636. Yoga, Men & Martial Arts - with Adrien Matter
Oct 3, 2024
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Adrien Matter, a Pilates and yoga teacher trainer with extensive experience, discusses the intersection of martial arts, healing, and men’s engagement in yoga. He challenges stereotypes around masculinity and flexibility, urging men to embrace vulnerability. The conversation also addresses trauma awareness in fitness, the balance between ambition and health, and the evolving landscape of embodiment practices in a modern context. Additionally, Adrien shares insights on authenticity in the digital age and the importance of community in somatic practices.
Adrien discusses the cultural stigma in France regarding physical expression and how it hinders the embrace of embodiment practices like yoga and martial arts.
The podcast emphasizes the importance of creating inclusive spaces in yoga for men, which helps challenge stereotypes around strength and flexibility.
Deep dives
The Journey of Personal Embodiment
Mark Walsh shares his extensive journey into embodiment practices, including meditation, yoga, and conscious dance. He expresses his passion for these disciplines and explains how they have significantly shaped his life and approach to coaching. Walsh emphasizes the importance of embodying one’s experiences and feelings, which he believes enhances personal growth and connection to others. His commitment to training coaches in this area reflects his belief in the transformative power of mind-body alignment for both personal and professional development.
Cultural Perspectives on Embodiment
Jackson, the guest speaker, discusses France's cultural challenges in embracing embodiment, which stems from its Cartesian heritage. He notes that while France has a rich history of martial arts and meditation, the body-mind connection is often underemphasized in education and physical training. Jackson highlights the stigma associated with physical labor and athletics, suggesting that societal views need to evolve for a healthier relationship with the body. By addressing these cultural barriers, there is potential for a renewed interest in embodiment practices across the country.
Finding Healing Through Movement
Jackson recounts his personal journey from feeling disembodied as a child to finding empowerment through martial arts and later, yoga and Pilates. He describes overcoming injuries that initially sidelined him and how he discovered a somatic approach to training that focused on mindfulness and breath. This shift not only improved his physical capabilities but also allowed him to understand and teach others about the importance of body awareness for overall well-being. His experience illustrates how embracing movement can lead to deeper self-connection and healing.
Men's Yoga and the Push for Inclusivity
The discussion shifts to the theme of men's participation in yoga, exploring why classes often tend to be female-oriented and what can be done to bridge this gap. Jackson reflects on the social perceptions surrounding flexibility and strength, suggesting that breaking down these stereotypes might encourage more men to engage in yoga. He shares his initiatives to create inclusive environments through tailored classes that incorporate elements of Pilates and martial arts to appeal to a broader audience. By fostering a space for vulnerable growth, there is an opportunity for men to enhance their physical capabilities and emotional resilience.
Pilates and yoga teacher trainer Adrien joins me to talk about France, Vietnamese martial arts, healing and fighting, traditional and modern arts, men and yoga, being afraid of weakness, over-specialism, David Goggins, extremes, types of Pilates, work in prisons, and somativism. A wide ranging pleasant embodiment chat.
With 25 years of experience in movement practices, Adrien has taught over 30,000 classes and trained hundreds of teachers. His approach is a unique blend of athletic development, physical rehabilitation, and somatic exploration. Adrien is the director of A-lyne Pilates, a leading Pilates teacher training school based in Paris and one of the foremost training centers in France. This October, he will be hosting the M Summit, the first French-speaking online embodiment summit (https://www.m-sommet.com/). Previously, Adrien worked as a yoga teacher and teacher trainer, and he authored the book Le Yoga pour les hommes (Yoga for Men). Additionally, he hosted the French embodiment podcast La Tête aux Pieds.