Craig Constantine

The Movers Mindset Forum

January 15, 2020

What is the Forum?

The goal of the forum is to facilitate self-improvement. In the forum we focus on movement as a mastery practice and highlight the processes of discovery and reflection. The forum provides the opportunity to interact with and learn from podcast guests, athletes, experts, and like-minded others.

https://forum.moversmindset.com/

Why the change?

We used to call it “the Movers Mindset community” site. There are some key reasons why we feel “forum” is a better word choice:

It removes confusion…

While it’s not confusing to us on the team, there was a lot of confusion from everyone else who encountered Movers Mindset. I had to really pay attention before I realized this. People heard us say, “the movers mindset community,” and they were thinking, “the collection of people who are interested in Movers Mindset.” They were thinking community as in: The skate-boarding community. The parkour community.

When we said, “join the Movers Mindset community,” people’s first instinct was that we meant for them to become interested in Movers Mindset, follow us on Instagram, or start listening to the podcast. None of that entices people to join a for-pay, members-only thing. Oops.

The word “forum” does not carry the same context as “community”; when people hear, “the Movers Mindset Forum,” or, “join the Movers Mindset Forum,” it stands out. Even if it stands out only because they don’t know what it is, that’s better than them thinking they know what it is, and having the wrong idea.

Forums are old-school…

If by “old-school” you mean more considered, slower paced, and higher information density, then we’ll take that baggage because that’s exactly what the Movers Mindset Forum is meant to be. The work before us now is marketing the forum as interesting and useful, rather than a dusty old forum not worthy of attention. We think by stating a clear goal for the Forum and by stating what the Forum provides people, that it creates a meaningful opportunity that people will consider.

It’s simply shorter…

I know this seems trivial, but it adds up over time. “Forum” is just that much shorter to have to include in URLs, and it’s two syllables shorter to say.

US Parkour Association (part 4 of 4): Competition, certifications, and a request

December 25, 2019

US Parkour Association (part 4 of 4): Competition, certifications, and a request

What role should a national governing body play in shaping the growth and development of Parkour?

Collaboration among diverse voices is shaping the future of Parkour through the USPK.

This episode explores the US Parkour Association’s (USPK) efforts to address competition, coaching certifications, and international pressures. The association adopts a neutral stance on competition, aiming to serve as a platform for diverse practices while prioritizing safety and sustainability. It acknowledges the varied opinions within the Parkour community and strives to ensure competitions reflect the values of the discipline.

Coaching certifications are another key topic, with USPK focusing on establishing standards rather than creating its own certifications. This approach aims to ensure that certifications emphasize safety, best practices, and legitimacy. Additionally, the conversation highlights the challenges of globalization and external organizations attempting to influence Parkour, stressing the importance of maintaining the sport’s cultural roots through active community involvement.

Takeaways

Neutral stance on competition — USPK refrains from dictating competition formats, instead prioritizing safety and inclusivity across the community.

Role in coaching certifications — The organization seeks to set standards for safety and best practices rather than creating a proprietary certification system.

Diverse representation — The transition board brings together varied perspectives to reflect the community’s diversity and facilitate inclusive decision-making.

External pressures on Parkour — Parkour faces challenges from entities outside the community aiming to capitalize on its growth, necessitating vigilance and advocacy.

Importance of research and dialogue — Informed conversations based on facts are emphasized as vital for addressing controversies and progressing the community.

Building a unified voice — The USPK aims to identify areas of consensus within the community while respecting and preserving differing opinions.

Advocacy for engagement — Active participation in USPK by community members is encouraged to shape the organization’s direction and protect Parkour’s values.

Growth through collaboration — The potential for the Parkour community to advance lies in harnessing the collective expertise of diverse stakeholders.

Resources

USPK Official Website — Provides information about the United States Parkour Association and membership opportunities.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

Tyson Cecka: Obstacles, artistry, and depression

December 18, 2019

Tyson Cecka: Obstacles, artistry, and depression

What drives the creation and refinement of spaces and objects for parkour, and how do personal and communal experiences influence this process?

Tyson Cecka unpacks his design process, how he began to build parkour obstacles, and where he finds inspiration. He discusses his current plans and goals, and explains why he doesn’t consider himself a great artist or creator. Tyson shares his experiences with depression, how it’s affected his life, and how he’s working through it.

Failure should be a lesson. If you’re doing your trials correctly, every failure would be a lesson that you could then apply going forward.
~ Tyson Cecka (5:12)

This conversation centers on the intersection of creativity, movement, and mental resilience. Tyson discusses how his initial interest in parkour evolved into designing and building obstacles, driven by necessity and a desire to refine and optimize solutions for movement challenges. He explains how his creations are deeply informed by observing others and learning from failures.

The discussion also taps into broader themes of community influence, personal struggles with depression, and the balance between maintaining control over spaces and embracing organic creativity. Tyson reflects on the importance of spaces that allow for exploration and adaptation while highlighting the iterative process that shapes his work and life philosophy.

Takeaways

Experimentation in parkour design — Tyson emphasizes the importance of iterative trial and error in refining obstacles to meet diverse movement needs.

Community influence on creativity — Coaches and students play a significant role in inspiring new designs and approaches to obstacle construction.

The emotional impact of movement spaces — Tyson discusses the deep connections formed with specific training locations and their significance to personal breakthroughs.

Resilience through failure — Each failure in design or execution is viewed as an opportunity to learn and improve future projects.

The intersection of art and functionality — Tyson frames his obstacle-building process as a blend of artistic vision and practical application.

Mental health and its influence — Tyson shares his struggles with depression and how it has affected his work and approach to life.

Creating spaces for preservation — There is a focus on ensuring the longevity and availability of spaces where parkour can thrive, safeguarding the discipline’s future.

Adapting to personal growth — Tyson reflects on shifting his mindset and embracing change as part of his evolution both as a designer and individual.

Resources

Parkour Visions — Nonprofit organization focusing on creating parkour opportunities and safe spaces.

STURDYmade — Online community and resource hub for parkour builders and enthusiasts.

