Nothing Makes Perfect: Recent Episodes

Jeremy Fein

How do we learn physical skills? The short answer is that we practice. The long answer is this podcast!

Your host is Jeremy Fein (FeinMovement.com), a coach who helps clients develop skill and strength. Every episode is an effort to help bring your practice to life. NMP guests are hobbyists, coaches, athletes, researchers, and anyone else with something to share.

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Effective practice often comes down to having enough structure, but not too much. In this episode -- after starting with an announcement -- I share 3 examples of how to create a flexible practice structure.

Will you apply one of the structures to your practice?

If you want to share an idea, a question about your practice, or a request for a future episode, I'd love to hear from you!

  • Leave a voicemail at FeinMovement.com/podcast
  • Email me: Jeremy@FeinMovement.com
  • Instagram: @JeremyFein

This episode was edited by David Schockett. If you're looking for music or audio editing for your project, I highly recommend contacting him at DavidSchockett.com.

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I got to be a guest on one of my favorite podcasts!

Kris Hampton (Power Company Climbing) was putting together an episode on failure. So naturally, he thought of me...

The episode turned out so well, I asked Kris if I could share it on here.

As always, if you have any feedback on the show or questions about your practice, you can leave a voicemail at FeinMovement.com/podcast.

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Hint: It doesn't involve perfection. :D

Have feedback on this format? A question about your practice? An idea or request for a future episode?

  • Leave a voicemail at FeinMovement.com/podcast
  • Email me: Jeremy@FeinMovement.com
  • @NothingMakesPerfect (IG)
  • @JeremyFein (IG)

This episode was edited by David Schockett. If you're looking for music or audio editing for your project, I highly recommend contacting him at DavidSchockett.com.

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Leah Samelson is a handbalancer turned future lawyer. She is a graduate of l'Ecole de Cirque de Quebec, where she specialized in handbalancing, acrobatics, and slack-rope. After almost a decade performing and teaching, Leah went back to school to pursue a career in environmental law. She now lives in Portland, and graduated from Lewis & Clark Law School in May of this year. She no longer practices handbalancing, and instead has spent the past few years pursuing new hobbies like bouldering, olympic lifting, and guitar.


About the Show

Hey, I'm your host, Jeremy Fein. I'm a coach who helps clients build strength and skill, while actually enjoying the process.


This episode was edited by David Schockett. If you're looking for music or audio editing for your project, I highly recommend contacting him at DavidSchockett.com.

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Trying to take my own advice.


Have feedback on this format? A question about your practice? An idea or request for a future episode?



This episode was edited by David Schockett. If you're looking for music or audio editing for your project, I highly recommend contacting him at DavidSchockett.com.



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Competitiveness, camaraderie, throwing, and leadership.


About Mack

Growing up, Mack played every sport he could find. He went on to play college football at Boston College and Bentley University, before going onto a brief stint in the NFL with Washington.

In his own words, he "has too many friends to count, loves them all dearly, and is quite possibly the luckiest person in the world."


About the Show

Hey, I'm your host, Jeremy Fein. I'm a coach who helps clients build strength and skill, while actually enjoying the process.


This episode was edited by David Schockett. If you're looking for music or audio editing for your project, I highly recommend contacting him at DavidSchockett.com.

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Come join me for a session to see how I've been applying the Learn / Perform / Enjoy model to my climbing practice.


Have feedback on this format? A question about your practice? An idea or request for a future episode?



This episode was edited by David Schockett. If you're looking for music or audio editing for your project, I highly recommend contacting him at DavidSchockett.com.

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What a treat to talk with Kyle Fincham about improvisation – on stage, in practice, and in life.


About Kyle

Kyle Fincham is the creator of Infinite Play. He has over 20 years of teaching experience and has been facilitating movement for over 10 years. He is the founder of Movement Brooklyn, has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, and hosted over 100 episodes of the Behind the Movement podcast. Kyle is a purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Marcelo Garcia, is deeply influenced by both Tom Weksler and the Fighting Monkey Practice, and was a student of Ido Portal from 2015-2020.


