Craig Tyler
January 18, 2020 00:37
It's hard to encapsulate the experience I had when I attended Boulder Movement Collective, but I'll try. I was first introduced to the place via their Instagram account, probably from following their main muse, Ido Portal. From halfway across the U.S.A. (Pittsburgh, PA), I felt I had to attend some classes at this facility. I was not disappointed.
This is not your typical gym, and not your average workout. In fact, it's so hard to pin down, I may accidentally misrepresent it. The philosophy of the place is to develop a comprehensive movement practice through a variety of modalities and tools: spinal work, locomotion (moving on your hands and feet), hanging, object manipulation, strength work, etc., etc. The idea is to be a generalist (competent in many areas) rather than a specialist (weightlifter, runner, boxer, etc.), preventing you from developing overuse syndrome while also helping you to correct previously formed imbalances.
These exercises and drills are done by yourself, and some are done with a partner (or two, or three). The group drills contribute to the sense of community you feel when you're there, something Matt, Zack, and Liav have obviously worked hard to foster. Aside from themselves, they mentor their students to become competent teachers in their own right. In addition to the aforementioned, I had the honor of learning from Titus, Yianni, Grant, and Daniel. The fellow students welcomed me like I had been there for years, being both friendly and educational.
I've said a lot, yet not enough. There aren't enough words to do this place justice. Do yourself a favor and go check it out; you'll be glad you did!