In this episode of the Becoming Human podcast, I’m excited to introduce you to JP, a world traveler hailing from Switzerland and an avid skateboarder, surfer, and snowboarder. JP fell in love with surfing as a young adult and has been chasing waves ever since. After studying to become an Environmental Engineer, he found office life unsatisfying and began traveling the world in search of a state of mind. Despite struggling with excess free time, JP eventually found a balance between work and play...
Mar 24, 2023•Season 1Ep. 176
Fletcher Jordan is an adventurer who is passionate about Peakbagging. Peakbagging is where you set out to reach the summit of mountains and there are a ton of lists that people have made that call people to accomplish them. Beyond lists, people are captivated by the challenge and exposure of aiming for a peak. Years ago Fletcher had caught the bug and he was chomping at the bit by spending an increasing amount of time out in the wilderness gaining lofty heights on varied terrain. On his third ye...
Jul 06, 2022•1 hr 50 min•Season 1Ep. 175
Karl Hyder is a loving father who had struggled to make healthy choices for himself and his family. When Karl had found weight lifting, he found a pathway to self-improvement, discipline, and a love for the experience of physical exercise over consumption and entertainment. Karl and I attended the same high school. We were all looking for our own way in life. We were working with challenging adversity and our personal flavor of self-defeat. We both didn’t thrive in the traditional school system....
Apr 13, 2022•1 hr 35 min•Season 1Ep. 174
Katie Hanke used to weigh 380 pounds, had 26 medical diagnoses, took 50 prescriptions, had chronic depression/anxiety and struggled with addictive eating, opoid, and alcohol use. Katie has a 1300 page medical file 20 years in the making. She has perservered and overcome her illnesses through self exploration, self-experimentation, consistency, and discipline. Katie’s crux in rewinding her degeneration lie in her chosen habits and coping mechanisms. She had found using food/drugs/entertainment as...
Mar 22, 2022•1 hr 47 min•Season 1Ep. 173
Saulius Braciulis is an ultrarunner, bike commuter, and mountaineer who has fallen in love with long-distance running/hiking. Saulius has accomplished incredible feats of endurance from biking 86 miles to Rainier, running around the volcano completely self-supported, and biking the remaining 86 miles back to his house in Seattle. Saulius has intense stories of exploring the Cascade mountain range in Washington state. If you were to go hike with Saulius, it’s likely that he’s either running/cycli...
Feb 21, 2022•2 hr 33 min•Season 1Ep. 172
William Stein is the Founder and CEO of Sage Math, a former Professor at the University of Washington, a Research Mathmetician, a Vert Skateboarder for decades, the co-founder of Seattle Vert Ramp, and he’s Bella’s companion: a dog that’s a heeler with a love for outdoor travel. In this episode, we talk about what it’s like to splitboard, backpack, and mountaineer with a dog. William shares his tips, tactics, and drive for adventuring with his dog, Bella. We talk about the relationship of Mounta...
Feb 01, 2022•1 hr 43 min•Season 1Ep. 171
Nathan spent an amount of his childhood running from one foster home to the next. He had attempted to outrun bullies, his housing, community, the world. The furthest he’d gone was 140 miles to North Wales hoping to never be found again. Nathan luckily found his way back to the community by way of an unknown train conductor. He was once again back into another foster care. As a teenager, he found salvation in an MMA gym where his only training partners were large adults. He was inflamed with rage...
Dec 24, 2021•2 hr 57 min•Season 1Ep. 170
In this episode, I talk with a parent in Western Washington who has school-aged children. Lindy Loo has been trying for months to communicate with her local school board regarding how she feels about coronavirus mandates in schools. Lindy and other parents in the school district feel unrepresented. In my perspective, civil servants and civilians are mutually responsible for the erosion of government and institutional representation. During coronavirus, many parents’ attention was turned to how o...
Dec 06, 2021•1 hr 38 min•Season 1Ep. 169
In episode 168 of the Becoming Human Podcast, I talk to my son - Joey Nelsen about what life looks like from the perspective of a 9-year-old. Joey has started skateboarding consistently and passionately 6 months ago. Skateboarding and scootering are difficult skillsets to master. The side-effects of practicing demanding and highly consequential skills are important to me when I think of how to ready someone for the rigors of life. When someone is engaged voluntarily with something, inspired even...
Nov 16, 2021•Season 1Ep. 168
Kyle is a martial arts instructor and law enforcement professional. He is a black belt in Jiu-Jitsu and he’s been training in a wide array of martial arts disciplines for decades. Kyle is the owner and head instructor of Kindred JJ. He specializes in training and defensive tactics for his department. Kyle has been teaching people martial arts from disparate backgrounds such as counselors, law enforcement, artists, businessmen, and more. Learning a recreation in gross motor coordination or in a s...
