Don Beeson | Wilderness Survival and Evasion →

Published February 27, 2019  ·  All posts on Feb 27

On Castbox.fm — Don Beeson | Wilderness Survival and Evasion

What skills and experiences are gained when parkour practitioners apply principles of stealth, teamwork, and adaptation in unconventional environments?

Adapting to dynamic challenges creates opportunities for growth in unconventional environments.

I wanted to present a framework for civilians, who don’t normally have access to training that you would see with military personnel, to get a little bit of that hands-on, but in a fun way.

~ Don Beeson (0:54)

The conversation revolves around a unique training experience blending parkour with stealth and survival techniques, conducted during a leadership and education retreat in the Cascade Mountains. Participants engaged in skill sessions that introduced military-inspired strategies for stealth and evasion, culminating in night missions designed to apply these lessons in practice. These activities challenged attendees to slow down, communicate non-verbally, and adapt to unfamiliar environments.

The discussion also highlights specific moments from the night missions, such as encounters with a “monster” in a ghillie suit and the use of distraction tactics. Participants demonstrated creativity and teamwork, employing methods taught earlier in the day to achieve objectives. The experience underscored the value of applying parkour principles in new contexts, encouraging practitioners to explore stealth and adaptability beyond their usual environments.

Takeaways

The value of slowing down — Participants learned how deliberate, slow movement can be more effective in certain contexts than speed.

Stealth as a skill — Techniques for evasion and camouflage were introduced, demonstrating their practical and creative applications.

Non-verbal communication — The exercises emphasized teamwork through silent coordination, fostering new ways of interaction.

Adapting parkour to unconventional settings — Participants explored how parkour skills can extend beyond urban environments into stealth and evasion scenarios.

Confidence through mastery — Success in the missions built participants’ confidence in applying new techniques effectively.

Integration of fantasy and strategy — Incorporating creative elements like riddles and challenges enhanced engagement and problem-solving.

Resources

Parkour Leadership and Education Retreat — Annual event fostering skill development and community among parkour practitioners.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

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Merry →

Published February 25, 2019  ·  All posts on Feb 25  ·  

Merry

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No pull-quote. You’ll have to click.

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Genius →

Published February 24, 2019  ·  All posts on Feb 24  ·  

Talent is like the marksman who hits a target which others cannot reach; Genius is like the marksman who hits a target… which others cannot even see.

~ Arthur Schopenhauer

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How to win the Internet →

Published February 21, 2019  ·  All posts on Feb 21  ·  

The difficulty seems to be, not so much that we publish unduly in view of the extent and variety of present day interests, but rather that publication has been extended far beyond our present ability to make real use of the record. The summation of human experience is being expanded at a prodigious rate, and the means we use for threading through the consequent maze to the momentarily important item is the same as was used in the days of square-rigged ships.

~ Vannevar Bush from, As We May Think

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Over in the Movers Mindset community I’ve started a topic titled, How to win the Internet, where I’ve been trying to unpack all my processes and way-of-thinking around how I manage (or at least, attempt to manage) everything I learn.

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Dylan Polin | Forming Partnerships for the Athlete, Coach, & Business Owner →

Published February 20, 2019  ·  All posts on Feb 20

On Castbox.fm — Dylan Polin | Forming Partnerships for the Athlete, Coach, & Business Owner

What are the essential elements for forming and maintaining successful partnerships in the Parkour community, and how can individuals avoid common pitfalls?

Successful partnerships in Parkour hinge on clear communication and defined responsibilities.

One of the biggest takeaways I wanted to talk about was this idea of death from 1000 cuts— when Parkour gyms or coaches or athletes, will try to chase down every single opportunity

~ Dylan Polin (1:05)

The conversation focuses on the key principles behind forming successful partnerships in the Parkour community, covering the roles of athletes, coaches, and gym owners. A significant point of discussion is how partnerships can enhance credibility and provide necessary resources for growth. The analogy of a lion chasing mice versus antelope is used to illustrate the importance of prioritizing high-value partnerships over numerous small, less impactful engagements.

Another key topic is the importance of communication when structuring partnerships. Emphasis is placed on defining responsibilities clearly to avoid misunderstandings that could lead to partnership failures. Additionally, the concept of sunk cost fallacy is highlighted, encouraging individuals to recognize when a partnership is no longer beneficial and to exit gracefully if necessary.

Takeaways

Forming partnerships — Partnerships are vital for growth and credibility in Parkour.

Opportunity management — Pursuing every opportunity can drain resources without yielding significant returns.

High-value partnerships — Focusing on impactful partnerships can provide long-term benefits, even if they require more effort.

Communication clarity — Clear, upfront communication and responsibility division are critical for partnership success.

Partnership pitfalls — Miscommunication or undefined roles can lead to partnership failures.

Exiting partnerships — Recognizing the need to exit unproductive partnerships is key to sustaining long-term growth.

Sunk cost fallacy — Avoiding the trap of continuing partnerships that no longer serve their purpose prevents unnecessary resource depletion.

