tell curl (note the -H argument on this one) to tell the server that I’d be happy with a gzip’d response:
Craigs-iMac:~ craig$ curl -H "Accept-Encoding: gzip" -I https://moversmindset.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/MM_62_Chris_and_Shirley.mp3 HTTP/1.1 200 OK Date: Thu, 17 Oct 2019 13:11:03 GMT Server: Apache Last-Modified: Sun, 06 Oct 2019 14:51:01 GMT ETag: "220031-1c2074f-5943f1052a358-gzip" Accept-Ranges: bytes Vary: Accept-Encoding Content-Encoding: gzip Content-Type: audio/mpeg
Oh shit. It would send me a gzip encoded version of my MP3 file. And critically, it doesn’t tell me how big that would be—no Content-length is given—because the server would have to actually compress it with gzip to see how big it would actually be.
Aside: If you know about Apache’s ability to serve out pre-compressed versions of files—so you have the .mp3 and the .mp3.gz files laying on disk ready to go—if you know about that, then you don’t need to read any of this article. I was tempted to set that up just to have Content-length and the gzip encoding header in the shot because you would have noticed. ;)
So IF the client . . . say for example, oh, I don’t know, the Google Podcasts app maybe? . . . happens to mention that it could accept a gzip’d response, then boy-howdy a gzip’d response our Apache would send.
…and that’s a problem why? Because it turns out that you cannot combine compression (any sort, not just gzip) content encoding with range requests. The long version is this Stack Overflow thread, Is it possible to send HTTP response using GZIP and byte ranges at the same time? The short answer is, no, because even if I wanted to waste my time compressing it just to give you 100 bytes out of the middle, it’s not possible for you to then uncompress those 100 bytes. All modern compression algorithms work on streams of data—you have to start decompressing from the first byte.
Aside: The next version of HTTP addresses this because it turns out that being able to have range requests on resources compressed in flight would be very useful.
Ok smart guy, what happens if you try to make a range request and accept compression?
Craigs-iMac:~ craig$ curl --range 500-600 -H "Accept-Encoding: gzip" -I https://moversmindset.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/MM_62_Chris_and_Shirley.mp3 HTTP/1.1 206 Partial Content Date: Sat, 19 Oct 2019 01:58:16 GMT Server: Apache Last-Modified: Sun, 06 Oct 2019 14:51:01 GMT ETag: "220031-1c2074f-5943f1052a358" Accept-Ranges: bytes Content-Length: 101 Content-Range: bytes 500-600/29493071 Content-Type: audio/mpeg
Honestly? That’s not what I expected. I was expecting some sort of actual error from the server.
But nope, that’s a perfectly happy, 101 bytes—or it would be if hadn’t specified I just wanted the headers—out of the full 30 megabytes-or-so, and it wouldn’t be compressed. This confuses the hell out of me because it’s exactly what you’d want. The app asked for something we can’t do so we skip the compression part—the app said it would accept compression, not that it demands compression.
Oh, who cares. Compressing MP3 files—especially live on the fly each time they are served—is totally the wrong thing to be doing. Let’s just stop that and hope the problem goes away.
Aside: You thought the wizard behind the curtain always figures it out? I’ve got some bad news for you sunshine, Pink isn’t well, he stayed back at the hotel…
Still in Spock mode, let’s describe the actual problem…
Oh, well that’s perfectly clear then, isn’t it?
Seriously, screw this. I’m just turning off compression of MIME type “audio/mpeg” files. (MP3 files are an example of MIME type “audio/mpeg”.)
Aside: Yes, I said MIME—the Multipart Internet Mail Extension specification is how we ended up classifying what something is on the web. Major type “audio”, minor type “mpeg”. I know, this stuff is bonkers… it’s just turtles all the way down.
Since Apache does not compress things by default, all I have to do is find where the “DEFLATE”—that’s really what it’s called, gzip is one way of “deflating” files—output filter is assigned to handle files of MIME type “audio/mpeg.” That’s actually easy to do if you are fluent in Apache.
I’m an Apache configuration file wizard. I’ve been using Apache since it was spun off from something else in—I had to look it up—1995. Trivia: It was “a patchy server” cobbled together from some open-source work done—never mind, go read it on Wikipedia. ANYWAY.
