Simplicity & Creativity

““Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that’s creativity.””
— Charles Mingus

Simplicity and Creativity can be hard to describe. They can be a choice, a feeling, a longing, perhaps a guiding-light. You could even think of them as a spirit, because you can tell pretty quickly when you’re in a place that values simplicity and creativity.

These two qualities work very well together and support one another beautifully. Often times people are led to believe that their physical practice needs to be complicated or complex to be creative. This is simply not true. Just take a look at children playing.

They know nothing of the body. They don’t search out complexity. They search out expression and joy and novelty.

Just understand that simplicity and creativity are more than goals - they are skills. Simplicity is a skill. Creativity is a skill. And to use their full power we need to practice them.

Cultivate a simple physical practice and your creativity is sure to flourish.

This is a fine example of making your life more simple to deep your practice: Be Boring.

The Creative Act of Subtraction

When we think of Creativity, art or craft we often think of creating something, producing something, adding something.

But that’s because we have a very limited idea or concept of what Creativity actually is. We label this form of creativity incorrectly.

If we take a moment to study other artistic fields we see that subtraction is an essential part of the creative process. In writing-craft we call this editing. In gardening-craft we call this pruning. In music and film we also call the art of subtraction “editing.”

We even use the word “Outtakes” to describe the discarded material.

And the crazy thing is, we actually feel just as good by performing these creative acts as we do in the production of something.

Let’s study other fields for a moment. Think about a garbage man or a cleaning lady or an exterminator. They literally make things beautiful by what they take away. Isn’t that incredible? We can see everything through the eyes of an artist if we study deep enough.

One more example if you don’t mind. I was recently doing some wood work and the craftsman that was helping me pointed out that you get the best stain or paint application by subtracting, by sanding and stripping away the unwanted material. Thank you master Craftsman, I truly appreciate your insights.

So my question to you is…what can you strip away to bring about the beauty of your physical practice or martial art?

The Physical Creative as a Teacher

I am very apprehensive about sending out “workouts.” This is not because I have some secret sauce that I can’t share with the general public. It’s more about my experience in doing so. The workouts and practices I design are usually created for a very specific person, or for a very specific group of students/athletes.

Most times, I have personally worked with them in the physical world — I know their 3 ages…their biological age, their training age and their chronological age. I know their abilities, their injuries and their strengths.

If I cannot work with my student directly I will have a coach that I trust administer their program.

“When the student is ready the teacher will appear. When the student is truly ready, the teacher will disappear.”
— Lao Tzu

I think that Lao Tzu quote above underlies my approach quite well also. Personally, I consider myself much more of a teacher than a trainer or coach.

If I work with a student or athlete over an extended period of time, I truly believe they should be able to coach themselves. If they cannot, I have not truly done my job. I’m always trying to teach myself out of a job. I work hard to help people understand why they’re doing what they’re doing.

It’s always about much more than the exercise or workouts. It’s the context, the practice and the greater approach to quality of life and vitality. Here’s to creative longevity.

Play Your Way to Better Movement

Play is vital for functional and effective living.

In our Physical Creative Workshops , we place a strong emphasis on physical creativity. The lead coach may be an expert with a great knowledge base and experience, but all participants are equal in their ability to innovate new games and physical expressions.

In our practice, every group seems to create their very own expressions and interpretations. In fact, many of the new games come directly from mistakes, accidents and what-ifs.

This is the true beauty of human movement.

Please take ideas from my work if you need a new idea, but please expose yourself to spontaneity; force yourself to improv and you may create something brilliant.

If you’d like to be notified when I start running Physical Creative | Play Craft workshops in person again please join my newsletter below.

Teaching and Creativity

Teaching and coaching are creative activities. We often talk about the art and science of coaching the physical arts but then we always bias ourselves towards the science. Why is that? Is it more important? I’m not sure it is. I’m not even sure it’s more important than the art even for reaching our desired outcomes.

I’d like to change that in my own simple way.

I appreciate the science but I absolutely love the art, the act of creating and designing a physical practice for a student completely lights me up. Talking about the Krebs Cycle… not so much.

This is where my passion lies, the joy of enhancing the dance of human movement through life or athletic activities.

Too much science equals too much mechanic and not enough bio.

When we focus too much on the science we lock ourselves into dogmatic approaches, drudgery and other artificial methods that are completely disconnected from the dance, the game, the roll. A creative coach, A Physical Creative however, will look at the same movements and see it with different eyes, the eyes of an artist.

If you’d like to experience this approach in person please check out our Physical Creative Live Workshops.

The Simplicity and Unity of Play

What is it that we’re doing here at The Physical Creative ?

We use physical practices that are simple, enjoyable and repeatable. We design play-based activities that encourage physical freedom, creativity and vitality. And because we are artist, Physical Creatives, we are not bound by any one discipline or way. We use, we steal and repurpose ideas, tools and resources from the old ways. We cultivate a way that is adaptive and alive to create a beautifully moving human.

In this video we use nothing more than a yoga block and a medicine ball. It could be any ball and any block.

I call these live workshops “Play Craft” as there is a deep physical creativity, utility and artistry in this approach and practice.

If you’d like to be notified when I start running these live workshops in person again please join my newsletter below.

The Physical Art of Creativity & Joy

Should we try to teach absolutely every movement and then coach it ? Or should we allow the student the joy of discovery through exploring their own movements and capabilities ? There’s a real worry about them getting it wrong. My thought on that is …” What is wrong ? ”

There must be spontaneity, a joy and anticipation in movement, a true sense of discovery of skill and training, not a programmed robotic approach.

We’re too mechanical and not enough bio.

It’s been my experience working with students and athletes at all levels, in a wide variety of settings and contexts, that people will find their own best way of doing something if they are put into a position where they have to adapt.

Each student/athlete has their own unique movement signature. It is their stamp, their personal interpretation of the skill. They are very adaptable. We need to encourage this approach, much like the art of improv. That’s exactly our approach in our Play Craft | Physical Creative Workshops.

I’ve written a few post on this here:

Adapted or Adaptable

Adapted or Adaptable Part 2

How to Get Smashed & Keep Smiling

Thoughts on the Mountain.

This weekend I went to spend some time in the mountains of my home town. They were calling and I needed to go. I also longed for the cold fresh water of the local creeks. While sauntering next to one of those creeks I had a few thoughts I’d like to share with you:

  • I’d have to say that the mountains have had the greatest impact on the way I behave. More than any one person or thing.

  • The lessons you learn from the mountains. The relationship you have with them covers so many things. The harmony of being in them, with them. Sauntering through them is an act of harmony and reverence.

  • You do not conquer mountains. You have the fortune to be with them for a moment.

As for my physical practice, and my creation of a physical space , I’m reminded of this highlight from many moons ago.

Screen Shot 2021-05-24 at 10.19.47 AM.png

Perhaps one day my friend.

Adapted or Adaptable? Part 2.

“I’m convinced that the combination of martial arts, gymnastics and dance will create super-fitness and movement skills and I will work diligently to create a world-wide tribe of Physical Creatives that teach and spread such wonderful practices.”
— Jason C. Brown

In a recent blog post about being “Adaptable versus Adapted” I shared a video of a few professional MMA athletes. In the video, these professional fighters show off their rolling and floor-work skills.

It’s a beautiful display of being adaptable.

And there’s no doubt that their martial-arts training helps develop the floor skills and vice-versa.

I’d like to highlight another professional MMA Athlete, Michael “Venom” Page demonstrating his willingness to explore and practice other art forms like gymnastics and Parkour.

It’s a pretty crazy video. Enjoy.