Art of Retreat — An annual event that focuses on movement, culture, and coaching discussions in the parkour community.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

Someone has to be the first guinea pig

December 17, 2019

(Part 4 of 4 in series, The interviews from my perspective)

Adam McClellan / Episode 1

The story behind episode one is challenging. How much do we want to know? How much do we want to share about the birth of the podcast? That all plays into Episode One. I picked Adam as the first guest because I wanted a guinea pig. I had bought a Zoom recorder and some microphones and cables. There’s a guy who did our audio editing for the first two years, and I had sent him some test audio files just to verify that when I press “Record” it does what we think it does.

I had been training with Adam for years, so I approached him and said, “Hey, I’m thinking about starting a podcast. You want to sit down and have a conversation?” In hindsight, I now realize it takes a lot of chutzpah to actually say, “Okay, I’ll sit down with microphones,” but he was totally up for it. I said, “I need a guinea pig. I’m going to screw it up, and I want you to just be game for a radical F-up.” And, sure enough, now I realize the zeroth rule of podcasting is always press “Record” and then double-check that you’ve actually pressed “Record.” These days we actually have a system, because sometimes it still happens. The person who sits in and listens actually takes notes and uses the time codes from the recorder. So you have to actually look at the recorder, and if the timer isn’t running, we know that I haven’t pressed “Record.”

So, of course, when I sat down to record the podcase with Adam, we started right into it. I had looked at my watch and noted the time when we started, but 13 minutes into it I looked at the recorder and realized the recorder wasn’t recording. I said, “Hey, Adam, remember when I asked if you’d be a guinea pig because I’m going to mess it up? I messed it up. We’re not recording.” So then I pressed “Record” and we started over.

In hindsight, I’m really glad I fell on the sword on the first episode, because it taught me to be humble about when I screw up in a recording. If we’ve gone down the wrong path or I ask a dumb question, I immediately own up to it, like, “Whoa, we screwed this up,” or “You know what, that fire engine went by and screwed up your answer.” It taught me a lesson right out of the gate about being humble about the physical craft part of podcasting, because we really only get one chance. If the take that we get isn’t the greatest … It’s our responsibility to present the guest in their best light, and if there’s something wrong with the take, we need to own up to that. So that was the technical side of the first episode.

Tracy was helping at the time and doing some guest research. We had done a bunch of research on Adam and I had even written out some questions. Looking back now, I realized that writing out all your questions is the right thing to do, although I don’t do it now. But what I should’ve then done is crumpled up the list and thrown it away and gone into the interview with nothing between me and the guest. I had a piece of paper—actually, I think I had my computer. I realize now that, yes, you want to think of the questions, but then you also want to just try and forget them.

I stuck to the script with Adam and it worked out well. Adam is very good at talking and finding a thread, but I really wasn’t helping him very much by providing him with a conversation. That’s one of the things that I realize now is really important for guests, especially some guests who are a little more reticent to talk—not just to have the recording equipment and be able to create the physical space, but to create a conversation between myself and the guest where the guest is interested in continuing to talk.

With Adam, I served him these individual questions tennis-style and then asked a follow-up question or made a comment while he was answering. I pretty much just let him run on his train of thought and then I would present him with the next question. The episode is interesting though. The material is good; it still holds up three years later. But I can hear that it’s just me serving him simple questions. I love listening to it occasionally, because it reminds me of how the way that I craft the story that the narrative in each episode is vastly different, which is just a result of me listening to other people’s podcasts and listening to how people structure them, how the craft works, taking courses, and things like that. So that’s a bit of the technical and a little bit of in front of the mic.

There is a moment in that episode pretty early on where I mention an essay that Adam wrote. I don’t know how we found it, but we had come across this essay on the internet that was actually from Adam’s entrance application for college. I said, “Elsewhere you’ve written about … ” and named a couple of things that were in the essay, and it really made him do a double-take. He said something like, “Wow, you really, really dug at me. I kind of wrote that satirically. I don’t know how you ever found that. I need to go look at my social media to see where I had that online that I had forgotten about.” It was a fun moment where I had caught him off guard and at the time I thought, “Oh, that was interesting.” It took me a while to learn this lesson, but, looking back, I realized that just because I have information that’s interesting or even something a little bit controversial about a guest doesn’t mean I actually want to use that.

I’ve found that it can be hard sometimes if I know too much. You can’t forget something, it’s always going to be in the coloring of your questions. But if I know too much and I say, “Hey, I know about this,” that can really change the tone of the conversation. It can be too big of a gun to bring into the conversation. A lot of times it’s more fun to just know all these things about the guest and then to ask them a leading question to give them the opportunity to bring it up if they want. And then if they choose not to, the conversation just flows where they want.

Sometimes I feel more like I’m trying to create rapids in a river and then see how they whitewater raft down what I’ve created. It’s more like creating opportunities. “Hey, I have a couple of these obstacles and we’d like to roll them into the path. You want to go over this one or do you want to go over that one? Or you can go through the open field.” It took me a long time – maybe 50 interviews – to really figure out what I need to bring in, in terms of knowledge about the guest.

Sometimes there are things that the audience needs to know about because they’re just so awesome and the guest is just going to be too humble and, I’m like, “I’m sorry we have to talk about this because it’s awesome.” But a lot of the time, the things I know about the guests don’t really need to be brought in. It’s just background that helps me color what we’re talking about. So that first interview really went amazingly well considering how I just leapt into it like, “What could possibly go wrong?” There’s a lot that can go wrong, but it really, really well.

I would say the greatest lesson I learned was having nothing between me and the guest. It took me a while to really learn the lesson to literally not put things between me and the guests because I continued doing that for several episodes, but that was the only interview where I showed up with a script or list of questions. I had an idea about how the whole interview should go and that, in my opinion, does not work. It certainly doesn’t work for the way that I do interviews and the way the podcast works.

You can totally think about how you want it to go, but don’t bring that plan to the actual interview. Don’t attempt to lead the guest to a particular place that you have in mind. That was the takeaway. I didn’t learn it immediately after Episode One, but that lesson is there in that first episode. I would say it’s probably in the first six episodes, because there’s some things that changed with seven – it became a lot more nimble at seven and beyond. I think that’s the biggest takeaway: Don’t go in with a preconceived idea of where the conversation is going to go.

