Christian Anderson’s unique interests are wide-ranging; from martial arts and weapons training, to parkour, to art, to creating his own weapons and training set-ups. Christian shares his inspirations and process for learning and creating. He discusses teaching, landscape architecture, and his specific influences and role models. Christian unpacks his personal martial arts, weapons, and movement practices, and how all of them are creatively interconnected.
Christian Anderson is a parkour coach, athlete, teacher, martial artist, and movement artist. He created his own parkour teaching program, pursues weapons training, and is an artist in other mediums, including drawing, music, videos, and bladesmithing. Christian earned his bachelors in Landscape architecture at North Carolina A&T University.
Introduction
- Christian Anderson; parkour coach, martial artist,
- Instagrams: @adept.anderson, @adeptations
- For more information visit moversmindset.com/podcast
Learning and creating
- Artistically inclined from a young age – enjoyed drawing and design, developing an eye for things
- Magnificent Seven scene recreation
- Inspired by Kirosawa?, wanting to recreate more
- Creating videos of his work; Mirakawa dummy video
- Getting out of your own way creatively
Prioritizing
- Moods, ADHD; doing many things, following interests
- High value targets, interim “break” projects
- Recharging focus, splitting attention to avoid burnout
Recharging
- Go to the woods; relationship with greenways
- Hiking (to disappear into the woods), being alone
- Driving at night, road trips
- Anime convention road trip story, staying awake
American Rendezvous
- Working with other coaches, no need for extra exotic
- ARDV stories
Coaching children
- Kids unconscious attitude towards moving
- Learning by absorbing, but keeping focus
- Connecting to kids interests to motivate them
- Spirit is easier for kids, adults tend to analyze
Samurai movies
- Akira Kurosawa – Japanese filmmaker
- Rashomon – story told from multiple viewpoints
- Seven Samurai, Hidden Fortress – story of going to the library as a child
- Harakiri, 13 Assassins
- Samurai Rebellion, Yojimbo
Landscape architecture
- Seattle, Freeway Park, Lawrence Halprin
- Mother’s gardening planted a seed
- Interest in making things, switched from engineering to landscape architecture – checked all the boxes
Role models
- Innate curiosity, supported by his mom
- Brother, playing football, learning the love of training
- Uncle working around the house, fixing things, usefulness
- Absorbing his surroundings
- Rabbit aside
Practices, visualizations, mantras
- Vision board and posters; imagery is important
- Outlining inspirations for training, design, and more
- Finding role models in fictional characters, but something to live up to
Creating space
- Supporting your training with your life and vice versa
- Inspiring people to create their own space
- Mom’s garden as her space; Guerrilla Gardening TEDxTalk
- Personal spaces of forest oasis nesting spots
Underrated Martial arts
- Ninjutsu historical background
- Throwing weapons and shuriken
Travel
- Japan, Eastern Africa, Brazil, exploring food, weapons, culture
- Much exploration through martial arts
- Learning about culture through their weapons and martial arts
Martial arts resources
- Youtube tutorials (many, many)
- Book: Japanese Throwing Weapons
- Start with half spin, bull shuriken or spikes
3 Words
- Insatiable, balance, exploration
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