#184 - Rafe Kelley: Evolve Move Play

In the 184th episode of The Strength Connection Podcast, Mike and our special guest, founder of EVOLVE MOVE PLAY, Rafe Kelley will talk about the power of dance and music, the connectability of Parkour, the freedom and creativity of Parkour, German gymnastics, the difference between a complicated problem and a complex problem, and more!

Join us in this insightful and captivating talk! 

In this chapter, you will discover:

(0:30) Mike introducing our special guest, founder of EVOLVE MOVE PLAY, Rafe Kelley @rafekelley

(1:30) Happy 4th of July! 

(3:00) Rafe Kelley’s son learning new disciplines

(5:30) The power of dance and music

(7:20) The essence of playing and creativity

(7:20) “Playing has this incredible power to drive progress.” - Rafe Kelley @rafekelley

(7:40) Rafe Kelley was a gymnastics teacher before practicing Parkour

(9:00) Rafe’s brother and sister also were into gymnastics

(10:00) Love for coaching

(10:30) Parkour, in a lot of ways, it's quite similar to gymnastics

(12:00) Triple backflip

(13:00) Double twisting, double backflip

(14:10) Parkour is not about running fast

(15:00) Upper body pulling power is really important in parkour

(17:40) The connectability of Parkour

(19:30) Shout out to Dominic Di Tommaso @domtomato

(21:20) Shout out to Elis Torhall @elis_torhall

(21:30) What was it about Parkour that felt different for Rafe Kelley?

(23:10) Parkour had everything that gymnastics had, but it was more real

(23:40) The freedom and creativity of Parkour

(25:20) “Parkour is basically motivated by play, by the desire to take on challenges.” - Rafe Kelley @rafekelley

(28:55) “Parkour is just exploratory locomotor play. Gymnastics is locomotion.” - Rafe Kelley @rafekelley

(29:30) Gymnastics comes from the Greek word “gumnasía” which refers to being naked

(33:30) Kong Vault Parkour

(35:00) What we do in parkour is actually a reflection of what gymnastics was at its origins. But gymnastics has become extremely aesthetically driven, the competitive format has sort of lost its connection to what the purpose of it was to develop in an athlete

(35:50) German gymnastics

(36:40) The difference between a complicated problem and a complex problem

(37:00) Why Chess is a complex problem

(38:30) “Anything about human movement is a complex problem, not a complicated problem. So the optimal way to think about it is more like a gardener, less like an engineer.” - Rafe Kelley @rafekelley

(47:40) Shout out to Matt Thornton @ aliveness_ape

(49:40) Shout out to Gray Cook @functionalmvmt

(50:00) Started a non-profit parkour organization

(52:20) If you want to master every tool, start by being the master at one tool

(58:00) The Monkey Vault in Toronto, a parkour gym

(59:00) Parkour retreats and workshops

(1:08:00) What makes your life feel meaningful?

(1:09:50) Creating depth and sophistication across our relationships

(1:10:30) I think therefore I am

(1:11:00) “The only justification that we have that we are real is that we experience consciousness.” - Rafe Kelley @rafekelley

(1:15:00) Shout out to Sifu Singh @sifusingh

(1:16:00) Where to find more about Rafe Kelley @rafekelley https://www.evolvemoveplay.com/workshops