Is movement an integral part of my life?

December 12, 2019

It certainly is an integral part of life, in general. But the vast majority of my life does not involve movement. I probably move more than the average American my age. I certainly moved a lot more in my 20s when I had a job that involved doing things. (Make this, move that, go over there, etc.) But today, movement is something that—I don’t quite have to make time for it, but I definitely have to be mindful of it. I generally plan to do something every day. Usually that’s a multi-mile walk, a leisurely bike ride, an hour wrestling with firewood, etc..

US Parkour Association (part 3 of 4): Funding model, membership voices, and next steps

December 11, 2019

US Parkour Association (part 3 of 4): Funding model, membership voices, and next steps

What are the challenges, structures, and opportunities involved in building and maintaining a transparent, community-driven national governing body for Parkour?

Membership dues directly support a transparent, nonprofit structure designed to empower the Parkour community.

This conversation goes into the structure, purpose, and vision of the United States Parkour Association (USPK), a nonprofit organization aiming to unify and support the Parkour community. It discusses the unique governance model involving committees and Special Interest Groups (SIGs), emphasizing the grassroots nature of SIGs as member-driven initiatives addressing both internal and community-specific challenges. Transparency is a cornerstone of USPK’s operations, with open financial reporting and an inclusive process for member contributions to decision-making.

The discussion also touches on the challenges of convincing individual practitioners and skeptics to join the organization, highlighting the importance of proactive involvement to ensure Parkour remains community-led. Broader topics include potential external threats, such as legislative actions by industries like CrossFit and Coca-Cola, and the role of public perception in shaping Parkour’s future. The conversation underscores the urgency of building a robust membership base to drive the organization’s efforts and sustain its mission.

Takeaways

Membership dues — Funding for USPK comes primarily from membership fees, ensuring direct community investment in its initiatives.

Transparency commitment — The organization prioritizes transparency through open financial reports and clear communication with members.

Special Interest Groups — SIGs are grassroots initiatives that empower members to address diverse challenges and innovate within the Parkour community.

Committee structure — Committees focus on specific issues such as build standards and competition, ensuring organizational goals align with community needs.

External legislative threats — The discussion highlights threats from industries and legislation that could negatively impact Parkour’s autonomy and accessibility.

Community involvement — The importance of collective action and shared responsibility in shaping Parkour’s future is emphasized.

Public perception — Outreach and education can positively influence how the public perceives Parkour practitioners.

Grassroots energy — The conversation stresses leveraging the passion of individual practitioners to drive the organization’s growth and impact.

Membership growth — Building a strong membership base is critical for long-term sustainability and influence.

Unified direction — Advocating for aligning individual and collective goals to protect and advance the discipline of Parkour.

Resources

USPK Official Website — Provides information about the United States Parkour Association and membership opportunities.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

Brandee Laird: Creating experiences, usefulness, and poetry

December 4, 2019

Brandee Laird: Creating experiences, usefulness, and poetry

How can one integrate personal growth, creativity, and leadership to inspire and connect with others?

Brandee Laird discusses many things, including the recent Art of Retreat, being an introvert, and card manipulation. She shares her coaching philosophy, influences, and creating experiences, and reflects on the role of usefulness in her practice. Brandee explains how she handles dark moods, strives to expand her skill sets, and even recites some of her own poetry.

[T]hey end up feeling connected to me by the way I’m doing it and the way I’m presenting myself. But really, it’s whatever tactics and techniques, whatever tools I’m giving them. Whether it’s a game, mess with a partner, or we’re all doing something together, it’s really designed to give them a sense of not being alone in the endeavor. Because parkour is something that we definitely do alone. But we do it alone, together.
~ Brandee Laird

Brandee Laird explores her multifaceted approach to personal growth, movement, and coaching. She discusses how she crafts unique experiences for her students to foster connection and engagement, emphasizing the balance between challenge and joy in her teaching philosophy. Through her reflections on the Art of Retreat, she shares how creating environments for personal and communal elevation has inspired her practice. Additionally, she explains her methods of navigating introversion and dark moods, offering insights into building resilience through creative outlets like poetry and physical movement.

The conversation also dips into the philosophy behind her work, such as redefining parkour as an obstacle-based discipline and expanding its scope to emphasize utility and community impact. She highlights how integrating compassion, creativity, and leadership can elevate both individuals and groups. Her personal anecdotes, such as teaching meditation and ninja skills at a summer camp, reveal her commitment to cultivating meaningful experiences that inspire transformation in others.

Takeaways

Creating impactful learning experiences — Experiences should combine skill acquisition with emotional engagement for lasting impact.

Navigating introversion in leadership — Introverts can consciously generate energy to inspire and lead others effectively.

Growth through discomfort — Embracing challenges leads to personal and communal transformation.

Parkour as a universal practice — Parkour’s adaptability and inclusivity make it a unique discipline with global community connections.

The role of creativity in resilience — Poetry and storytelling provide emotional outlets and foster deeper personal reflection.

Expanding parkour’s scope — Teaching parkour with a focus on utility and values can transform communities and lives.

Balancing joy and suffering in practice — Sustainable training includes both rigorous challenges and moments of lighthearted exploration.

Resources

Brandee Laird @monkeemoves

Opportunitrees (YouTube) — Brandee’s personal parkour video journal capturing moments of happiness and creativity.

Parkour Visions — Organization promoting parkour as an inclusive, community-driven discipline.

Art of Retreat — Event fostering connection and learning within the movement community.

The I Ching — Ancient Chinese text used for guidance and introspection.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

US Parkour Association (part 2 of 4): National governing bodies, Board of Directors, and getting involved

November 27, 2019

US Parkour Association (part 2 of 4): National governing bodies, Board of Directors, and getting involved

What is the purpose and vision of the United States Parkour Association (USPK), and how does it aim to shape the future of Parkour in the United States?

USPK seeks to unite the Parkour community under a shared vision for safety, legitimacy, and inclusivity.