About the Show

Hey, I'm your host, Jeremy Fein. I'm a coach who helps clients build strength and skill, while actually enjoying the process.


This episode was edited by David Schockett. If you're looking for music or audio editing for your project, I highly recommend contacting him at DavidSchockett.com.

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Should we train to failure? There's so much out there to do -- how do we choose?


If you have a question about your practice or an idea you want to share, head to FeinMovement.com/podcast and scroll to the orange button. One click, and you're recording!


About the Show

Hey, I'm your host, Jeremy Fein. I'm a coach who helps clients build strength and skill, while actually enjoying the process.


This episode was edited by David Schockett. If you're looking for music or audio editing for your project, I highly recommend contacting him at DavidSchockett.com.

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I was planning to ask Samantha Emanuel about her superpower of using imagery to inspire movement, but she got injured days before our conversation. So we talked about both!


About Samantha

Samantha has been performing and teaching dance and other movement disciplines for over 20 years. She does some really interesting work alongside a physiotherapist, and is the co-founder of the Back to Roots internship with Luke Davies. In her own words, she says "I facilitate positive movement experiences In clinical and artistic settings."


About the Show

Hey, I'm your host, Jeremy Fein. I'm a coach who helps clients build strength and skill, while actually enjoying the process.


This episode was edited by David Schockett. If you're looking for music or audio editing for your project, I highly recommend contacting him at DavidSchockett.com.

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Jon and I first came across each other about 5 years ago, when I taught a skill unit for an online group he was running. We immediately connected on how we thought about movement, but even more on putting people first. We’ve gone on to lead courses together such as The Movement Guild, bounce ideas around, and challenge each other to do meaningful work.


For many of you, Jon needs no introduction, but he does deserve it! Here are a few words of his:


About Jon

Hi! I’m Jon Yuen, I currently live in Norway and have a surname that’s difficult to pronounce.

This is due to the fact that my father’s from China - the same country where I lived when I studied martial arts. If anyone were to ask me which style of martial arts I specialized in, I would have a hard time providing an answer seeing as I’ve practiced too many of them - this is a result of my main philosophy, which is that everything’s interesting if you’re interested enough.

The same applies for the years when I worked as a professional dancer. I was incapable of settling on one style. Rather, I wanted to delve as deep as I could into each and every genre and culture, in an effort to understand what worked, how it worked and how it could it applied in other practices.


About the Show

Hey, I'm your host, Jeremy Fein. I'm a coach who helps clients build strength and skill, while actually enjoying the process.


This episode was edited by David Schockett. If you're looking for music or audio editing for your project, I highly recommend contacting him at DavidSchockett.com.

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Driving...? Is that really a PHYSICAL skill? Give the intro a listen, and then you can decide if this episode is for you ;)


About Fitzie

Fitzie has been professionally slinging and delivering cardboard for just under two decades. Instead of buying a boat, motorcycle, or hunting cabin, he’s invested in fitness education and good coaching over the years so he can keep delivering.


About the Show

Hey, I'm your host, Jeremy Fein. I'm a coach who helps clients build strength and skill, while actually enjoying the process.


This episode was edited by David Schockett. If you're looking for music or audio editing for your project, I highly recommend contacting him at DavidSchockett.com.

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A legend and a psyched beginner walk into a podcast...


About Udo:

Udo has been climbing, coaching elite climbers, and teaching climbing coaches for decades. He brings a refreshingly down-to-earth and playful attitude to his work and to this conversation. Especially for someone who has worked with champions and published seminal works in the climbing world! If he isn't on your radar yet, learn more here:

Links:



About the Host

Hey, I'm your host, Jeremy Fein. I'm a coach who helps clients build strength and skill, while actually enjoying the process.

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How does an energetic morning person connect with teens? How do you design a learning environment that can work for everyone?

"Greeles" is a high school wellness learner/educator and lacrosse coach. She loves her job, and feels very fortunate to be doing this work.


About the Show

Hey, I'm your host, Jeremy Fein. I'm a coach who helps clients build strength and skill. This podcast is basically my attempt to take what I spend all day thinking about, and invite you in! If you like what you hear, you'll love the mini articles and practice tips I send in my weekly emails.