I read over the entire Apache configuration, it’s complicated in files that include other files with nesting and logic and lions and tigers and bears… but it’s all perfectly clear and straight-forward to me…
…and yet I can’t see why it would EVER decide to apply the DEFLATE output filter to an audio/mpeg file.
Strike one. Off with the kid gloves.
If I can’t figure out where it’s turned on and remove that, the next best thing to do is to just add a rule that turns if off. But when I went to do that, I found that whoever designed the system architecture had already stumbled upon this mess. (Compressing media files is wrong-headed.) They already had a rule, which confesses the sin of wacky configuration by saying, “yo! for these media files, knock it off with the DEFLATE output filter!”
SetEnvIfNoCase Request_URI .(?:gif|jpg|png|ico|zip|gz|mp4|flv)$ no-gzip
As soon as I saw this, I was like, “you’re kidding me, right?” That says if the thing being requested ends with a period followed by any of those file extensions, then set an environment flag telling the DEFLATE module not to gzip.
…and “mp3” is not listed.
So I cursed like a sailor, threw my hands up in the air, and added “mp3|” to that string right after “mp4|”, restarted Apache, checked with James, and the problem is fixed.
omfg where’s my Tylenol?
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In other words, the only way for a person to experience that particular place and time was to experience that particular place and time, and I although I was in the right place, I spent much of that time goofing with my phone.
~ David Cain, from No Moment Can Be Saved For Later
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I have become a master of not goofing around with my phone. I have become a master of experiencing certain moments; leaning into the present one might say. Engage with random dogs. Wander that interesting side street. Stop and actually smell that flower. Take off my shoes and play barefoot in this tree. Pause and enjoy the sunshine and blue sky during this nice walk.
But that’s trivial. And it doesn’t make my life terrific. I’m still profoundly unhappy and stressed out.
Know what’s hard? Leaning into, and enjoying, the experiences which are stereotypically the things I dis-prefer. (I’d prefer them to be otherwise, but in fact I have no control over.) That chunk of boring software I have to write. Staying up until 1am, (I’m normally asleep at 9:30,) to babysit a computer system that has to be rebooted in off-hours. Dealing with burnt-out headlamps on the car… when it’s raining, and I had an appointment to get my Mac fixed. Pouring my life into a project and watching no one support it. And so on. Lots and lots of moments that suck the joy of life right out of me.
Yeup, lots more moments I need to lean into.
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Each part of your life can be examined in the context of the whole, of what really matters most to you. By keeping that end clearly in mind you can make certain that whatever you do on any particular day does not violate the criteria you have defined as supremely important, and that each day of your life contributes in a meaningful way to the vision you have to your life as a whole.
~ Stephen Covey
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How can people maintain discipline, stay motivated, and effectively manage distractions to pursue personal growth and self-improvement?
Dan Edwardes explains the value of playing games, and unpacks what motivates him. He discusses the struggle of choosing where to spend your time and energy, and the difficulty of distractions. Dan shares his insights on parkour’s relationship to self efficacy, and the power and importance of storytelling.
When asked: How do you manage to get up every day and keep doing what you do to live your life? How do you stay motivated?
It’s a good question. And it’s not one that I’ve ever had to really ask of myself, I think, in great depth. […] Because of the stories I grew up on and what I exposed myself to when I was very young, the concepts I exposed myself to and took very seriously when I was nine, 10, 11 years old. And then throughout my teenage years, that’s just how I think. And I can’t really remember being alive before that because I don’t remember being that young. That’s just the way my life has always been.
~ Dan Edwardes (8:30)
The conversation explores the intersection of discipline, motivation, and the challenges of maintaining focus in a world full of distractions. Dan shares insights from his lifelong journey through martial arts, parkour, and various forms of training. A key theme is the importance of grounding oneself in simple, repetitive practices—like sweeping the floor in martial arts—as a foundation for developing broader skills.
Edwardes emphasizes the role of storytelling in shaping experiences, both in training sessions and life. Whether through parkour or verbal games, the practice of crafting narratives enhances learning and engagement. The discussion also touches on practical ways to manage modern distractions, such as altering how one uses their phone, reinforcing the importance of small, intentional changes to promote clarity and focus.
Takeaways
The importance of foundational practices — Sweeping the dojo teaches humility, discipline, and attention to detail.