This episode explores the purpose and necessity of the United States Parkour Association (USPK), focusing on its role as a national governing body for the Parkour community. Topics include the importance of legitimacy in representing Parkour to external entities like governments and media, the development of safety guidelines for gyms and events, and the need to preserve the culture and inclusivity of the sport. Members of the transitional board share their vision for how USPK can guide the community while ensuring that its direction remains member-driven.

The discussion highlights the structure and goals of USPK’s transitional board, including the emphasis on transparency, broad representation, and accessibility for members. The board envisions creating a sustainable framework that encourages collaboration among individuals, organizations, and businesses passionate about Parkour. Special interest groups (SIGs) and other mechanisms are designed to empower members to contribute actively to areas such as certifications, competitions, and educational standards.

Takeaways

The need for a governing body — USPK exists to represent the Parkour community’s interests and ensure its voice is heard.

Safety and guidelines — Developing standards to enhance safety in gyms and events is a key focus.

Legitimacy in public perception — USPK aims to counter misconceptions and promote a positive image of Parkour.

Member-driven organization — Transparency and inclusivity are central to USPK’s structure and decision-making.

Transitional board’s role — Current board members are dedicated to establishing a foundation for future leaders.

Diverse membership — USPK invites practitioners, parents, coaches, and businesses to join and contribute.

Special interest groups (SIGs) — Members can actively shape areas such as education, competitions, and safety standards.

Community representation — USPK seeks to be the collective voice of all Parkour enthusiasts in the U.S.

Resources for members — Providing tools like insurance access, event awareness, and networking opportunities.

Combating external challenges — Addressing issues such as unsafe practices and commercialization by external entities.

Resources

USPK Official Website — Provides information about the United States Parkour Association and membership opportunities.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

Road trip to Dylan’s

November 24, 2019

(Part 3 of 4 in series, The interviews from my perspective)

Dylan Johanson / Episode 15

I met Dylan Johanson in 2013. I went to an ADAPT certification course at Kutztown University run by Parkour Generations, and Dylan came down from upstate New York. He hadn’t really had a chance to train with a lot of other people, so this was the first time that he had had a chance to be in a group of roughly 27 candidates for the course, which was enormous. He was just so happy. He was basically running, jumping or laughing the whole time because he had never found such a large group of people with the same passion.

The first day he was sort of playing the, “I’m old,” card because he was in his late 30s at the time, having started parkour after quitting his previous business life. When he eventually bumped into me, it was like, “hey, fellow oldster!” We just sort of clicked, and we wound up walking from the training spots to where lunch was and back and forth. When I started doing the podcast years later, I was always thinking his story was interesting because of—as he talks about in the podcast—his early “days of the ninja”; He would just pick a straight line through Kingston on a Sunday when everything is closed and run over fences, dogs and all that.

He’s over 3 hours by car from me, but I kept trying to find ways to get up and train with him. I made a couple road trips up to his different iterations of the gym. When I finally got a chance to interview him, it was so fun to sit down with no distractions because normally the people that I hang out with, we’re meeting at events, we’re meeting at parkour gyms and things are crazy. For this interview, it was just this chill opportunity for us to sit at his house and relax.

The story of how I got to the actual pressing of record was that I went to a winter retreat that was held in the Catskills. After the event was over, instead of driving the four hours back to where I live, I just drove 45 minutes across the Hudson River. It’s a fond memory for me because I had the quiet drive-time to myself, and I was driving west into a glorious sunset after a deeply introspective, winter immersion retreat.

I drove across the Hudson, and I went directly to the third incarnation of his gym; The gym that I had not yet been to. Everything just came together. There was an adult birthday party happening that evening at the gym, so when I got there, the place was packed with people and all his instructors. I showed up, dropped my bag and went to play on things. It was like the very beginning, “Hey, Dylan, how are you?” “I’m cool.” …and right into showing each other things to try and challenges. It was this perfect, closed loop back to how we met simply jumping and playing.

Eventually the birthday party ended, they closed the gym down, and I went back to Dylan’s to crash for the night. When I travel for podcasting, everything goes with me in one backpack with the rest of my stuff, and normally I just sleep on the floor with my favorite little air mattress. After dinner, I got upgraded to a futon, and it was a great end to terrific day.

In the morning, we sat around his house chatting. His house has some terrific quiet space where you can really recharge. There’s a lot of wood. It’s very much a home. There’s also Tesla, Dylan’s super-sweet love-hound pitpull, and she’s in the podcast too; You don’t hear her, but we talk about her. We sat in his living room with our feet on his coffee table, drinking coffee out of silly-shaped coffee mugs, and just talking about our ADAPT course and other random stuff. I often say that all the episodes are my favorite, but Dylan’s is one of the first where I realized how much having the chance to spend time with the guests before we do the recording changes everything.

The interviews always show the guests’ personality, and you can really get to know them, but it doesn’t work if I literally just walk up and say, “Okay, you ready?” “Yes.” And then press record. It’s priceless to have spent the day before jumping and playing at the gym, dinner at his home, and all night we’re thinking, “what are we going to talk about tomorrow? A leisurely morning with the dog, coffee, and then when we finally did press record, we were just so ready to talk that his interview just clicks. They just fall out like that. There’s little bits here and there that get cut or some do-overs, but it was just so fun.

His story that he tells in the podcast about making ninja lines through quiet, downtown Kingston… that’s literally who Dylan is. Not that he does that every day, but he is literally the person who runs and jumps and plays. In the episode, he talks about some of his favorite spots in Kingston. After the recording, we threw down the recording gear and drove down to Kingston. We went to some of his favorite spots, just randomly jumped on stuff, playing and enjoying ourselves for hours.

It was a fun session for me because it was just the two of us, and we’re both a little older. Now, he’s way better than me athletically, but to get a chance to once again move with this guy that I enjoy training with so much, and in the spots that are his places where he just kept going, “Oh, you got to try this. Oh, you got to try this.” I never had a moment to get bored, he always had the next place in mind. He’s super energetic and fun to follow around.

