Comfortable with AnnSofie Svensson
How do personal experiences and challenges shape an individual’s approach to movement practices and training?
Exploring the intersection of circus arts, Parkour, and fear-facing techniques reveals unique approaches to movement.
“I feel [my rail work] is like somewhere— I think, a middle ground because it connects both what I used to do in the air, and what I do on the floor.” ~ AnnSofie Svensson (1:44)
The conversation explores the interplay between different movement disciplines, highlighting how unique environments and personal experiences influence training approaches. Topics include adapting Parkour to locations with limited infrastructure, integrating circus arts with traditional movement practices, and balancing personal challenges like fear and overcommitment.
A strong focus is placed on the social versus individual aspects of training. While some movement is shared socially, other practices stem from isolation, driven by a lack of community or environmental factors. The discussion also touches on broader themes, such as facing fears, redefining consistency, and finding humor in challenges. AnnSofie shares insights into building movement opportunities in remote areas and reflects on the intersection of personal growth and physical exploration.
Takeaways
Facing fears — Overcoming personal barriers shapes both physical and mental aspects of training.
Adapting environments — Movement practices change based on available resources and architecture.
Consistency challenges — Staying committed to one discipline is difficult amid diverse interests.
Social versus solo training — Social interactions bring energy, but solo training often dominates.
Balancing disciplines — Integrating multiple movement forms requires thoughtful prioritization.
Risk and injury — Excitement can lead to injury, emphasizing the need for restraint and awareness.
Creativity in isolation — Building training spaces in remote areas fosters unique approaches.
Movement as storytelling — Sharing practices always involves filtering and storytelling elements.
Winter constraints — Weather significantly impacts training possibilities and discipline focus.
Resources
The Man from Earth (2007) — A thought-provoking science fiction film about a professor’s mysterious past.
(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)
— Hello👋 I’m Craig Constantine.
In the Movers Mindset podcast, I talk with movement enthusiasts to learn who they are, what they do, and why they do it. I’m interested in the nature and philosophy of movement and in exploring themes like independence, self-direction, and human excellence. My interests color each conversation and provide some structure to Movers Mindset. But since I like to take the scenic route, every conversation ends up going somewhere unique.
The purpose of Movers Mindset is to create and share great conversations with movement enthusiasts. Each conversation feeds my insatiable curiosity, but I share them to turn on a light for someone else, to inspire them, or to give them their next question.
I appreciate your time and attention, and I don’t take it for granted.
— Thank you!
My personal mission is creating better conversations to spread understanding and compassion. And Movers Mindset is one of the things I do in service of my mission. Drop by https://craigconstantine.com/ for my weekly email, my other podcasts, writing and more.
The Movers Mindset project grew from conversations I started having as part of my personal journey rediscovering movement. The project started late in 2015, and it was initially simply a web site that shared others’ writing. The project grew, and in 2017 I started the podcast. I’ve worked extremely hard, but none of this would have been possible without so much help from so many people.
Thanks for listening!
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