Ido Portal: The Science & Practice of Movement

Ido Portal on Movement

• Ido Portal: world expert in movement 
  • Studies various forms of movement (capoeira, martial arts, dance, gymnastics, etc.)
  • Trained top athletes like Conor McGregor
  • Both a practitioner and intellectual of movement
• Movement: essential aspect of our nervous system 
  • Humans can generate a wide variety of movements
  • Movement informs every aspect of our lives (daily activities, relationships, etc.)
• Edo’s conception of movement practice: 
  • Encompasses physical movement, movement of emotions, and movement of thoughts
  • Allows for self-​​evolution and development
  • Visuals and media often define people’s initial understanding of movement
    Body-​​Brain Relationship and Movement
• Body and brain are interconnected 
  • Nervous system connects brain, spinal cord, and body
  • Everything is connected at the physical and physiological level
• Movement practice involves: 
  • Focusing on the movement of limbs
  • Focusing on how movement makes you feel and how feelings make you move
• Movement is the entity that ties everything together 
  • Integrates mind and body in motion
  • Action, emotion, and thought are three streams of movement

Approaching a Movement Practice

• Begin with education and awareness 
  • Understand the concept of movement and its validity
  • Recognize that the mind, body, and emotions are in motion
• Choose containers for movement (specific exercises or practices) 
  • Fill containers with content (the actual experience of movement)
• Different entry points for movement practice 
  • Body approach (spine, pelvis, etc.)
  • Playfulness as an attribute

Incorporating Movement Practice into Daily Life

• Be aware of the body and motion throughout the day 
  • Pay attention to breath, posture, and playfulness
• Nonverbal experiences can help bring awareness to the body and motion 
  • Practice can clarify this layer and unlock potential attributes and strengths
• Moshe Feldenkrais’ perspective on the body 
  • Core nervous system
  • Mechanical system of muscles and skeleton
  • Emotional system (feelings and sensations)
    Movement and Development
• The nervous system receives information from the outside and inside 
• Movement helps differentiate between self and environment
• Movement practice can be done in various scenarios, such as walking through crowded streets or using rocking chairs
• Over-​​specialization in a sport can constrain the development of the nervous system and limit emotional and intellectual abilities

Unique Postures

• Early in life, we create unique postures in thought, emotion, and movement
• Later in life, the process moves towards integration of these unique postures into different organizations
• The same postures are used throughout life, but there are possibilities for change and growth

Slice and Dice Approach

• To avoid the limitations of words and definitions, create multiple categories and constantly revise them
• Important to both analyze and let go of these categories

• This approach allows for a more dynamic understanding of movement and development
  Forgetting and Learning

• Forgetting is not the same as never knowing 
• Crumbling and throwing away is a form of forgetting, but it leaves a trace behind
• Contraction and relaxation are on a spectrum, and everything falls on this spectrum
• Analyzing a person or yourself can help determine where you fall on the spectrum and what practices are needed for balance

Physical Culture

• Dense realm working with internal concepts and expressing abstract concepts
• Martial concept, not just fighting but partnering and working with another person
• Working with the environment and elements
• Somatic practice, focusing on internal aspects
• Object manipulation, working with small or heavy objects

Challenges and Failures

• Challenges are necessary for growth and learning
• Failures are part of the learning process and the entry gate to neuroplasticity
• Discomfort is necessary and should be recognized as being in the right place
• Finding the optimal point of progression takes years of practice and exposure

Body and Brain Connection

• Body and brain are interconnected and have equal value at any one moment
• Emotions inform movement, and movement informs emotions

Human Movement Potential

• Humans have an enormous range of movements they can perform
• Some movements are superior to other species, such as walking and striding
• All humans have the potential to explore different types of movement
• The focus should be on what you truly want to do and what you need to do for personal growth and evolution
• Individual differences in physical abilities and architecture should be considered
  Squat Challenge and Movement
• Squat challenge: accumulate 30 minutes a day in the squat position, unloaded, just resting 
  • Fundamental resting position, replaced by sitting
  • Useful for digestion, lower back pain, hip pain, knee pain, and aging
  • Helps maintain body’s foldability
• Importance of examining different types of movement, location of the body, speed of execution, and organization of the body 
  • Individual relationship with movement, guided by good scenarios and facilitators
  • Learning from big picture to small details, rather than focusing on small details first