I didn’t know Dylan when he had his day job. I only met him after he had quit and started working on parkour as a full-time, “how am I going to turn this into an actual project?” job. Simply put, he was trying to create a community. It was in that timeframe when I met him at the ADAPT course. I started running into him at other events, and when he created his first gym I went up. I made another visit when he opened the second incarnation of his gym. I didn’t go up and train with him when he first started his community, but I’ve known him for that whole time. Eventually he had created the third gym, and that’s when the random confluence of events created the chance to go up for an interview. As I was driving up I was thinking, “I don’t know anybody who’s opened three gyms.” Like three iterations of the same community gym, and that was why that kind of became a thing in the episode; It was me coming to him at the point where he had now done the third one. That’s why when I ask him for advice, he’s very much like, “Yeah, don’t do it. Don’t open three gyms.”

Colin MacDonald: Parkour design, dream builds, and inspiration

November 20, 2019

Colin MacDonald: Parkour design, dream builds, and inspiration

How can public spaces be designed to integrate parkour features while balancing community needs and architectural aesthetics?

Colin MacDonald discusses his experience designing parkour parks, and what he’s learned from the process. He shares thoughts on his creative process and inspirations before explaining more about Landscape Architecture and the program he is in. Colin unpacks some of his personal design and build dreams, along with the realities that affect them, and explores the connection between sculpture and parkour design.

I think that a well-designed parkour park—compared to something like a well-designed skate park—has the potential to serve a lot of populations.
~ Colin MacDonald (11:05)

Colin McDonald leaps into the creative and logistical aspects of designing parkour parks, exploring their potential to serve communities beyond the parkour practitioners themselves. He reflects on projects like Rose Park in Boise and Penzer Park in Langley, highlighting the balance between making a space inviting for movement and considering broader urban challenges. Colin also discusses the aesthetic and functional aspects of his work, emphasizing the importance of materiality and community integration.

Colin explores his influences, from urban sculptures to conversations with other parkour architects like Mikkel Rugaard. His interest in creating multi-use spaces reflects his vision for inclusivity and accessibility in public design. Beyond this, Colin shares insights on evolving parkour spaces from purely functional sites to places that are inspiring and aesthetically pleasing, contributing to a more dynamic urban environment.

Takeaways

Integrating parkour into public spaces — Colin emphasizes the balance between creating functional parkour features and ensuring spaces are welcoming to all.

Materiality in design — He reflects on the tactile and aesthetic importance of materials like wood and metal.

Community impact — Colin considers how spaces influence community behavior and activate underutilized areas.

Influence of public sculpture — He draws inspiration from large-scale public sculptures for parkour park designs.

Evolving creative process — Colin shares how conversations and collaborations have shaped his approach to designing movement spaces.

Resources

Parkour Visions — A non-profit organization focused on creating parkour parks and educational programs.

Street Movement — A design firm known for innovative parkour park concepts.

TraceSpace — A German firm creating distinctive parkour spaces using mixed materials like brick and timber.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

Nice things or echo chamber?

November 13, 2019

Every once in awhile, someone steps up and makes something better. Much better. When it happens, it’s up to us to stand up and notice it. Which means buying it and consuming it with the very same care that it was created with.
~ Seth Godin from, Why we don’t have nice things

slip:4usewy2.

I love the sentiment. But I believe it’s actually a Catch-22.

If I create something better—as I believe I have with Movers Mindset—and no one is interested in buying it with the same care, that also means that—by definition—no one else values it the way I do. This leads to Seth’s often talked about “dip,” where one needs to push through the suck from the initial peak of the thrill of the great work, to the second peak of success.

Anyone care to guide me on navigating the dip? How long should I spend in the dip creating work which I think is great, but which no one else values? Face-to-face, people love the project, but yet, no one is interested. No one is buying in.

Constant struggle. Endless frustration. If I was able to stop doing the work, I’d have stopped long ago.

US Parkour Association (part 1 of 4): Board members, introductions, and passion

November 13, 2019

US Parkour Association (part 1 of 4): Board members, introductions, and passion

What are the key challenges and opportunities in creating a unified national governing body for the Parkour community in the United States?

Experienced practitioners work to ensure the integrity of Parkour’s future through governance and cooperation.

This conversation introduces the transition board members of the United States Parkour Association (USPK) and gets into their motivations and expertise. Each member discusses their unique backgrounds and the pivotal experiences that led them to contribute to this initiative. Topics include the need for a neutral platform to unify the Parkour community, the role of governance in fostering public trust, and the challenges of organizing a fragmented national scene.

The conversation also highlights the accomplishments and insights of individual board members. These include creating inclusive events like American Rendezvous, implementing Parkour in public school systems, and establishing training and certification standards. Their collective efforts focus on building a foundation for the sport’s long-term growth while addressing diverse barriers such as accessibility, safety, and representation.

Takeaways

Neutral platform — The importance of a neutral space for collaboration among Parkour practitioners, coaches, and organizations.

Public trust — Building legitimacy through professional standards and governance to engage parents, schools, and local authorities.

Accessibility — Overcoming barriers like financial, physical, and cultural access to make Parkour inclusive for all.

Event organization — Utilizing experiences from successful events like American Rendezvous to foster collaboration and community.

Governance challenges — Navigating conflicts and controversies while creating a national governing structure.

International perspective — Drawing lessons from international Parkour communities to adapt and grow in the U.S.

Educational impact — Implementing Parkour in schools as a means of legitimizing and spreading the discipline.

Personal sacrifices — Leaders stepping into governance roles out of a sense of responsibility rather than personal passion.

Safety focus — Developing safety standards and training to professionalize the sport and protect participants.

Evolving culture — Balancing grassroots creativity with the formalization needed to sustain Parkour’s growth.

Resources

USPK Official Website — Provides information about the United States Parkour Association and membership opportunities.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

Movers Mindset Three Words

November 12, 2019

This essay is also presented as episode Craig Constantine: Discovery, reflection, and efficacy of the Movers Mindset podcast.

In each of the Movers Mindset podcast episodes, I ask guests to pick three words to describe their practice. Each guest’s choice has turned out to be a much more interesting and intriguing part of the conversation than we had initially anticipated.