Storytelling as a training tool — Stories enhance memory, engagement, and emotional investment in lessons.
Managing distractions — Clearing the home screen or limiting phone use can free up time and reduce mental clutter.
Self-efficacy through parkour — Parkour forces honest self-assessment and builds competence by exposing limitations.
Training as a means to greater life skills — Physical fitness and movement training are not ends but vehicles for broader personal growth.
Resources
Robert McKee’s Story — A foundational book on the principles of storytelling and narrative structure.
John Yorke’s Into the Woods — A detailed exploration of the structure and mechanics of storytelling.
Save the Cat by Blake Snyder — A guide to screenplay writing that breaks down narrative beats in simple terms.
Fighting Monkey — A movement practice founded by Jozef Frucek, emphasizing attention to detail and clean execution.
Art of Retreat — A parkour and movement-focused event where community leaders share insights and teaching practices.
(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)
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I was recently a guest on the Productivity Heaven podcast. The host Jey Jeyendran is super-curious about productivity and podcasting. Check it out on Apple Podcasts or on Google Podcasts
While the word “proactivity” is now fairly common in management literature, it is a word you won’t find in most dictionaries. It means more than merely taking initiative. It means that as human beings, we are responsible for our own lives. Our beavior is a function of our decisions, not our conditions. We can subordinate feelings to values. We have the initiative and the responsibility to make things happen.
~ Stephen Covey
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I think I may finally have reached a point where travelling is all-out pleasant. Not the sacharine, “I’m excited to be going on a vacation,” pleasant, but the really core-deep, “if this isn’t nice, I don’t know what is,” sort of pleasant.
For a long time I’ve been dutifully posting every day. It’s important to me because it involves writing and I’m a firm believer of: If you cannot write clearly, then you don’t think as clearly as you think you do. But as I departed for Seattle, I was simply okay with knowing I wasn’t going to write for a week (or more, as it turns out.)
Mind you, I get stopped by TSA every time. Even now that I’ve registered with the TSA as a known traveler, I still get “pulled aside.” On the way out, they looked for the podcast audio cables. On the way back, they wanted to see my bar of soap. Mind you, they’ve run a background check on me, and fingerprinted me to register as a “known traveler.” But at least I get to go to the speedy line for being pulled aside. And it was still pleasant. So many great things lay ahead and behind during both legs of the trip, that I was just like, “if this isn’t nice, I don’t know what is.” And, “yes sir, you’ll find the soap in that little black zipper back, in the black plastic case. It’s shaped liked a bar of soap. #sorrynotsorry about the hair.”
Driving into and out of the Cascade Mountains? Bonkers awesome. (Words fail me in case you cannot tell.)
Spending days with 100 friends old and new? Bonkers awesome.
Rustic cabin, roaring wood stove, food, conversations, 30 interviews with all the event presenters and session leaders, and the massive waves of positive comments and thank-you-s for the entire Movers Mindset project and team? Bonkers awesome.
Seattle AirBNB, coffee, 7 incredible interviews for the podcast, coffee, dinnerS with local friends, coffee, playing in Volunteer Park barefoot in “the tree,” coffee, random organic apples, coffee, more friends, more coffee? Bonkers. Awesome.
Home, then exhausted, then bronchitis and maybe some GI complications from my new friend Lyme Disease? Seriously, still bonkers awesome.
Chilly fall evening, grill going, sunset? Definitely bonkers awesome.
If this isn’t nice, I don’t know what is.
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How do movement, coaching, and family intersect to shape personal growth and relationships over time?
Chris Rowat and Shirley Darlington-Rowat discuss serendipity, coaching, and Chris’s work with the fire brigade. They share their thoughts on raising kids, setting aside time for family, and training and moving together. Shirley and Chris share their current struggles, some stories about their past, and how parkour has affected their relationship.
You should both be able to enjoy your lives. So if we enjoy training and it’s a part of our lives, we shouldn’t suppress that. We should just find ways to bring it all together.
~ Chris Rowat (31:27)
The conversation covers the intersection of parkour, family, and coaching, exploring how movement shapes personal relationships and growth. Chris and Shirley discuss serendipity, recalling stories of chance encounters and how unexpected moments influence their lives. They reflect on how their shared passion for parkour has not only shaped their relationship but also influenced how they raise their children, focusing on movement as play rather than formal practice.