Observing Animal Movements

• Value in observing animal movements for inspiration and understanding of our own movement capabilities 
  • Example: chameleon’s feet and their ability to stick to walls using vanderval forces
• Animal movements can reflect aspects of human movement 
  • Example: spinal waves, which can lead to emotional releases and improved athletic performance

Spinal Waves and Emotions

• Spinal waves: movement of the torso, creating undulation or arching and extension of the spine
• No concrete evidence, but experiences suggest that movement of the core of the body can evoke certain categories of emotional states 
  • Ida Rolf: “The issues are in the tissues”
  • Importance of the spine and core in our overall well-​​being and movement
• Mobilizing core areas can be avoided by focusing on big frame motions and competitive motions, but small frame movements can help unblock and improve overall mobility and emotional release
  Connection Between Movement and Language
• Ancient patterns and systems are primary in many ways 
  • Newer developments are constrained by connections running through ancient systems
  • Limited by gene pool
• Singing and dancing may have come before articulated speech and language 
  • Species with elaborate language and true song also have the capacity to dance
  • Movement of the body may have promoted or driven the evolution of speech and language
• Language is movement and movement is language 
  • Reading involves low-​​level muscular activity in the larynx and pharynx
  • Ancient practices, like mantras, contain a form of vibrating and breathing tied together to promote a certain effect
• More accurate language becomes, the more “dead” it becomes 
  • Less of a movement entity, less dynamic in nature
• Movement is the primary mode, applied into dancing, singing, and language
  Movement and Connection 
• Movement is a dynamic, unpredictable process 
• Engaging in movement practice with others can create valuable connections
• Age-​​old tradition of gathering around movement

Collective Knowledge vs. Self Knowledge

• Collective knowledge: transmission of knowledge and techniques from others
• Self knowledge: digestion of collective information until it becomes part of oneself
• Both processes are important for growth and development

Poesis and Praxis

• Poesis: the growing of the seed into the tree (accumulation-​​based)
• Praxis: the manufacturing of the chair from the tree (subtraction-​​based)
• Both processes relate to collective knowledge and self knowledge

Controlled Movement vs. Free Movement

• Controlled movement: overly controlling actions, wasteful
• Free movement: letting go of control, allowing natural movement to occur
• Balance between using collective knowledge and individual work

Premotor System and Movement

• Premotor system: constantly humming, ready for movement
• Release of gates allows for different types of movement
• Being in a state of constant potential movement is powerful for our lives
  Neural Circuits and Movement
• Instructiveness vs. permissiveness in neural circuits 
  • Instructive cues: motor commands for specific actions
  • Permissive cues: premotor system generating movement, opening the gate for movement to occur
• Improvement of movement through practice 
  • Novice vs. expert: trajectories become more consistent and stereotyped with practice
  • Bernstein’s study on degrees of freedom in movement 
    • Increased accuracy with more variance in movement points
    • Meta-​​patterns and self-​​adjusting, dynamic nature of the system

Vision and Movement

• Eyes as a starting point for understanding movement 
  • Training and improving eye movement
  • Connection between eyes, cognitive processes, and body movement
• Different ways to use the eyes in practice 
  • Peripheral, soft open awareness orientation
  • Focused, narrow field of view
• Checklist for tailoring eye use, posture, stance, and state in practice 
  • No one correct way to use the eyes
• Chin placement and its effect on vision and alertness 
  • Chin down, eyes up: increased alertness
  • Chin up, eyes down: more calm and quiescence
• Focus vs. awareness in vision 
  • Magnocellar pathway: controls panoramic, soft gaze and broad awareness
    Exploring Different Types of Vision and Attention
• Peripheral vision and reaction time 
  • Reaction time is faster in peripheral vision mode
  • Useful in sports and driving
• Balancing focus and open awareness 
  • Modern culture overly emphasizes focus
  • Open awareness is more natural and can improve overall well-being
• Visual deficits in young people 
  • Myopia (nearsightedness) caused by lack of panoramic vision
  • Importance of looking at distant objects to maintain eye health