The word practice goes beyond movement and often evokes broader images and ideas that reflect an approach to life. The idea that parkour and movement techniques in general are more than just physical has always been behind Movers Mindset. This is why I focus on ideas and reflection, for example, rather than on flashy videos of daring movement. The deeper dive into the mindset of movers is where the real magic happens.

That’s why I decided to do some introspection and pick three words that describe my practice. It was a challenge because reducing your practice to three words can seem like you are saying that the practice is nothing more than these three words, so you try to pick broad, powerful words to make sure you cover everything. Really, however, when you pick words that are too broad and too sweeping, you wind up not really saying anything specific that is unique to you. On the other hand, if you try to pick overly specific words, they may describe only one tiny part of your practice and give the impression that the scope of your focus is too narrow.

Picking three words is a challenge that I give to our guests, so it’s fair that I do it too. I found that capturing the essence of my practice in three words required a lot of introspection, and the act of choosing three words wound up being empowering. By going through the process, I now understand my practice more explicitly and am better prepared to describe it to other people. It’s not that I did not know the path I was following before, but now the path is clearer. It is easier to determine if a new project is consistent with my practice and vision, and this helps guide my choices in the overall direction of Movers Mindset. In general, I found the exercise to be challenging and highly worthwhile. If you want the extra boost yourself, picking three words to describe your own practice is a good way to get started. It is a great way to discover things about yourself and about your relationship to the world.

This leads me to the first word: discovery. I wanted a word that involved starting with reality, with what we know about the world and about ourselves. I rejected observation because it is not active enough. It has connotations of just sitting back and watching, listening, and taking the world in through your senses, but in a passive way. I also did not want a word like imagination or invention as my starting point, because these involve creating things.

Generations ago when Benjamin Franklin confronted that fearsomely powerful storm driven on by his even more powerful desire to know—a desire that pushed him beyond the limits of anything humans had ever done—he was driven by the urge to discover, the urge to take action to learn what it was and what made it work. Franklin discovered that lightning was a form of electricity, but Edison invented the lightbulb. Discovery always comes first. Franklin pushed past the millennia of fear, the millennia of cowering primitive people who saw lightning as the tool and province of the gods—never to be understood, grasped, or controlled by humans. He uncovered or discovered its secret. By learning what it was, he took the tool of the gods and made it his own. He was not the first to discover facts about electricity, but his actions symbolize the process and the principle: boldly looking at reality, uncovering its secrets, and moving them from the realm of mystery and superstition to our realm of understanding and science.

Discovery is an active process involving interacting or experimenting with reality. You may not discover that you are great at painting, cooking, or singing until you try and observe the results. Often you will discover that you need more practice or that you need to master specific skills and techniques. However, without action, you cannot discover your strengths to move you forward or discover any weaknesses to be overcome. Discovery involves the honest looking at reality and the identification and understanding of what reality tells you. Your opinions, wishes, feelings, do not matter at this stage. What matters is that you observe to the best of your ability, that you experiment, and that you see—with as much honesty and focus as you can muster—all that reality has to offer.

Discovery is not the end of the game; it is only the beginning. The second step in the process leads me to my second word: reflection. Discovery means you have learned something about reality and yourself. What should you do with that information? What does it mean? What do you do next? The answer is that you must think about what you learned. Why didn’t I pick the word thinking instead of reflection? Thinking is too broad in meaning for this context. While I am a big advocate of thinking in general and recognize it as the key to every successful human endeavor—without exception, my practice involves a particular type of thinking that is tied directly to reality and the facts I have uncovered about it. Reflection captures this meaning. A clear reflection in a mirror involves the accurate reproduction of reality.

As we think about things, we want to be careful that we do not go off course, that we do not imagine things that are not real or ignore things that are. We want to make sure that our thinking accurately reflects those facts about reality that we have discovered. Reflection is a type of careful thinking that takes each idea and connects it specifically to some fact about reality that we have discovered. There is nothing in your head to automatically guarantee that your thinking is correct. It is easy to go off course. It is easy to deceive yourself. It is easy to make the mistake that an early failure at a complex movement means that you will never master it. Reflection can protect you from such errors. If you fail in your first attempt, that is a fact, a part of reality that you cannot deny. So, the idea that you failed is valid; it corresponds to a fact you discovered. However, the idea that you will be bad at this every time you try is imaginary; you made it up. There is no discovery in reality, no fact in reality that corresponds to the notion that you will always fail. There is no reason to believe or to accept your imagined ideas when they do not reflect reality.

Reflection, then, is a type of self-check, a way of making sure that your ideas are validated by reality. Imagination can give you ideas about what you want to validate through discovery and reflection, but it leads to useful information only when the idea is tested. If you imagine you will always be bad at something, start testing your idea. Practice. Practice again and again. Discover if you get better or if you continue to be bad at it. Reflect on your progress honestly. If after a period of regular practice, you find that you still are no good at it, there is at least a possibility that you are right. Your conclusion has some support. But if you are much better now than you were when you started, that improvement supports the idea that you will eventually—with continued practice and diligence—get good at it.

Reflection also means holding a mirror up to yourself. Why do you like certain things? What makes you feel happy, successful, powerful or disappointed and sad? Why do you think you are good at something? How did you develop those skills? Reflecting on your strengths and understanding what worked for you previously helps you grow. Reflecting on the things that scare you and hold you back helps you develop the strengths you need to overcome those worries. When you reflect on your emotions, you discover ideas or premises that are the foundation of those emotions. This means you have the opportunity to reflect on those ideas and premises and test them against reality. Are they true or false? Do they correspond to reality or contradict it?

These two questions–Are your ideas true or false? Do your ideas correspond to reality or contradict it?–ask the same thing. Reality is the standard of right and wrong, of true and false. By actively reflecting about your ideas, your discoveries, your thoughts, and your feelings, you will eventually eliminate all contradictions from your entire life. You will reach a state where you see reality, and yourself in it, with full clarity and full understanding. The world has rules by which it behaves. Things act in a particular way. If you drop something, it falls. If you touch a fire, it hurts. If you act according to these rules, you will be successful. If you ignore the rules either by failing to discover them or by evasion, you fail. Acting in accordance with the rules of reality gives you a sense of self-confidence in your own ability. This leads me to my last word that captures this self-confidence: efficacy.