[My son Tyler] didn’t see it as parkour, it was just movement. So he’d be in the play park and he’d maybe cycle on his bike to the climbing wall, climb up the little climbing wall, jump across a little piece of railing. He just moved. Movement is movement, right? So whatever [our daughter Indy] wants to do, she can do, if she doesn’t want to do parkour. She’ll do it naturally anyway because it’s normal for that too.
~ Shirley Darlington-Rowat (12:27)
Chris speaks about balancing his career with the London Fire Brigade and his role as a father, highlighting the discipline and adaptability required in both spheres. Shirley emphasizes the importance of maintaining personal movement practices during motherhood and reflects on how physical training can coexist with family life. The conversation weaves between stories of parenting, training, and the philosophy of finding balance and joy in movement.
Takeaways
Serendipity — Reflecting on how unexpected moments and connections shape experiences in life and movement.
Balancing movement and family — Finding ways to integrate training with raising children without forcing them into the same practices.
Coaching philosophy — Emphasizing personal connections and individual growth within group coaching environments.
Parkour as a relationship foundation — Sharing movement practice fosters honesty, mutual understanding, and emotional openness.
Postpartum training — The importance of patience, recovery, and adapting movement to suit physical changes.
Time management — Juggling careers, training, and parenting by focusing on effective, intentional practice within available time.
Resources
Parkour & Art du déplacement: Lessons in practical wisdom – Leçons de sagesse pratique — Vincent Thibault’s book referenced by Craig early in the conversation.
Parkour Generations — The organization where Chris and Shirley have been involved as coaches and athletes.
Rendezvous — The event where Chris and Shirley first met in 2008.
Yamakasi — A reference to the original parkour group, mentioned during Chris’s story about encountering Williams Belle.
London Fire Brigade — Chris’s current workplace, referenced throughout the conversation regarding his career transition.
(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)
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How can experiences with injury and recovery inform sustainable parkour training and coaching practices?
Dan Timms describes his journey with injury and recovery, and how it helped to shape his thoughts about sustainability. He discusses training methods, the forces involved in parkour, and his approach to coaching. Dan unpacks Parkour UK, what it is, what it does, and his involvement with it, before sharing his insight on designing parkour parks.
You see where this is going already. This one didn’t have a mesh floor at the top, so I’ve just speed-vaulted over this wall into this turret, and I looked down and there’s nothing beneath me for about 40 feet.
~ Dan Timms (5:09)
The conversation explores the evolution of sustainable training practices in parkour, largely shaped by experiences with injury and recovery. Reflections on major injuries, such as a near-fatal fall and multiple surgeries, frame the discussion around balancing intense training with long-term health. Insights include the role of strength training, mobility work, and the importance of consistency over quick fixes.
The dialogue also touches on community involvement and governance, highlighting efforts within Parkour UK to standardize coaching certifications and establish Parkour Earth. Additionally, Dan shares real-life applications of parkour, recounting moments where training directly contributed to personal safety and community assistance, including intervening in a robbery.
Takeaways
Sustainability in parkour — Long-term success requires balancing intense training with injury prevention and recovery.
Consistency in training — Regular, sustained practice is more effective than chasing quick-fix solutions.
Role of Parkour UK — Parkour UK plays a key role in standardizing parkour coaching and representing the community at a governmental level.
Real-world application — Parkour skills can translate directly into real-life situations, from preventing injury to intervening in emergencies.
Physical data in parkour — Testing reveals significant forces involved in parkour drops, suggesting adaptations beyond muscular strength.
Resources
Parkour UK — National governing body for parkour in the UK, focusing on coaching standards and community representation.
Parkour Earth — International federation established to counter external governing threats like FIG.
The Monkey’s Back – Documentary — A documentary capturing the spirit of parkour practice featuring Stephane Vigroux.
Born to Run — Christopher McDougall’s book that influenced the guest’s barefoot training and travel to Mexico.
(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)
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How can personal passion projects and unconventional pursuits outside the classroom enhance teaching effectiveness and foster authentic connections with students?
Andy Fisher discusses being a teacher, why he loves it, and how his pursuit of his passions relates to the classroom. He shares his unique and unexpected movement journey before explaining how all of that relates to the passion projects he regularly pursues, such as the Thronin and Hero Forge projects. Andy discusses his thoughts on efficacy, his current struggles and how he manages and works towards overcoming them.
