Seattle and back again →

Published October 9, 2019  ·  All posts on Oct 9  ·  

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.

ɕ

Chris and Shirley Darlington-Rowat: Serendipity, family, and relationships →

Published October 9, 2019  ·  All posts on Oct 9  ·  

Chris and Shirley Darlington-Rowat: Serendipity, family, and relationships

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.

Chris ‘Blane’ Rowat

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.)

ɕ

Dan Timms: Injury, strength, and Parkour UK →

Published October 2, 2019  ·  All posts on Oct 2  ·  

Dan Timms: Injury, strength, and Parkour UK

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.)

ɕ

Andy Fisher: Teaching, journey, and efficacy →

Published September 25, 2019  ·  All posts on Sep 25  ·  

Andy Fisher: Teaching, journey, and efficacy

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.)

ɕ

Slower than a bee →

Published September 19, 2019  ·  All posts on Sep 19  ·  ,

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

slip:4uraho15.

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?

ɕ

Kasturi Torchia: Mental wellbeing, Esprit Concrete, and sharing →

Published September 18, 2019  ·  All posts on Sep 18  ·  

Kasturi Torchia: Mental wellbeing, Esprit Concrete, and sharing

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.)

ɕ

Autumn →

Published September 18, 2019  ·  All posts on Sep 18

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. :)

ɕ

Website obesity →

Published September 17, 2019  ·  All posts on Sep 17  ·  

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.

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.

~ Maciej Cegłowski from, The Website Obesity Crisis

slip:4uieta1.

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.

ɕ

Georgia Munroe: Goals, Ninja Warrior, and coaching →

Published September 11, 2019  ·  All posts on Sep 11  ·  

Georgia Munroe: Goals, Ninja Warrior, and coaching

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.)

ɕ

Impermanence →

Published September 11, 2019  ·  All posts on Sep 11  ·  

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.

ɕ