As you know, here on London Real we are committed to giving you the best ideas from the most innovative, fascinating and game-changing people in their respective fields. If you are a true London Real fan, you’ll know we’re not just about entertainment, but about creating the shift in your awareness necessary for you to reach your potential.
It’s for that reason that I consider this episode’s guest, the movement expert Ido Portal, one of our most important guests. You will have seen him before on the show, and we felt that his work was so significant, that we wanted him back!
Last time we talked a lot about Ido the man, his background in Capoeira and his upbringing in Israel. This time we go deeper into the philosophy of Ido Portal’s work. And as you will see, the more I try to pin Ido down on a clear description of what it is he actually does, the more philosophical he becomes.
I believe that’s proof of Ido’s highly evolved approach to teaching movement. Ido is far more clear about his movement teaching is not, rather than what it is. It is not another fad. It is not about fancy techniques and showing off like a break dancer. It’s not a functional philosophy, like a martial art or a style of dance.
Ido’s philosophy, and Ido the man for that matter, are illusive. Movement is such a broad term, and Ido likes it that way.
You’ll notice this from a lot of our guests, but Ido is particularly cautious with his words, because as he tells me, words are easily abused. Keeping the ideas behind his teaching so expansive means that his impact on his students is profound, and deeply personal.
It’s about your relationship with your body. I was lucky enough to be invited to take part in a two-day weekend session with Ido, and like I say in this episode, it created a revolution in how I view my own body.
The idea of going to the gym just to pump iron, or spend hours developing a specialism in your training, now seems to me to be a waste of time. Ido is about ditching the specialist approach to fitness and the body.
In fact, the word fitness is something he wants to get away from. You’ll remember what James Altucher said a few weeks back on the show, about idea sex, and how combining seemingly unrelated ideas can make game-changing shifts in your business and success.
Well, it’s kind of the same thing for Ido Portal, but with the body. He encourages his students to explore the deepest and most far reaching possibilities of what their body can do. In doing that, you find your own identity as a physical being, and create a way of moving that is not imitative, but authentic.
Listen out for the section in which Ido talks about the importance of community. Ido Portal’s philosophy is about harnessing the collective wisdom that comes from working with others, from experimenting within the context of a group.
Some of the stuff he talks about here really made me think about the Academy! For Ido, the very act of expanding your awareness of our body’s potential, creates a deeper, more connected awareness of our authentic selves.
Ido says that more and more in recent months, he has been realising the importance of developing your own fingerprint when it comes to movement. I highly recommend looking out for his discussion of that. Like I said, Ido doesn’t really have one single takeaway philosophy. If you are looking for that, well, you might be disappointed!
Getting tied down to one idea, on a single perspective on what movement and the body are, is exactly what Ido wants to crush. He’s all about creating mindset shifts, bursting through the comfort zone of even his most talented students. Ido is a big believer in maintaining the beginner’s mind all the time, never letting you get comfortable.
By doing this, Ido has created a culture, rather than a method, and it’s a distinction he seems fond of making. It’s more of a commitment, than a lifestyle. A set of values, rather than a set of digestible ideas. Even interviewing him is an experience of broadening your horizons!
His answers develop and evolve as they leave his mouth, because for Ido, growth, change and innovation seem to be his guiding commitments. For Ido, “there is no black belt”.
His approach to movement is about trying to stay a white belt, to always be in that moment of discovery. So the point is not the technique you are practising at that moment.
It’s not about athletics, and showing off. Ido is only happy when his students are practising their movement from a state of freshness and personal development.
This creates both accelerated growth in your physical abilities, but at the same time it creates the humility necessary to truly integrate that growth. There’s no other guest who better embodies so many of our values here at London Real.
By way of background, in the realm of movement culture, Ido Portal stands as a transformative figure, blending diverse disciplines to redefine how we perceive physicality and the capabilities of the human body. Born in Hadera, Israel, Ido Portal has emerged as a movement visionary, transcending traditional fitness paradigms and fostering a global community of enthusiasts.
At the core of Ido Portal’s teachings is the concept of movement as a language: a medium through which individuals express themselves physically and communicate with their bodies. Rejecting the compartmentalization often seen in traditional fitness routines, Portal advocates for the integration of strength, flexibility, agility, and creativity into a seamless whole. His philosophy encourages practitioners to view movement as a form of self-expression and a means of cultivating a deeper understanding of their bodies.
Ido Portal’s comprehensive approach to movement is encapsulated in the Ido Portal Method, a structured system designed to guide individuals through a transformative journey. This method goes beyond the confines of conventional exercise, emphasising a wide range of modalities, including locomotion, hand balancing, and groundwork. The emphasis is not solely on aesthetics or performance metrics but on developing a profound connection with the body and its potential.
A distinctive aspect of Ido Portal’s teachings is his emphasis on the process rather than the outcome. He encourages practitioners to embrace the journey of movement exploration, understanding that progress is nonlinear and that challenges are integral to growth. The mindset fostered by the Ido Portal Method emphasises adaptability, resilience, and a willingness to explore the unknown.
Portal’s interdisciplinary approach has caught the attention of elite athletes seeking to enhance their performance. His collaborations with high-profile athletes, including UFC fighter Conor McGregor, have highlighted the applicability of his methods in various fields. McGregor’s incorporation of movement training into his preparation showcased the potential for Portal’s teachings to complement and elevate traditional sports training.
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