Auditory Attention and Movement

• Cone of auditory attention 
  • Narrow and wide auditory attention can be useful in different situations
  • Can affect physical movement and posture
• Body types and movement 
  • Different body types may facilitate certain movements
  • Exploring the edge of challenge can shape new possibilities
  • Adapting walk and movement for different situations (e.g., business meetings, emotional states)

Playfulness, Experimentation, and Evolution

• Evolution of the nervous system 
  • Playful exploration of new possibilities can lead to evolution in sports, music, dance, and intellectual endeavors
  • Introducing variability can lead to mastery and innovation
• Importance of not overly defining mechanisms and processes 
  • History shows that rigid definitions can limit progress and understanding
  • Openness to exploration and change can lead to growth and improvement
    Exploring Proximity and Touch in Movement
• Humans are natural improvisers 
• Importance of touch and proximity in human lives 
  • Varies across cultures and environments
  • Political correctness and harassment concerns have limited touch
• Touch deprivation in adults is an issue 
  • People seek out activities like Brazilian Jiu-​​Jitsu for touch
• Controlling reactivity and being present in different scenarios 
  • Important for performance and clear thinking
  • Practice helps by disarming and creating a safe space for exploration
• Hybrid practices and exploring discomfort 
  • Encourages growth and understanding of oneself
  • Traditional practices like grappling, dance, and contact improvisation
  • Creating personalized hybrids and scenarios
• Communicating through movement with loved ones 
  • Walking, playing, and being romantic together
  • Sex as a continuum, not a defined start and end point
• Unlocking strength and understanding through exploration of touch and proximity
  The Importance of Touch and Movement
• Touch is important for physical and emotional well-being 
  • Encouraged in children’s play and adult environments
  • Many institutions have restrictions on touch
• Touch can help with trauma recovery 
  • Controlled reexposure to trauma can diminish emotional response
  • Avoiding traumatic experiences can heighten state of readiness and prime more trauma
• Visualization and mental rehearsal of physical movement 
  • Can be useful for experienced individuals
  • Requires feedback to avoid developing delusions or losing aliveness of movement
• Linear forms of exercise (e.g., weight training, yoga, running) 
  • Can be limiting in terms of movement exploration
  • Movement practice can be incorporated into daily life and existing exercise routines
• Understanding the origins and influences of movement practices (e.g., yoga) 
  • Important for shaping one’s approach to movement and personal growth
  • Movement practice involves education and critical thinking about the forces that shape our movement experiences
    Exploration in Movement and Movement Culture with Ido Portal
• Emphasizes the importance of exploration and play in movement practices 
• Encourages trying different combinations and approaches to discover new things
• Practitioners should have a humble, open-​​minded, and curious attitude
• Avoid getting stuck in fixed patterns or routines
• Challenging oneself to experience different aspects of movement can lead to powerful discoveries

The Importance of Exploration and Play

• Ido Portal emphasizes the importance of exploration and play in movement practices
• Encourages trying different combinations and approaches to discover new things
• Practitioners should have a humble, open-​​minded, and curious attitude
• Avoid getting stuck in fixed patterns or routines
• Challenging oneself to experience different aspects of movement can lead to powerful discoveries

The Role of Gratitude in Movement

• Experiencing gratitude from outside sources can be more powerful than trying to generate it internally
• Traditional practices often focus on challenging oneself to generate gratitude internally, leading to more powerful experiences
• Research in this area is limited, but there is potential for further exploration

The Benefits of Weight Training and Power Development

• Lightening the load and accelerating movement can lead to certain benefits in power development
• Practitioners and researchers should be open to exploring different approaches and techniques
• Ido Portal encourages people to continue playing and experimenting with movement

Ido Portal’s Unique Approach to Movement

• Ido Portal is known for his willingness to embrace existing practices, evolve them, and create new ones
• He shares his knowledge broadly, teaching others about the vast landscape of movement
• Ido Portal’s goals include being both wild and wise, which he embodies in his approach to movement