Oct 27, 2021•1 hr 13 min•Season 1Ep. 167
Ian Ramsey is an educator, musician, adventurer who has been deeply inspired by outdoor writers and students of spirituality. Ian’s largest inspiration is Gary Snyder. He was introduced to Gary Snyder through reading about his related character in Jack Kerouac’s book, The Dharma Bums. Ian has a rich history of experiences from ultra running, sea kayaking, ski touring, bikepacking, teaching adults & youth, and more. Ian has had his writting published with several organizations, he’s pursued p...
Oct 14, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 166
Steven Sashen is the Co-Founder and CEO of Xero Shoes , a serial entrepreneur, . Steven and his wife, Lena Phoenix , started Xero Shoes after being inspired by Christopher Mcdougall’s book, “ Born To Run .” When Steve was 45, he returned to sprinting. Steve loved sprinting in his youth, but he experienced constant injuries in his return. He was introduced to barefoot running through his friend and he gave Steve a copy of, “Born To Run.” Steve experienced elation when he felt the ground on his ba...
Sep 30, 2021•1 hr 24 min•Season 1Ep. 165
Have you ever been in a flow state? What does it make you feel? Logan Tyler is an entrepreneur who uses rock climbing to tap into his flow state and gain perspective. There are experiences in life that are very impactful. Think of the most cherished experiences you’ve had. Most children think of Disneyland with glee. There are experiences out there, within your reach, that will take your breath away and make you feel alive. Logan dreamed of being a professional rock climber. In 2016, his opportu...
Sep 15, 2021•58 min•Season 1Ep. 164
From rock bottom to the top of the world Scott Rowley helps men by empowering them with the tools and resources needed to master their emotions, their minds, and create the life of their dreams. It was Scott’s trials and tribulations that called him to help other men find their way in life. Scott is an author, coach, and adventurer. In his past he dealt with alcohol abuse and fixating on work to his detriment. When Scott was a kid, he was a scout and he graduated from the program as an Eagle Sco...
Sep 06, 2021•Season 1Ep. 163
Peter Peak is a hip-hop artist under the moniker knw.1ne, a paraprofessional for disabled youth, and pursuing a career as a music teacher. I went to an alternative high school in North Idaho with Peter. The kids at the high school faced a variety of adversities that made accessing education difficult. I find it beautiful when people can find a way to overcome their hardships and find the lifestyle that fits them best. Peter started with hip-hop and skating in high school. He has now spent over a...
Aug 27, 2021•1 hr 42 min•Season 1Ep. 162
Mahting Putelis is a hunter, entrepreneur, former outdoor sports guide, teacher, photographer and CEO of Hunt To Eat . Hunt To Eat is a hunting media and apparel company with the focus on gathering wild foods and conservation. Hunt To Eat hosts hunting camps where they teach people the skills to hunt a specific species of animal, field dressing, meat care, and firearm safety. They use the experience as a platform to teach ethics, conservation, and tactics. These experiences are a way for people ...
Aug 13, 2021•1 hr 34 min•Season 1Ep. 161
Joshua Cedar Larsen is a Whitewater Raft Guide at Triad River Tours and Conservationist with a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Science. Josh has over 8 years of guiding experience and he’s kayaked up to class 5 rivers. In his youth, he was tenaciously trying to get on the river as often as possible. He graduated high school from the World Class Kayak Academy where he learned general education through traveling the world, immersing themselves in culture, and kayaking rivers along the way. Josh...
Jul 29, 2021
Taylor Spike is an Ultrarunner who has completed over ten 50 mile ultramarathons and he’s raced in ultramarthons that are 100 miles and even 200+ miles long! Taylor wrestled with substance abuse from the time he was a teenager into his adulthood. Taylor has a history of struggling with obsessive tendencies with alcohol and prescribed pain medication. I have met people who have been prescribed medication for an injury and some will eventually develop an attachment to taking the medication and wil...
Jul 14, 2021•1 hr 20 min•Season 1Ep. 159
“ Oh, the Places You’ll Go! You’ll be on your way up! You’ll be seeing great sights! You’ll join the high fliers who soar to high heights. You’re off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So...get on your way! “ -Dr. Seuss Most people fear heights, but what compels them to face their fears? Them is you, even if you haven’t experienced it before. A 300lb weight would be impossible or injurious to lift to the unpracticed. By defining your baseline and incrementally pursuing...
Jun 18, 2021•1 hr 7 min•Season 1Ep. 158
Harbert Egberts is a personal trainer and founder of Functional Harbeats , a platform and community that offers rotational strength and conditioning, kettlebell exercises, and other forms of training protocol. Harbert is a Mace specialist. He traveled around the world to study with experts in the craft. Harbert began traveling to India to document the culture and explore the cultural history of gadas, their name and version of a mace. The culture has been using it for 3,000 years and they’ve bee...
