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Jason Nemer Interview (Full Episode) | The Tim Ferriss Show (Podcast)

My guest on this episode of the podcast is Jason Nemer (@jasonnemer), co-founder of AcroYoga. Jason is an incredible character, who travels the world with next to nothing. He introduced me to my latest obsession — AcroYoga. Along with Gymnastic Strength Training, I’ve been doing AcroYoga — and I think about doing it all the time. AcroYoga is closer to partner acrobatics: Cirque du Soleil routine meets sensual-but-not-sexual contact. Even if you have no interest in doing AcroYoga yourself, there are many takeaways and recommendations in this episode that can benefit your life. Enjoy! Intro [00:00] What are we drinking? [00:02] How Jason and I met [00:41] The origins of AcroYoga (plus benefits) [02:46] The categories of sport acrobatics [06:57] The dark side of competitive acrobatics [09:47] The surrender component [11:55] Beginner AcroYoga basics [14:40] Freakish hip mobility in action [22:33] Alleviating lower back pain [23:05] Why you don’t see a lot of 100-year-old gymnasts [24:25] The people who have trained and inspired Jason [25:30] The meeting of two masters [27:25] What is the handstand approach? [31:58] The cross-pollination of different physical disciplines [33:48] What is Shadow Yoga? [35:09] Bone stacking and handstand ATB: Alignment, Tightness, and Balance [38:43] How Japanese gymnasts dominated the ’70s [43:04] ATB demonstration [45:17] Some of the most common AcroYoga mistakes [49:25] Other teachers and mentors [52:49] Things about the modern yoga world that drive Jason crazy [56:59] Acrobatic flying demonstration [1:02:04] The challenges of connecting through microangles [1:06:04] About handstand rigs, dream machines, and power levers [1:08:03] A Unified Theory of AcroYoga inspired by Ravel’s Bolero and Einstein's life [1:14:20] Competitive vs. recreational athletics [1:16:32] One of Jason’s definitions of an advanced practitioner [1:19:57] Skill transfer from the meta learning section of The 4-Hour Chef [1:22:16] The source of understanding and compassion in AcroYoga [1:22:32] The benefits of combining acrobatic flying with therapeutic flying [1:24:55] Hatha Yoga and the balance between feminine and masculine energy [1:25:18] Who Jason thinks of when he hears the word “successful” [1:28:55] Books Jason has gifted most [1:31:28] Jason is constantly traveling. What does he bring with him? [1:32:50] That time Jason smuggled throwing knives into Bali [1:35:24] Is frisbee golf a real sport? [1:36:05] Favorite purchase of $100 or less [1:37:58] How Jason practices the philosophy of Svaha, or "Fuck it, whatever, let go." [1:38:40] What does Jason believe that other people think is insane? [1:39:12] Why Jason calls losing everything he owned (including the van where he was living) “really amazing” [1:40:28] Jason tells a story I’ve never heard before. [1:41:59] What Jason’s billboard would say [1:44:09] Connect with Jason Nemer: Like Jason Nemer on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jason.nemer Follow Jason Nemer on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jasonnemer Follow Jason Nemer on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jasonnemer Jason Nemer Interview | The Tim Ferriss Show (Podcast) SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/1dSzTkW About Tim Ferriss: Tim Ferriss is one of Fast Company’s “Most Innovative Business People” and an early-stage tech investor/advisor in Uber, Facebook, Twitter, Shopify, Duolingo, Alibaba, and 50+ other companies. He is also the author of five #1 New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestsellers: The 4-Hour Workweek, The 4-Hour Body, The 4-Hour Chef, Tools of Titans and Tribe of Mentors. The Observer and other media have named him “the Oprah of audio” due to the influence of his podcast, The Tim Ferriss Show, which has exceeded 200 million downloads and been selected for “Best of iTunes” three years running. Connect with Tim Ferriss: Visit the Tim Ferriss PODCAST: https://bit.ly/2rYjUBr Visit the Tim Ferriss BLOG: http://bit.ly/17jDHw3 Like Tim Ferriss on FACEBOOK: http://on.fb.me/1avYUxq Follow Tim Ferriss on TWITTER: http://bit.ly/17d94TE Follow Tim Ferriss on INSTAGRAM: http://bit.ly/2IfH37J Follow Tim Ferriss on INSTAGRAM: http://bit.ly/2IfH37J

Tim FerrisshostJason Nemerguest

Aug 24, 20161h 47mWatch on YouTube ↗

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WHAT IT’S REALLY ABOUT

AcroYoga co-founder Jason Nemer on flying, healing, handstands, and playful living

Jason Nemer explains that AcroYoga grew from his sports acrobatics background meeting co-founder Jenny's therapeutic flying, a synthesis they sketched out in one night that now has certified teachers in 55 countries.
Tim Ferriss describes how regular acro practice, combining acrobatic work with therapeutic flying, improved his hips and mobility, and the two demonstrate poses like folded leaf, bird, leg love, corkscrews and hand-to-hand.
Nemer lays out his handstand framework of alignment, tightness and balance, plus coaching cues from Lu Yi such as 'make body one piece', and discusses mentors including Lu Yi, Dharma Mittra and Shadow Yoga.
The pair argue that partner practice builds community, compassion and real-world application of yoga wisdom, and that switching between base and flyer roles builds empathy and skill.
In rapid-fire questions Nemer shares his nomadic life with a travel altar, his story of losing his van at 30, his belief in trusting people, and his billboard message: play more.

IDEAS WORTH REMEMBERING

5 ideas

AcroYoga was born from a synthesis of disciplines

Nemer's sports acrobatics met Jenny's therapeutic flying, and they stayed up until 5 AM seeing how acrobatics, yoga and partner communication could fit together.

Therapeutic work complements hard training

Ferriss says therapeutic flying acts like extra recovery days, and Nemer argues that building strength without range of motion is a time bomb, so small doses of healing along the way are intelligent training.

Handstands rest on alignment, then tightness, then balance

Nemer says alignment comes first because misalignment wastes energy, followed by unifying the body into one piece and pushing into the floor for a rebound; he adds that technique is how skillfully you use the strength and flexibility you have.

Playing both base and flyer roles builds compassion

Nemer says basing and flying each reveal why the other role is hard, and Ferriss shares a story of a bossy flyer who changed attitude after trying to base.

Partner practice puts yoga wisdom into real interaction

Nemer sees a ceiling in solo yoga if the wisdom isn't brought into traffic or conversations with your mom, and says acro offers a self-regulating community that counters screen-based life.

WORDS WORTH SAVING

5 quotes

Strangers are just people you haven't flown yet.

— Jason Nemer

If I had to prescribe two things to improve health and happiness in the world, it's movement and play.

— Jason Nemer

There's no machine that can teach you how to have a really strong line, because it takes human chaos to create the stability to match that chaos.

— Jason Nemer

The ideas are really simple. The practice is a pain in the ass.

— Jason Nemer

If you're building strength and you're not building range of motion, you're basically making a time bomb, and when things go off, then you really need some deep healing.

— Jason Nemer

Origins of AcroYogaTherapeutic flying and tractionHandstand alignment, tightness, balanceMentors: Lu Yi, Dharma Mittra, Shadow YogaCommunity and partner practiceSequencing and learning systemsNomadic life, trust, and play

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