The finger and the moon

"I must create my own system or be enslaved by another man's" -William Blake

True words. I've written a bunch on this subject before, but it's been pushed to the front of my brain again by a question I was asked last night. I was finishing up a presentation to UNC's Fitness Professionals club (I had a great time - they were a wonderful group) and was asked about standardization and certifications within this wild new world of parkour/natural movement training. It got the gears in my brain turning and I found myself awake at 5:00 this morning watching old interview clips of Bruce Lee.

It's incredibly easy to get trapped by a system. They can be beneficial - essential, even - to introduce a greater truth or to change an ignorant person's perspective. The danger is when we stop asking questions and start accepting a particular system as truth. Ultimately, every single style, system, program, etc. that's ever been invented is incomplete and flawed. It has to be, because nobody is omnipotent.

Not to get all Zen on you again but consider the famous Koan of the finger and the moon:

“All instruction is but a finger pointing to the moon; and those whose gaze is fixed upon the finger will never see beyond. Even let him catch sight of the moon, and still he cannot see its beauty.”

This obsession with style was (and in some ways still is) the plague of martial arts. Crossfitters who simply swallow the babyfood of Crossfit dogma are victims as well. Same with traceurs who think that Parkour has to look a certain way. Let's not get started on the ridiculously narrow stories told by some within both the Paleo and Vegan communities.

I worry about MovNat. I worry that as the community grows it will get more entrenched. I'm concerned with the whole "movnatting" terminology - I think trying to capture the infinite range of human movement into a branded verb is ultimately counterproductive. I hear things like "all kids should be doing MovNat" and I don't know how I feel about it. It kind of reminds me of wodtoys.  I think what kids really need is the time and the context to do their own play.

I hope that's not taken the wrong way. I'm saying these things because I love MovNat, love the community, and want to see it thrive. I think what Erwan, Vic, Clif, and the rest of the team are doing is incredibly valuable and important. I just want to make sure we're not mistaking the finger for the moon.

It's a mistake I make ALL the time. I have a long history of complicating and over thinking things. My biggest problem as a coach is my tendency to give 1000 cues when only 1 general concept is needed. Today is actually Day 2 of a self imposed word diet, where I try to accomplish more with fewer words - it's really hard for me! I also worry that all I'm doing is teaching people my style and failing to give them the tools to develop their own.

I think...  I think I need a hug...

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Remember that when it comes to the development of your physical practice, your journey is your journey and nobody else's.  You need to find your own path. Teachers, coaches, etc. can be helpful guides, but they can't take the journey for you.

Here's my advice, take it or leave it: Absorb everything you can and then relentlessly pare away the unneeded and unnecessary. Be open, but critical. Be curious. Occasionally embrace purposelessness. Don't get tied down by dogma. Laugh, especially at yourself. Recognize when you are creating excuses for yourself and then stop. And, finally, enjoy your ice cream - life is short.

Office Hours #5

In this episode we talk about Turkish get-ups and review the Merrell Trail Gloves. Check it out!

The Tao of not breaking your arm

Yesterday Mark Sisson of Mark's Daily Apple wrote about "detaching yourself from the outcome" when it comes fitness and health (and life). It's a good read - check it out.

Detachment is a classic Zen practice - and I think it's a valuable one. If you want more, check out Zen in the Art of Archery. You can also read this post on the fantastic Zenhabits.

Obviously Mark is talking big picture stuff here - and his play recommendations are spot-on. But I think we can also learn some lessons about applying detachment to more micro Parkour situations - namely, that it's really hard to detach yourself from the outcome when you're 10 feet off the ground and hurtling straight at a brick wall. 

Maybe I'm not very good at Zen, but in that moment I'm pretty damn attached to the outcome. It's easy to talk about "fluidity" and sound all wise when you're calmly sitting in a chair sipping tea and listening to birds sing, but when it comes to landing a big jump I want there to be as little fluids involved as possible. I'm running low on band-aids.

All jokes aside, there is an important distinction between "detachment" and "not caring" or "not focusing." A Zen mindset is all about being in the moment. Focus does not mean tension - it means breathing and, yes, fluidity. I tell my students that they need to know they've "made it" before they jump. They need to relax, breathe and fully experience that moment. Then they simply let things fall in their natural order.

That's more of a Taoist concept - known as Wu Wei, or "effortless effort." Libraries have been written on the subject, but the basic idea is this: Don't try to impose actions on yourself and the world. Instead, align your will with the flow of the universe and then simply Be - and the correct actions will flow from the moment. That may sound like metaphysical mumbo-jumbo to you, but I encourage you to practice this mindset - it's how I've broken every single jump I've experienced on my Parkour journey.

There is a complimentary concept - the idea of Pu, or "passive receptiveness." Basically, your Universe Radio needs to be in tune. It is a state of complete and unfettered awareness, devoid of bias and illusion. In that state, Wu Wei happens naturally.

How do you tune your Universe Radio? I have put together the following step-by-step guide for you. You're welcome.

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Colin's guide to Pu.

Step 1: Breathe.

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That's the oldest and most enduring health/fitness tip in the world - breathing is pretty important. Practice it.