Resources

Hub Parkour Training Center — Dylan Polin’s Parkour training center in Boston.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

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Chris Moran: Movement, permaculture, and pain theory →

Published February 20, 2019  ·  All posts on Feb 20  ·  

Chris Moran: Movement, permaculture, and pain theory

What draws people away from conventional careers and into lives centered on movement, manual labor, and holistic living?

Chris Moran discusses his unique path from personal trainer to farmer, and the relationship between movement and farming. He shares his insights on chronic pain and pain theory, as well as how his training and coaching has become deeply rooted in permaculture. Chris ends by describing his continuing passion for film making and creative projects.

Stay outside. It’s not, go outside, it’s stay outside. Should have never went in, in the first place.

~ Chris Moran (37:40)

The conversation explores the journey of transitioning from urban life and personal training to farming and manual labor. It highlights how engaging with nature and physical tasks provides fulfillment beyond traditional fitness routines. The discussion touches on the serendipitous path that led to farming, the connections made along the way, and how these experiences reshaped views on movement and training.

Key topics include the relationship between manual labor and physical movement, the philosophy of holistic farming practices like permaculture, and how immersive experiences can alter perspectives on wellness and pain. The dialogue also reflects on the challenges of chronic pain, the psychological factors contributing to it, and how shifting to a lifestyle focused on play and practical tasks helped alleviate it. The conversation closes by touching on filmmaking and community building as extensions of this holistic approach.

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What’s wrong with the world →

Published February 20, 2019  ·  All posts on Feb 20  ·  ,

Ok, here’s what’s wrong with the world (Pt. 2)

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I’m not sure that’s worth linking to. But it is the article that sparked the thought that became this post. So, hat-tip where hat-tip is due.

You’re probably familiar with the common definition of the word “doldrums”: A period of stagnation or slump, or a period of depression or unhappy listlessness. But the common definition comes from the actual doldrums, which is a place in the Atlantic Ocean, more generally referred to as the “Horse Latitudes.”

Here’s the thought I had: I’m in the doldrums.

I’m not in the internally-generated, mental state, that the common definition implies. I’m in a place in my life which is the doldrums.

Old-timey sailors discovered a huge area of the Atlantic Ocean where the winds and sea are unreliable. Once a few explorers got stuck there, “in the doldrums,” on sailing ships, they shared the knowledge with others. Everyone quickly learned to avoid the Horse Latitudes because that place made things difficult.

Long ago I developed the twin skills of self-awareness and self-assessment and set about a long—and ongoing!—journey of self-improvement. But these days, I seem to be stuck in my journey. Why? I’m in the doldrums. I’ve navigated myself to a place which makes things difficult.

Bonus: How did sailors of old get out of the doldrums? When faced with mass dehydration, (it doesn’t rain much in the doldrums,) they’d tie their huge sailing ships to their tiny row-boats, and take shifts towing the ship.

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Our greatest shortcoming →

Published February 19, 2019  ·  All posts on Feb 19  ·  

The greatest shortcoming of the human race is our inability to understand the exponential function.

~ Albert Bartlett

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On writing →

Published February 18, 2019  ·  All posts on Feb 18  ·  , ,

I believe that everyone should write in public. Get a blog. Or use Squidoo or Tumblr or a microblogging site. Use an alias if you like. Turn off comments, certainly–you don’t need more criticism, you need more writing.

~ Seth Godin from, Talker’s block

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Thank you. …don’t mind if I do. Coming up on 8 years on this blog, and well over 2,000 posts. :)

Writing here has been useful on two fronts: First, when I do have to write something in some random context, le voila! …every day I suck less at writing. Second, writing clarifies my thinking. (My thinking needs a lot of clarifying.)

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Why storytelling is a big deal →

Published February 17, 2019  ·  All posts on Feb 17  ·  ,

But forget business for a minute. Stores are much bigger than that, they’re central to our human existence. The way we shape reality is through storytelling. If we can tell a story about it, that means it exists. And this explains our species’ unique capacity for metaphor…for that is how we turn abstract ideas into stories.

~ “Gaping Void” from, «https://www.gapingvoid.com/blog/2019/01/15/the-real-reason-why-storytelling-is-a-big-deal/»

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As I mentioned in the meta-interview of me for the Movers Mindset podcast, I love stories and story-telling. But helping others tell their stories is what I enjoy most about the interviews. Everyone is so incredibly different—yes, I too thought that was obvious before I started interviewing people. ;) Some people, I have nothing more to do then press the ‘record’ button. Some people, have something they need to say but it takes hours of conversation to figure that out before I can press ‘record’.

I’ll be candid: The podcast is incredibly painful to create. Until you’ve tried it—I urge you to never try it, by the way—you cannot understand how much time, effort, and money it takes to do it well … did I mention the time? Worse, the more I work on the craft of story-telling, interviewing, and the countless nuances of producing a show. Bottomless, hopeless, endless, thankless, merciless.

But then I randomly listen to an episode from the catalog, one from a while ago that I’ve sort of half-forgotten and I remember why it would be inconceivable to stop this early in the journey.

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