This is a program that helps you to become a little less ‘tame’ in your body. It is about not being quite so ‘rule bound’ or confined to the conventional architecture of what we typically think a gym should look like and what should be practiced in that space. In fact, Untame Yourself is better understood as taking place in an always evolving Athletic Arena rather than a gym. 

HUMANS ARE ALWAYS IN PROCESS. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A STATIC BEING

Through technology, humans have become remarkably adept at tailoring their environment to suit their needs. As a species, we constantly strive to insulate ourselves against the unknown. Unfortunately, this also means that human animals are losing the art and practice of physically adapting to their environment. Exercise is often done in such a controlled and predictable environment that humans have domesticated themselves. We have become “too tame” in our bodies and too rigid in our physical abilities. Untame Yourself purposely challenges the body to adapt and improvise to its circumstances. It understands that strength, mobility, agility, coordination- all qualities that we generally attribute to athleticism and a healthy, fit body- are not absolute qualities. They have to be placed into a context or a situation to have meaning. A body cannot simply float in space, it is always attached to a situation. 

Untame Yourself is about reestablishing a connection to our physical selves through a constant practice of interoception. It is about shedding that feeling of being on autopilot in our everyday life so that humans can restore a creative impulse and feeling of aliveness in their bodies - qualities that are necessary for life itself but that must actually be embodied in order to be meaningful. Untame Yourself emphasizes that how we are in our bodies can’t be separated by how we think and feel in our bodies. It emphasizes that the body is not just a vehicle for life but that the body actually determines life itself. Thus, Untame Yourself is practice for life and not just for training. 

I have been teaching sport and athletics to students young and old for over a decade. And what I have found is that it is entirely possible to look really ‘fit,’ and yet still move and feel very poorly in your body. Time and time again I witnessed this in action, this glaring contradiction between how the body looks and how the body moves. This contradiction, I believe, is a result of too much exercise and not enough movement!

With Untame Yourself, you will create a baseline level of strength and cardiovascular health through exercise and cultivate a spirit of spontaneity and an ability to improvise with your body. 

IT’S NOT THE WHAT IT’S THE HOW!!!

Let’s use the example of jumping. Jumping is a fantastic tool that the human animal has at its disposal. The ability to rebound and then propel yourself in the air is indeed part of our ancestral movement practice. In other words, humans are designed for jumping and we have been engaging in the act of jumping for millenia. 

BUT…

If we think of the human body as designed only for repeatable and measurable tasks and we only jump on the same surface over and over again, under the same circumstances, are we moving like a human or are we moving like a robotic machine? And if we are moving like a robotic machine, are we not in turn, also thinking like a robotic machine? 

In the Untame Yourself practice, we keep the ‘what,’ the jump, but we change HOW we think about jumping. Students are exposed to different environments- rather than predictable movements, students jump on obstacles with different textures and different surfaces such as rails, fences, trees, etc. We work on precision landings, rebounding, stride jumps, jumping off axis, etc. The options are truly endless. 

Untame Yourself cultivates a spirit of playfulness. Play is often misunderstood and undervalued as an activity that is just for kids. In truth, play is what keeps us all young in our bodies and mind. Untame Yourself places high value on situational and partner games that are designed to foster creative action, improvisation and athleticism. Play keeps us lighthearted, it fosters community and it aids in our neurodevelopment as humans.