After practicing discovery and reflection again and again, you realize through experience that the world is knowable. You learn that you can discover it, learn its rules, and apply them successfully. You know that you have the power to validate your results along the way and correct any errors. Reflection gives you confidence that what you have discovered, is correct; your knowledge and conclusions are valid. Given enough time and effort, you know that you can reach any rational goal, understand any process, and check and refine your results thoroughly until you have the confidence of certainty. This mental state, where you know you can meet any challenge, learn anything, develop any skill, solve any problem is efficacy.

Efficacy is the power to produce a desired effect. Recognition of your own efficacy means that you have recognized your own potential for continued success and growth. Your choices of actions at this point are not based on concerns about current limits of your ability or understanding. Instead, your choices are guided by what skills, practices, and accomplishments will give you the most enjoyment, make your life better, increase your skills, or broaden your knowledge. Your experience in life changes from asking “What can I do?” to asking “What should I do to make my life the best it can be?”

The ancient Greeks had a word for this process of reaching your full potential: eudaimonia. I did not pick that as one of my three words, in part because it is even more obscure than efficacy, but eudaimonia was in the running. Aristotle wrote most extensively about eudaimonia, but it was important to many Greek philosophers. It is difficult to translate, because the concepts leading up to it are not widely understood in our culture. Few people today recognize that by understanding the rules of reality, validating them, and putting them into practice consistently, success is almost guaranteed—barring error or misfortune. Eudaimonia integrates these ideas into a process of living your best life. It is a continuous process of self-actualization where all the best conditions are in place: happiness, morality, meaning, purpose, the fulfilling of our special, unique potentials as humans. Efficacy is necessary to have the confidence to work toward eudaimonia.

Eudaimonia is more than just a final condition. It is the process of human flourishing. It is the process of doing those things that best help you function well as a human being at the highest level. My other two words, discovery and reflection, are both active processes, and I want to focus on the active process of developing and recognizing efficacy. Efficacy includes both being effective and recognizing that you are effective; it describes a self-aware competence in action. Eudaimonia is the goal, but recognizing and developing your own efficacy is how you get there and stay there.

Finally, I wanted three words that reflect my practice in terms of its essentials, but which could also help others find their personal path to success. The words had to capture the ideas of action and thinking, doing and learning–the Mover and the Mindset. They had to wrap up my process and philosophy in a way that captures who I am and provides value to the Movers Mindset audience. I think that discovery and reflection applied iteratively, building on previous knowledge and success leads to continued growth. Repeated experience with success and growth leads to a recognition of efficacy where you understand that you have potential to be successful in almost anything.

Activities that involve continuous improvements are often described as mastery practices. Mastery practices involve continuous improvement through discovery, reflection, and active practice with full recognition of efficacy. While mastery practices range from focused practices like law, medicine, martial arts, plumbing or carpentry, the most important mastery practice is living your own life to the fullest–reaching your full potential–eudaimonia. Since your full potential requires continuous improvement, it is important to develop the mindset–the set of ideas–that allows for this unceasing movement toward greater success and well-being. Discovery of this process, reflection to hone its accuracy, and development of efficacy are the steps that each individual must undertake independently.

Although your own path is unique, the principles involved are universal and can be learned from others. A goal of Movers Mindset is to bring these principles to light in an accessible way that encourages discovery and reflection while demonstrating and promoting efficacy in each individual. While you still have to walk the path on your own, under your own power and by your own effort, Movers Mindset hopes to make the path a little clearer.

Rafe Kelley: Hero’s journey, practice, and self transformation

November 6, 2019

Rafe Kelley: Hero’s journey, practice, and self transformation

How can movement practices, particularly parkour, serve as tools for self-transformation and personal growth?

Rafe Kelley dives deep into his thoughts about the hero’s journey and it’s relevance to parkour. He shares his own journey and research into parkour and movement, finding meaning in practicing, and why he trains in nature. Rafe discusses parkour’s power as a transformative practice, the spirit behind it, and what makes it unique.

What parkour does is it provides a mini hero’s journey that can be approached over and over again in your training sessions.
~ Rafe Kelley (3:23)

The conversation explores the idea of using movement practices, particularly parkour, as a means of personal and psychological transformation. Parkour is likened to a mini hero’s journey, where practitioners confront challenges, overcome fears, and grow through deliberate practice. The discussion goes into the concept of combining elements from martial arts, natural movement, and mindfulness to create a holistic approach that transcends mere physical skill, addressing deeper aspects of human growth and connection.

The narrative extends into the philosophical underpinnings of movement, discussing how metaphors and embodied cognition play crucial roles in shaping our understanding of life and self-improvement. Insights from mythology, evolutionary anthropology, and cognitive science are woven throughout, emphasizing the importance of integrating physical practice with psycho-technologies. This integration seeks to cultivate wisdom, foster resilience, and inspire meaningful transformation.

Takeaways

The hero’s journey in movement practices — Parkour serves as a repeated framework for experiencing and mastering the hero’s journey through physical challenges.

Embodied cognition and metaphor — Movement reflects and informs our mental processes, revealing how metaphors and physicality shape our understanding of life.

Evolve Move Play framework — A structured approach combining parkour, martial arts, mindfulness, and natural movement to foster self-transformation.

Cultural insights into parkour — The origins and evolution of parkour reveal its potential to act as a transformative practice beyond mere athleticism.

Wisdom versus intelligence — True growth lies in applying intelligence to cultivate wisdom, balancing physical and mental development.

Psycho-technologies in practice — Practices such as meditation, play, and storytelling integrate to enhance personal growth and wisdom.

Resources

Evolve Move Play — Rafe Kelley’s organization focusing on integrating movement practices with personal transformation.

Awakening from the Meaning Crisis — Lecture series by John Vervaeke exploring the loss of wisdom traditions and the pursuit of meaning.

Breaking the Jump — Julie Angel’s Book exploring parkour’s history and philosophy.

Metta Meditation Guide — Explanation of the loving-kindness meditation practice discussed.