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Movement, tech, and where it's all going.


Ian's Bio:

I've always liked doing things, trying to get better to enjoy them more and to impress people. When I was younger I didn't care too much about school, but I still had a slight competitive tendency even in the intellectual realm so I tried to get more with less. By the end of being a physics major and beginning of my phd in biophysics/biochemistry I dove more into studying especially outside my sphere of study. In grad school my pursuit of more physical skills blossomed and brought me into circus which was a bridge to much more. Now, technology and product development occupy most of my time but I try to continue my enjoyment and development of all physical and artistic pursuits for all the old reasons.


Links:


About the Show

Hey, I'm your host, Jeremy Fein. I'm a coach who helps clients build strength and skill. This podcast is basically my attempt to take what I spend all day thinking about, and invite you in! If you like what you hear, you'll love the mini articles and practice tips I send in my weekly emails.

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My first solo episode is a quick one, but it could transform your approach to practice. I share three ideas about success, using three different examples: basketball, handstands, and weightlifting.


If you have a question for a future episode, you can now leave a voicemail at FeinMovement.com/podcast!


Connect with Me


About the Show

Hey, I'm your host, Jeremy Fein. I'm a coach who helps clients build strength and skill. This podcast is basically my attempt to take what I spend all day thinking about, and invite you in! If you like what you hear, you'll love the mini articles and practice tips I send in my weekly emails.

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If skating is half as fun as talking to Stephanie Spence about it, then it must be a great time. She is a researcher, writer, and eight wheel fanatic. And most importantly, a friend. I hope you enjoy this one as much as we did!


Have a question for a future episode?

You can now leave a VOICEMAIL at FeinMovement.com/podcast -- scroll down and click the orange button!

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Can lifting barbells be approachable? Even fun?

Brandon Chien is a strength and flexibility coach in Northern California (Oakland). His background is in Olympic-style Weightlifting, and he uses his 12 years of experience to help individual clients find a way to make exercise pleasurable and sustainable. He also runs workshops for trainers and coaches on how to teach the skill of Olympic lifting in a simple and effective way.

Connect with Brandon* IG: @brandon_chien

About the ShowHey, I'm your host, Jeremy Fein (FeinMovement.com). I'm a coach who helps clients build strength and skill. This podcast is basically my attempt to take what I spend all day thinking about, and invite you in! If you like what you hear, you'll love the mini articles and practice tips I send in my weekly emails.

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Finally, a handstand episode! We discuss skills at 3 levels:

  • Beginner (getting up to the wall)
  • Intermediate (off the wall)
  • Advanced (presses, planches, one arms)

ZhiQian Tay is a movement coach in Singapore who teaches handstands, calisthenics, and mobility. He believes in a fundamental principle of progression, as long as the build-up is thought through well and approached sensibly.

Connect with ZhiQian

  • IG: @zhiqian.tay

About the ShowHey, I'm your host, Jeremy Fein (FeinMovement.com). I'm a coach who helps clients build strength and skill. This podcast is basically my attempt to take what I spend all day thinking about, and invite you in! If you like what you hear, you'll love the mini articles and practice tips I send in my weekly emails.

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"In an ideal world, a single ladder would get us to the top of the tree, but that’s almost never the case."

Aaron Martin is an extremely thoughtful teacher of acrobatics. He practices with an emphasis on sustainability, and works with people of all levels.

If you're interested in acrobatics, you'll learn something you can put into practice tomorrow. But even if you aren't, this was a wonderful conversation about how we learn intimidating skills.

Connect with Aaron

  • IG: @softacroaaron
  • Website: https://softacroaaron.com
  • "Flow Beginnings" course

Shoutouts* Joel Mullen * Lewie West * Joy Isabella Brown * Ido Portal * Nil Teisner * Tom Weksler * Slava Goloubov

About the ShowHey, I'm your host, Jeremy Fein (FeinMovement.com). I'm a coach who helps clients build strength and skill. This podcast is basically my attempt to take what I spend all day thinking about, and invite you in! If you like what you hear, you'll love the mini articles and practice tips I send in my weekly emails.

