380: Aaron Cantor on Exploring the Inner Game of Athleticism, Movement and Skill Development
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Today’s podcast is with movement coach Aaron Cantor. Aaron is a bodyworker, personal trainer, yogi, and movement generalist. He grew up in Japan and Brazil, and has traveled the world, learning from a variety of teachers and movement experts. Aaron has taught in the US and internationally, and works through a variety of game-play, movement, and story-telling-based methods. He is currently a coach for Evolve Move Play, while also working on his own movement coaching and teaching practice.

In training, movement, and competition, we have both an “outer game” and an “inner game” at work. The outer game is relatively straightforward and the most common way we tend to interface with movement in the modern world. This includes the game’s rules and also leads into the external methods of instructing that game, such as telling individuals where to put their limbs in space, what motions to make, and what strategies to choose.

The “inner game” approaches movement from a fun, connection, feel, and exploration perspective. Training requires some sort of numerical target of improvement (outer game), but at the same time, elite performers that have the “inner-game” skills that gives them a more complete package. Human performance is a combination of both outer and inner elements. By understanding the nature of the “inner” aspects of training, how to explore movements more fully, how to connect more deeply with our own bodies and our environment, we can achieve a more integrated and dynamic training process and, even more importantly, find more joy in sport and movement, and connection with ourselves and others.

On today’s podcast, Aaron and I discuss the key aspects of training the inner game of movement, through an exploratory and intuitive process. These principles can apply to any realm of movement, from strength training and general fitness, to running and sprinting, to team sport skill applications. Most of what we study in the space has to do with the “outer game,” so taking time for the inner aspects of movement helps us to paint a more complete picture of the total process of training, play, and competition.

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View more podcast episodes at the podcast homepage.

Timestamps and Main Points 4:32 – The “Maradona Mind” in warmups and athletic mastery

13:20 – The importance of a low-barrier to entry in movement, in terms of building a flow state of performance”

20:37 – Principle vs. Systems based approach to training and global thinking

23:04 – How bringing the inner game into training can level up basic strength and human movement training

29:23 – The difference between a formula, and a trusted path “in” to the workout, to allow for dynamic exploration and flow, while still allowing for a sense of structure to the session

37:15 – Aaron’s “to infinity” practice, to help him get more into his body while learning and performing a skill

45:05 – “Coyote Mentoring” processes, where games and tasks can “trick” an athlete or individual into achieving

50:41 – All of the layers that can go in between moving and exploring, and then competing, in building a more total aspect of athletic and competitive ability, while being able to enjoy the performance on a higher level

58:30 – The value of group collaboration in teaching and pe...