Njáls Saga — A classic Icelandic saga referenced for its stories of physical feats and heroism.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

Telling the story better

November 5, 2019

The Movers Mindset project is challenging for me. I have a large number of pieces in place. I’ve discovered many different interesting questions to explore, and I’m well on my way to digging in to find some answers. I’ve created something which I wish I could have found many years ago, early on in my journey.

And yet, I haven’t found many people who see value in the project. Everyone likes the podcast, but that’s as far as I can seem to get the idea to go.

Here’s what I have so far…

Movers Mindset explores themes like independence, self-direction, and human excellence through podcasts, website content, and a community of like-minded people. In the podcast, I interview movement enthusiasts to find out who they are, what they do, and why they do it; The podcast focuses on the journey of self-improvement and its underlying motivations, as well as movement’s fundamental place in society. On the website we publish free content, (much of it in three languages,) including podcast transcripts, show notes, articles submitted by people, and original content. In the Movers Mindset community I’m looking to discuss everything related to independence, self-direction and human excellence; I’ve started discussions on how to make the Internet work for you, thoughts about social networks, questions and answers about training from athletes, podcast-guest followups, and more.

Feedback on the project has been overwhelming positive. Over the past four years I’ve slowly expanded the project. I’ve changed things along the way, giving the project a new name back in 2018 and recently breaking the podcast episodes into seasons.

How do I do a better job of telling the Movers Mindset story?

Rebecca Brightly: Parenting, gender, and representation

October 30, 2019

Rebecca Brightly: Parenting, gender, and representation

How do personal experiences with movement practices and societal dynamics shape an individual’s perspective on gender roles, personal growth, and parenting?

Rebecca Brightly discusses the changing dynamics of going from Lindy Hop to motherhood and unpacks her parenting philosophy. She explains why she tolerates parkour and how the gender dynamics contrast with her experience in dance. Rebecca gives her thoughts on gender representation and why she wants women to see how capable they are.

My philosophy is overcoming challenges is what helps build self-confidence. In fact, my opinion is that overcoming challenges is the only thing that builds self-confidence.
~ Rebecca Brightly

Rebecca shares her journey transitioning from Lindy Hop to motherhood and then to parkour, reflecting on how each phase shaped her perspective on community, personal growth, and gender dynamics. She describes the challenges of navigating a dance community that lacked family inclusivity and the complexities of balancing parenthood with her passion for movement. Rebecca contrasts her experiences in Lindy Hop, which often adhered to traditional gender roles, with parkour’s individualistic approach, finding liberation in the absence of physical imposition.

Throughout the conversation, Rebecca goes into broader themes of societal expectations and personal empowerment. She explores how parenting intersects with her belief in the transformative power of overcoming challenges and discusses her observations on how gender norms impact training environments. Rebecca’s insights highlight the importance of fostering self-confidence through resilience and adaptability, as well as the value of introspection in breaking down mental barriers.

Takeaways

Parenting philosophy — Overcoming challenges is central to building self-confidence in children.

Transition from dance to parkour — Rebecca finds parkour’s lack of physical imposition more tolerable than traditional partner dancing.

Gender dynamics — Different training environments expose contrasting expectations and emotional expressiveness in men and women.

Societal expectations — Women face societal pressures to maintain appearances that conflict with physical activities like parkour.

Community and inclusivity — Parkour offers a more inclusive environment, fostering unique connections across gender and skill levels.

Personal growth — Addressing internal fears and societal norms helps break mental barriers to progress.

Resources

Seattle Bouldering Project — A climbing gym where Rebecca’s daughter trains competitively.

Parkour Visions — An organization offering parkour training and community events.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

Naomi Honey and Melissa Way: Women’s experience, societal impact, and unsolicited advice

October 23, 2019

Naomi Honey and Melissa Way: Women’s experience, societal impact, and unsolicited advice

What can be done to better understand and improve the experience of women in parkour?

Naomi Honey and Melissa Way discuss the importance of women’s experience in parkour, what that means, and how society impacts it. They dig into the unicorn syndrome, the polarization of genders, and how community leaders can help get more women involved. Naomi and Melissa tackle why women’s only events are important, how to create a welcoming environment, and their experiences with unsolicited advice.

I really remember when I was younger, I always thought my arms weren’t skinny like some people’s— oh, it just sounds so ridiculous, but I remember I had that in my head as a benchmark. And then suddenly when I was doing parkour, and when I got my first pull up, it was so exciting. And then suddenly I had a new measure of, oh my God, who cares what they look like? Look what they can do!
~ Naomi Honey (15:00)

The conversation focuses on the experience of women in parkour, emphasizing the unique challenges they face, from differences in physical progression to societal expectations around physical ability. There is discussion around how women’s-only events create supportive spaces that counteract feelings of intimidation or isolation, helping women find community and confidence.

Another key theme is the mindset shift from focusing on aesthetics to valuing functional strength and ability, which parkour uniquely encourages. This change contrasts with societal pressures around appearance, which often disproportionately affect women. The issue of unsolicited advice is also explored, highlighting how it can be well-intentioned but often carries different implications for women, sometimes reinforcing negative stereotypes rather than offering helpful insight.

Takeaways

Progression differences — Women often experience slower physical progression than men in parkour, which can affect confidence.

Mindset shift — Parkour promotes focusing on what the body can do, shifting away from aesthetic-based self-worth.

Role of community — Women’s-only events foster supportive environments that promote sustained engagement and confidence.

Polarization and visibility — The lack of visible female practitioners can create a sense that parkour is not for women, limiting participation.

Impact of unsolicited advice — How advice is given and received differs by gender, with women often facing additional scrutiny or unwelcome input.

Resources

Flytality — Naomi Honey’s life coaching business focused on helping people make life changes.

Project Awesome — A London-based fitness group promoting fun, community-driven exercise.

Women’s International Parkour Weekend (WIPW) — An event aimed at increasing female participation in parkour through community-building and workshops.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

Dan Edwardes: Motivation, efficacy, and storytelling

October 16, 2019

Dan Edwardes: Motivation, efficacy, and storytelling

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.)

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

October 9, 2019

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.)

Dan Timms: Injury, strength, and Parkour UK

October 2, 2019

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.)