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"You've already paid the price in the gym. So you go out there and it just makes life so much more rich and rewarding."

Alec Blenis is a concurrent training specialist and personal trainer. With a background that includes feats of pure endurance (dozens of ultra marathons), pure strength, and a mix of both (Spartan Pro Team, Murph World Record), he has the expertise to train an extremely wide variety of clientele, including runners, lifters, tactical athletes, and pretty much anyone who wants to be good at lots of things simultaneously. His Instagram page seeks to fill a void in the fitness industry, adding nuance to complex topics but with simple, actionable takeaways. 

Connect with Alec* IG: @alecblenis * Murph World Record video

About the ShowHey, I'm your host, Jeremy Fein (FeinMovement.com). I'm a coach who helps clients build strength and skill. This podcast is basically my attempt to take what I spend all day thinking about, and invite you in! If you like what you hear, you'll love the mini articles and practice tips I send in my weekly emails.

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"Kids know so much about these games, but they don’t know anything about themselves.”

Chris Ruffolo is a High School Health & PE teacher in Oregon. Someone who seeks to understand the person or persons in front of her.

In this episode, we talk about the selfishness of athletics, post-competitive divorce, saying yes to kids, and questioning the way things have been.

Connect with Chris

  • IG: @ruffolous, @optionsandability
  • PostCompetitiveInsight.com
  • ThinkMovement.net

About the ShowHey, I'm your host, Jeremy Fein (FeinMovement.com). I'm a coach who helps clients build strength and skill. This podcast is basically my attempt to take what I spend all day thinking about, and invite you in! If you like what you hear, you'll love the mini articles and practice tips I send in my weekly emails.

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Making strength training fun, who the gym is for, squats at 95, and doing exercises wrong.

Tasha Louie is an online and private coach. She explores the landscapes of movement, strength, and mobility, to help people better understand and connect with their bodies.

Connect with Tasha* IG: @tasha.louie * Website: bendermovement.com

Shoutouts* DJ Murakami * James Fuller * Jon Yuen * The Movement Guild, from Leeway * Me...

About the ShowHey, I'm your host, Jeremy Fein (FeinMovement.com). I'm a coach who helps clients build strength and skill. This podcast is basically my attempt to take what I spend all day thinking about, and invite you in! If you like what you hear, you'll love the mini articles and practice tips I send in my weekly emails.

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How flow and mindfulness relate to learning, walking into a pole studio in your 40s, surprising findings about how to structure practice, and finding a practice that lights you up.

Jenn Pilotti has been training clients full-time since 2002, opened her first studio in 2013, and regularly teaches workshops for movement professionals. She writes for Breaking Muscle and Think Movement, and is a guest lecturer for the US Navy Senior Leadership Seminar.

Connect with Jenn* IG: @jenn_pilotti * Website: jennpilotti.com

About the ShowHey, I'm your host, Jeremy Fein (FeinMovement.com). I'm a coach who helps clients build strength and skill. This podcast is basically my attempt to take what I spend all day thinking about, and invite you in! If you like what you hear, you'll love the mini articles and practice tips I send in my weekly emails.

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How to deal with a bad practice, being a pro vs. hobbyist, performing with Jacob Collier, peak music experiences, and more.

Playing trombone, physical fitness, and unraveling life’s challenges are the motivators that spur Gabriel on a daily basis. He’s taken life lessons from each of these facets and curated robust health and wellness philosophies to improve lives. Gabriel shares his approach via performance, lecture engagements, and one-on-one coaching.

Connect with Gabriel* IG: @gabrielcolby * TikTok: @gabrielcolbyshow * Website: gabrielcolby.com

About the ShowHey, I'm your host, Jeremy Fein (FeinMovement.com). I'm a coach who helps clients build strength and skill. This podcast is basically my attempt to take what I spend all day thinking about, and invite you in! If you like what you hear, you'll love the mini articles and practice tips I send in my weekly emails.