At the age of 11, I was sent to a boarding school in the UK […] Every morning at seven o’clock, an alarm bell was rung, and all of the kids got up, and we had to do a two and a half-mile run. I was the last to come through wheezing and coughing, and by the time I showed up, all the breakfast had gone. There was just a certain point where I just thought, ‘Enough, I’m not going to have this define my life.’ I made the decision that I wasn’t going to be defined by my condition, and that I could grow.
~ Andy Fisher (12:53)
The conversation explores how unconventional pursuits such as knife-throwing, wilderness survival, and circus performance inform and enhance teaching practice. By bringing these passion projects into the classroom, the importance of authentic connection and engaging with students beyond the curriculum emerges. Themes of resilience, personal growth, and fostering curiosity run throughout the dialogue.
Andy Fisher discusses his journey from asthmatic child to martial artist, teacher, and survival instructor, illustrating how personal challenge translates into valuable lessons for students. The balance between discipline and compassion plays a critical role in shaping both his personal life and professional teaching philosophy.
Takeaways
Bridging passion and teaching — Personal pursuits outside of work can deepen engagement with students.
Resilience through experience — Overcoming personal limitations can shape a stronger, more empathetic teaching style.
Authenticity in education — Teachers benefit from sharing personal struggles and successes with students.
Physical challenges and growth — Embracing physically demanding hobbies like survival training builds discipline.
Continuous learning — Remaining a learner outside the classroom informs and inspires teaching.
Resources
Hero Forge Project — Andy Fisher’s podcast and book exploring personal development and heroism.
Hero Roundtable — Conferences discussing heroism and leadership.
(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)
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This vignette, seen in a certain way—as though it is happening, but not happening to me—can be just what it is, without any entanglement with my own interests. None of my reflexive moral judgments are present. The angle of the sun doesn’t remind me of everything I still have to get done today. Seeing twenty-year-old students doesn’t make me wish I was younger. Because I’m not here. It’s just life unfolding, and on its own it’s beautiful.
~ David Cain, from How To See Things As They Are
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If you sit still, you can do what he’s describing anywhere. (You’ll have to go at least skim the article.) But if you sit still and do the visualization in nature, you will be immediately rewarded.
The world moves at its own pace. Somehow, it’s neither always faster nor slower than my normal pace. It’s a fundamentally different kind of pace that encompasses all the range of speeds. Regardless of speed, it’s unhurried. Meanwhile, it turns out that I’m completely capable of hurrying at various speeds. But sitting still and noticing the pace of the world always provides me with striking perspective.
There are so many varied speeds; Bees and birds, wind and trees, sun and moon, and there are slower speeds of course, but I can’t see those. If I pay extreme attention, in just the right situation, I can see a shadow cast by the sun moving. But that’s as slow as I can see—something that moves on the scale of one day.
Have you ever stopped to consider the speed of a bee? Do bees even notice we are moving? Are we just these large-ish pieces of their environment which are always in different places when they return “tomorrow” (aka, a minute later in our timeframe)? It seems obvious to me that the bees are going too fast and are missing EVERYTHING. (Well, sure, pollination and bee-production they’ve got.) But from my enlightened, lofty perch of slower-than-the-bee, I can see so much more.
Which makes me wonder: From my lowly perch of faster-than-a-lot-of-other-things, what am I missing?
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How can the integration of psychology and movement practices contribute to mental wellbeing and personal growth?
Kasturi Torchia describes her role with Parkour UK, and how she came to be involved in mental wellbeing and psychology studies. She discusses her family and how they impacted her journey, before unpacking the Esprit Concrete method she has developed. Kasturi shares some of her goals and what she is working on with Esprit Concrete, and discusses the yearly Les Dames du Movement event.
Esprit Concrete is something that was so organic, that it’s really hard to pinpoint what exactly [started it.] But I think that the really strange encounter that I had with Parkour, came at a really important time in my life where I was reflecting on what was happening and trying to make a change. I just needed something, without knowing that I needed it, to jolt me into seeing things differently, changing perspectives on things.
