Movers Mindset

The Movers Mindset project includes a podcast and has its own website.

Thomas Droge: Body work, Writing, and Parkour Culture

April 4, 2017

Thomas Droge: Body work, writing, and parkour culture

What insights can practices like Tai Chi, Qi Gong, and Parkour offer about balance, healing, and personal growth?

Thomas Droge discusses balance and falling, as well as the physical and mental implications of each. He unpacks his thoughts on recovery, body work, injury and eastern and western medicine. Thomas also shares about the book he’s writing, his goals, and finishes with his thoughts on the culture of parkour.

The amount of attention it takes to stay balanced allows you to obliterate all the other thoughts in your mind, and you get into this awake conscious state really fast. To be in any kind of balanced state—especially if it’s new—is incredibly valuable to bring you into this moment.

~ Thomas Droge (1:51)

The conversation explores the concept of balance as a dynamic and transformative process, contrasting it with the common misconception of balance as a static endpoint. Through discussions of practices like Tai Chi, Qi Gong, and Parkour, it highlights how engaging fully in the present moment enables heightened awareness and flow states. The dialogue also examines how physical balance mirrors emotional and interpersonal dynamics, such as communication and relationships.

Another key theme is healing and recovery, approached through the lens of Chinese medicine and bodywork. Thomas discusses the principles of Dit Da Jow and how traditional and modern approaches address injury and recovery. The conversation also touches on the iterative nature of personal goals, emphasizing the importance of collaboration, adaptability, and finding meaning through both small and grand ambitions.

Takeaways

Balance — A dynamic state of transformation requiring constant adaptation and awareness.

Healing — Chinese medicine offers tools for holistic recovery, emphasizing balance over suppression.

Flow states — Engaging with novelty and repetitive motions alike can create a deeper connection to the present moment.

Goals — Goals often evolve and reshape during the journey, offering unexpected discoveries.

Collaboration — Achieving meaningful outcomes often requires combining individual strengths with others’ expertise.

Community — Parkour fosters a unique sense of togetherness and mutual support, emphasizing growth over competition.

Self-acceptance — Letting go of external validation and embracing personal truth brings freedom.

Interpersonal dynamics — Effective communication requires balance and understanding between parties.

Spiritual exploration — Practices like Tai Chi and Qi Gong link physical movements with broader life insights.

Resources

Thomas Droge

The Body Electric — A book on bioelectricity and healing, referenced in the discussion.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

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Jonny Hart: Art, Coaching, and Breaking Jumps

March 14, 2017

Jonny Hart: Art, coaching, and breaking jumps

What role do community, creativity, and challenge play in connecting personal passions with physical disciplines?

Jonny Hart shares the role of parkour in his life, and how that fits in with his career as an artist. He explains the parkour and anatomy art classes that he helped develop, and discusses the joy he finds in coaching and teaching. Jonny finishes by unpacking his thoughts on breaking jumps, and shares the story of the first jump he ever broke.

I specifically make sure that there’s something in there that I have no idea how to do. And none of my skill set has prepared me for it.

~ Jonny Hart (15:30)

The conversation explores Jonny Hart’s journey from fine arts to becoming an advocate and teacher of Parkour, merging art with movement. He shares his early fascination with Parkour, describing its intensity and the unique community bonds it fosters. He reflects on how his artistic background influences his Parkour practice, providing insights into anatomy and movement, and how this cross-disciplinary knowledge enriches his teaching and personal growth.

The discussion also digs into fear and challenges, likening “breaking the jump” in Parkour to creative hurdles in art. Jonny emphasizes how facing uncertainty in both fields leads to personal breakthroughs and joy. His innovative teaching approach combines drawing, anatomy, and physical movement, aiming to make art and Parkour accessible and transformative for kids and others in the community.

Takeaways

Community as a unifier — The Parkour community fosters connections among individuals from diverse backgrounds, emphasizing shared movement practices over other differences.

Art and movement integration — Teaching combines anatomy, drawing, and Parkour to help kids and participants understand their bodies and creativity.

Fear as a teacher — The concept of “breaking the jump” in Parkour parallels overcoming artistic challenges, showing the transformative power of fear.

Non-commercial passions — Jonny Hart emphasizes the value of keeping Parkour as a passion rather than a profession to maintain its joy and authenticity.

The role of teaching — Hart finds fulfillment in teaching classes he loves, recharging his energy and positively impacting his students.

Parkour as a global culture — The Parkour community’s values and connections extend across different cities and countries, fostering a universal sense of belonging.

Resources

Movement Creative — A New York-based organization teaching Parkour and movement skills.

Müv Magazine — A Parkour magazine featuring articles, stories, and illustrations by and for the community.

Parkour Visions — A Parkour nonprofit dedicated to promoting movement education and accessibility.

Tempest Freerunning — A Los Angeles-based Parkour gym that inspired Hart’s initial interest in the discipline.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

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Adam McClellan: Community, goal setting, and coaching

February 20, 2017

Adam McClellan: Community, goal setting, and coaching

What lessons does the practice of Parkour teach about community, personal growth, and resilience?

Adam McClellan discusses his work with Parkour Generations Americas, the parkour community in America, and his local community. He goes into his transition from martial arts to parkour, before delving into goal setting and how he motivates himself. Adam finishes by sharing people he draws inspiration from and why coaching parkour is so important to him.

A rising tide lifts all boats, and through events like Art of Retreat, we’re realizing we can all benefit by working together.

~ Adam McClellan (0:53)

The conversation explores the broad implications of Parkour on personal growth, community development, and coaching philosophies. Adam discusses Parkour Generations’ work in creating partnerships with various organizations, emphasizing trust-building and long-term collaboration. He highlights the growing unity within the American Parkour community, describing a shift toward collaboration and shared growth over individual competition.

On a personal level, McClellan shares his journey from martial arts to Parkour, driven by the transparency and humility inherent in Parkour’s practice. He reflects on the physical and mental challenges of advanced training courses and the value of failure in pushing boundaries. The conversation also delves into his coaching philosophy, advocating for spreading Parkour’s core values effectively and inclusively.

Takeaways

Strength, touch, and spirit — Core elements that define Parkour as a practice, blending physical, mental, and community aspects.

Community collaboration — The rising trend of cooperation within the American Parkour community, fostering mutual growth and shared opportunities.

Transparency in movement — The unique quality of Parkour, where skill is immediately visible and ego has no place.

The role of failure — Viewing failure as a necessary and valuable part of growth in training and life.

Parkour coaching impact — Emphasis on making Parkour accessible and inspiring to others through intentional coaching methods.

Transition from martial arts — A shift from a field driven by appearances to one defined by authentic skill and humility.

Building community spaces — The dream of creating a hub for Parkour practitioners to train, connect, and grow together.

Adapting goals — A preference for broad, flexible objectives over rigid benchmarks to encourage creativity and exploration.

Resources

Parkour Generations — The global organization involved in Parkour coaching, partnerships, and community development.

Art of Retreat — A gathering of Parkour coaches and community leaders in the U.S.

American Council on Exercise (ACE) — Partner organization that uses Parkour coaching standards.

ADEPT Level 2 Course — A rigorous certification program for advanced Parkour coaches.

Lehigh Valley Martial Arts — The martial arts school where Adam McClellan began his training journey.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

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