Actor Ryan Hurst discusses his acting career, Kundalini yoga, and alien encounters. They explore personal anecdotes, admiration for figures like Joseph Campbell, and parallels with iconic characters. The conversation covers comedy, gratitude, directing, positive anticipation, and philosophical reflections on existence and impermanence. They also touch on spiritual practices, unexpected encounters, and parental influence, with a blend of humor and profound insights.

Ryan Hurst, the creator of GMB Fitness, dives into the philosophy of human flourishing and personal growth as he navigates life at age 50. He shares insights on Japanese physical culture and the evolution of his martial arts practice. Hurst emphasizes the importance of autoregulation in training—tailoring exercises to individual needs. He also discusses the journey of building a successful fitness brand, offering tips on community growth and the significance of skill-based training. Get ready to embrace authenticity and the joy of movement!

Most men want to wake up in the morning knowing their body is ready to handle whatever opportunities and challenges come their way that day, from a real emergency to simply roughhousing with their kids. They want to be able to move without pain and explore the world with confidence. My guest today would say that what this desire is pointing to is the achievement of physical autonomy. His name is Ryan Hurst and he's the head coach at GMB Fitness, which uses bodyweight exercises and skill-based practices to help people get stronger, move better, and never have to doubt themselves physically. Our conversation begins with Ryan's unique background; we discuss how he did gymnastics growing up and then moved to Japan, where he still resides, to learn martial arts, including aikido, kendo, judo, and jiu-jitsu, and how these experiences influenced his fitness journey and philosophy. Ryan then shares how he defines physical autonomy and the three elements that are required to achieve it. From there we discuss the four animal-inspired movements that create the foundation for balanced athleticism, the basic physical skills people should aim to master, and how to train those skills in ways that don't require an onerous amount of time. Get the show notes at aom.is/physicalautonomy.