Ido Portal - Full Beach Interview

Movie Bonus: Just Move

Just Move

Ido Portal is obsessed with movement.

While some spend their time perfecting specific disciplines — fighting, dancing, martial arts, yoga, circus, etc. — Portal spends his time learning the movement, ideas and symbols within each skillset. To him, it’s not about living under one title (the gymnast, the dancer, the fighter). It’s about taking what you learn within each discipline and using them to create an overall masterpiece.

Ido Portal’s recognition reached its peak after helping coach MMA fighter, Conor McGregor, to his featherweight championship title where he knocked out his opponent 13 seconds into the first round. His methodology — Movement Culture — has gained a massive following from people all over the world.

The Movement Culture “tribe,” as it’s referred to, is a community of movers that practice and support the idea of embracing your body and the way it is intended to move.

Living in the Moment

As we begin our interview along the beach, I talk to Ido Portal about an aspect of movement he finds imperative — living in the moment. Being present is essential for progressing in the Movement Culture, but, according to Portal, it’s not as simple as you might think.

As he explains, “A lot of what we do well is not serving us in that moment.” Possessing skills in one particular discipline is great until it becomes automatic. Becoming complacent and comfortable diminishes the importance of a challenge. 

For example, one may assume Portal is “in the moment” because he’s doing a one-armed handstand — but in reality, he’s thinking about his grocery list.

The point? You can’t truly be in the moment unless you’re challenging yourself.

People Are Not Made of Sugar

Around 25 years ago, Ido Portal, growing up in a beach town in Israel, fell in love with Capoeira (the practice of Brazillian martial arts). In our interview, he talks to me about his Capoeira journey and why he decided to leave and focus on movement instead.

As we walk through the sand, he stops to show me some basic exercises. On a beach in Tel Aviv, I hang, motionless, on a pull-up bar with Ido Portal. He discusses the importance of such a simple exercise, describing it as the human equivalent to a “cat stretch.”

As the conversation steers more toward Portal’s methodology, I give him the opportunity to tell me what Movement Culture is really about.

“Movement was always there; it just needs to be repackaged,” he says.

The full beach interview with Ido Portal reveals a closer look at the mindset behind Movement Culture and a broader explanation of one of his core beliefs: “People are not made of sugar.” 

Of course, these aren’t the only topics we cover.

Join us as we discuss:

• Capoeira, and other aspects of Portal’s past
• Being present and in the moment
• Basic movement exercises you should be doing every day
• The Dunning-Kruger curve
• A more in-depth explanation of Movement Culture 
• The importance of a tribe
• Portal’s thoughts on success 
• What happens at an Ido Portal movement event
• Movement and human practice
• The different directions of society
• Trigger warnings and fear 
• Mindfulness, mindlessness and randomness
• Understanding pain
• What I can expect to learn from Ido Portal