~ Kasturi Torchia (6:30)
The conversation explores the intersection of psychology and movement, focusing on how Kasturi’s personal experiences led her to create the Esprit Concrete Method. Her work integrates psychological principles with Parkour and Art du Déplacement, addressing mental wellbeing through movement. Kasturi reflects on how childhood influences and a desire to understand human behavior guided her journey towards psychology.
Another key topic is the development of the Esprit Concrete Method as a tool for self-reflection and personal growth. The method helps participants confront vulnerabilities and use movement as a metaphor for psychological challenges. Kasturi also highlights the significance of community events, such as Les Dames Du Movement, which bring together diverse practitioners to foster learning and collaboration.
Takeaways
Integration of psychology and movement — Personal growth and mental health can be addressed through movement practices.
Esprit Concrete Method — A framework blending Parkour, Art du Déplacement, and psychological principles to foster development.
Duty of Care in Parkour UK — Emphasis on safeguarding mental wellbeing and establishing support networks.
Challenges in movement — Physical movements reflect deeper psychological patterns and areas for growth.
Les Dames Du Movement — Community-focused events promoting collaboration across disciplines.
Resources
Esprit Concrete — Kasturi’s platform integrating movement and therapy.
Parkour UK — National governing body for Parkour, focusing on mental health and wellbeing initiatives.
Les Dames Du Movement — Annual community event promoting movement and mental health.
Get Self Help — Website providing self-help resources and CBT worksheets.
(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)
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I love autumn.
There’s something about chilly mornings and cold nights—good sleeping weather as we said when I was a kid.
Don’t get me wrong, summer is nice too. As a kid, of course summer was awesome. But the problem with summer was sleeping. Back in the day, we didn’t always have air conditioning. This wasn’t a deal-breaker but there would always be the occassional stretch of days where you’d simply lay stewing in your own juices rather than actually sleeping. Which leads to a particular thing about summer which I suspect I will always love: The late-night summer thunderstorm.
I’m not talking about your run of the mill evening summer thunderstorm. Those are a dime a dozen. They’re neat and all, but they can’t hold a candle to a late-night summer thunderstorm.
As I mentioned, I grew up mostly without air conditioning, and so I slept with the windows open. I had the “weather” corner of the house growing up. That means the normal wind, and so most storms, arrived at my corner of the house. It always started with a low rumbling in the distance. Soon I’d see some silent flashes of light. (I grew up in a house in the country, more in the woods than not. Night was dark.) Soon the rumbling would correspond to the flashes. Then, decreasing time between the flash and the boom. “14… 15… 16… rumble …four miles!” Then the rising wind in the trees, and then, finally, the wind from the downdraft of the stormfront. Scant seconds of cool wind, sometimes cold, occasionally frigid—in which case it was going to hail and storm like hell—would blow the stagnant air from the entire house. I’d stand by the window closing it inch by inch as the rain struck the screen. When the window sill was more wet than dry, it was time to close the window until the storm passed. We had a 3-foot exhaust fan in the ceiling in the hallway that could pull the air through the entire house. Someone would get up and run that fan after a thunderstorm, and it was the best air conditioning. After a while, we’d turn the fan off, and I’d lay in bed falling asleep to the raucous sound of crickets, the storm rumbling away bringing its rain and cool to the next community, and the smell of wet earth and trees.
Where was I? …oh yes, autumn.
Yes, please. :)
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Let me start by saying that beautiful websites come in all sizes and page weights. I love big websites packed with images. I love high-resolution video. I love sprawling Javascript experiments or well-designed web apps.
~ Maciej Cegłowski from, The Website Obesity Crisis
This talk isn’t about any of those. It’s about mostly-text sites that, for unfathomable reasons, are growing bigger with every passing year.
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This is so true that it makes me laugh and cry at the same time. I weep. I weep for the Internet. The Internet we know today was made possible by advertising, because too many of us don’t understand how reality works. That’s a good thing—that the Internet happened and grew to be as pervasive as it is—but the current trajectory does not lead to the best possibilities.
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How does the relationship between creative hobbies, personal challenges, and coaching shape the practice and development of movement disciplines?
Georgia Munroe explains her interest in music and how that relates to her parkour practice, as well as how she became interested in parkour. She discusses the challenges and goals she is working on, before sharing her experiences with motion capture and Ninja Warrior. Georgia unpacks her thoughts on coaching, her personal journey of improving as a coach, and how coaching has affected her own parkour practice.
We always struggle with so much […] like when you first start, everything is fresh, everything is new. The only goal is to just turn up, and you get on with it. […] And now, when you start to find your footing, you start to see your character in your movement, you also see your insecurities, you also see the things that are harder than other things to do. You also see what your fears are, and facing your fears or seeing your fears, you want to overcome them. It’s scary, and you don’t want to, but you want to at the same time.
~ Georgia Munroe (17:32)
The conversation explores the interplay between creative hobbies, such as music and movement disciplines like parkour. Music provides Georgia with a natural sense of rhythm and timing, directly influencing how she approaches physical training and performance. This relationship highlights how artistic practices can cross-pollinate with athletic endeavors, enriching each in unexpected ways.
Another central theme is the transformative power of coaching and personal growth. Georgia reflects on the emotional challenges she faced, particularly her fear of failure, and how coaching others mirrors her own internal struggles. As she develops her coaching skills, she learns to manage self-doubt and anxiety, which ultimately enhances her ability to guide others. Her experiences competing in Ninja Warrior reveal how even high-stress environments can evolve from terrifying to enjoyable through mindset shifts and practice.
Takeaways
The influence of music on movement — Music provides rhythm and timing that directly translates to improved flow and efficiency in physical practice.
Facing personal fears — Overcoming fear and insecurity plays a major role in progressing as an athlete and coach.
The role of coaching in self-development — Coaching requires significant self-reflection and growth, shaping the way instructors manage both their own fears and those of their students.
Mindset shifts during competition — Competing in challenging environments like Ninja Warrior transitions from overwhelming to rewarding by focusing on relaxation and enjoying the process.
Embracing hard work over talent — Relying solely on talent can be limiting, while sustained effort and perseverance lead to greater long-term achievements.
The emotional journey of learning — Success often requires facing discomfort, repeated failure, and developing resilience.
Resources
Esprit Concrete — Coaching organization where Georgia Munroe trains and coaches, focusing on movement and mental development.
Ninja Warrior UK — Competitive obstacle course show in which Georgia Munroe competed, testing athleticism and mental resilience.
(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)
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I don’t know why we long so for permanence, why the fleeting nature of things so disturbs. With futility, we cling to the old wallet long after it has fallen apart. We visit and revisit the old neighborhood where we grew up, searching for the remembered grove of trees and the little fence. We clutch our old photographs. In our churches and synagogues and mosques, we pray to the everlasting and eternal. Yet, in every nook and cranny, nature screams at the top of her lungs that nothing lasts, that it is all passing away. All that we see around us, including our own bodies, is shifting and evaporating and one day will be gone. Where are the one billion people who lived and breathed in the year 1800, only two short centuries ago?
~ Alan Lightman from, The Accidental Universe
It seems obvious to me that apprehending the impermanence of everything is necessary in order to remain sane. Obviously my entire existence is an immeasurably tiny fraction of an instant. Obviously there is no ultimate “point” to all of this. Obviously there is no one true meaning of life.
It removes a lot of baggage and struggle once you realize that reality is in fact the real situation you are in.
…and then you’re free. Free to create, conjure, combine, laugh, love, learn, run, ramble, perable, talk, commiserate, procreate, invent, integrate, mix, mingle and just generally ENJOY LIVING.
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My fear—or maybe it’s better written, as “my lament”?—is that for every made-it-big tech person who represents the worst of avarice and greed, there is a sea of regular tech people who are being ground up by the works. Countless pasty faces staring at screens, drinking diet soda, trying to live in the bites of life they can grab after hours, (taking their phone so they can be summoned, of course!) stressed-out, burnt-out…
So when I hear people talk about “tech people” as if we’ve collectively done something wrong and messed up the world, I look around and all I see are people who’ve been broken and smashed. The grass is no greener on the inside-tech side of the fence. To everyone outside-tech, what gets done inside tech is magic—it’s not, it’s factory work, round two.
I don’t mean this as a repost to what people say when they lament what has happened to the world, but as a commiserating plea: “Yes! Yes! The problem is everywhere.”
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Buy less, buy better. Notice the materiality of the things you use. Live in your body. Feel the ground when you walk. Chop wood, carry water.
~ David Cain, from We Are Not Materialistic Enough
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Go read this. In fact, go read everything on Raptitude.
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