Jun 10, 2021•1 hr 46 min•Season 1Ep. 157
In this episode, I talk about my history with developing vices and habits. It’s a lot like my body in my experience; neutral is a balance between two extremes. I can improve my poise at neutral by experiencing the extremes. If I became fixated on a single state of being, then it would be to the detriment of my well being. My spine can flex forward, backward, side to side and twist. That’s a lot right? Confine it to a single plain of motion. My spine can flex forward and backward which are the tw...
May 25, 2021•27 min•Season 1Ep. 156
Episode 155 of The Becoming Human Podcast features Daniel Rama, a Yogi, Teacher, and entrepreneur. He co-founded the app Becoming Balance which teaches techniques for self-improvement by poses, mindfulness, and more. Daniel was a restless youth who pointed himself toward Olympic weight lifting. After an injury, he found himself without his recreation and physical play. Daniel couldn’t return to Olympic weight lifting with his injury. He found himself practicing yoga and diving headfirst into bec...
May 20, 2021•1 hr 27 min•Season 1Ep. 155
Fabiola Chipoco is an entrepreneur and chef at Tita’s Kitchen , a peruvian food truck at The Portland Mercado . Fabiola and her sister Fabiana Chipoco are the heart and soul behind Tita’s Kitchen. The Chipoco sisters were born in Peru. They showcase their culture and love of communing with others through their peruvian fare. Fabiola named her restaurant after her childhood nickname, Tita. When her sister Fabiana was a kid, she couldn’t say “Hermanita” (Lil sister in Spanish) so she would say, “T...
May 12, 2021•1 hr 55 min•Season 1Ep. 154
Episode 153 of the becoming human podcast features Derek Notman, he is a teacher of physical culture specializing in XinYi, Thai Chi, Club Swinging, and a wide breadth of other healing practices. In this episode, we talk about the ways our minds and emotions manifest physically and vise versa. There’s a lot of powerful experiences awaiting all of us. To get there, you can practice in many ways. Physical exercise is one of the most tangible ways I can engage with different states of mind. You can...
May 03, 2021•1 hr 26 min•Season 1Ep. 153
Every misbehavior in a child is an unmet need. Instead of focusing on why the child won’t do what you want them to do, think of what needs aren’t being met and how you can help them meet those needs. Hermetic stress in exercise is learning embodied. The process and physical growth of deadlifting 500 lbs(enter any physical goal here) is an example of learning embodied. Keevin Bybee is a General Practice Doctor and the host of The One School Project Podcast. His podcast showcases conversations wit...
Apr 27, 2021•2 hr 11 min•Season 1Ep. 152
Davy Crockett is an Author, Historian, and long-distance runner who hosts the Ultrarunning History Podcast. In the span of 17 years, he’s finished 105 100 mile ultra races. Davey started backpacking at a casual pace with little to no fitness. He was self motivated to learn how to adapt and improve his speed and ease while walking and running. This blossomed into a love of traveling lightly and moving quickly through adventurous places. Davey combined his experience writing books on history with ...
Apr 21, 2021•1 hr 32 min•Season 1Ep. 151
Adventurers of The Cascade Pete Doorish and Bryan Burdo have set many First Ascents in the mountains of the Cascades in Washington. Pete is known for obscure and big wall first ascents along with some epic adventures that’ll leave your heart leaping for comfort. He has been climbing for over 50 years starting before the emergence of sport climbing and gym climbing. His passion evolved from climbing and first ascents to long adventures on High Routes in the Cascade mountains. Kyle Mccrohan wrote ...
Apr 15, 2021•2 hr 48 min•Season 1Ep. 150
Shirlz Rox Jocelyn is the host of The Canyons Are Calling Podcast , she’s a canyoneer and she works at Imlay Canyon Gear . Her podcast focuses on canyoneers’ adventures, beta, tips, tactics, gear, and even some misadventure. My favorite episode on the podcast is her recent one with Scott Swany who’s a Death Valley First Descent Legend. You can find it on all podcast platforms . In this episode, Shirlz teaches us about canyoneering and how it has influenced her life. Inglestead canyon zion nation...
Apr 03, 2021•1 hr 12 min•Season 1Ep. 149
How do you find your niche, set your aim, and express yourself? Do you prefer more of an intuitive approach to learning or do you like more structure? Chris Benchetler is an artist and professional skier. His art ranges from filmmaking to graphics, murals, and more. Chris has worked with GoPro, Atomic Ski company, Dakine, among others. You can checkout his art and videos on chrisbenchetler.com. He is intuitive in his approach to sport, art, and life. In this episode, we dive into how he balances...
Mar 26, 2021•1 hr 12 min•Season 1Ep. 148
Movement is a way to express yourself and bond with other people. Pola and Lamonte are the authors of the book, “Neosutras: Yoga for Love and Intimacy.” The book features 50 asanas(poses) designed to strengthen the connection between partners. There are infinite ways to play in life and each way you have the opportunity to garner new knowledge and experience. Pola and Lamonte’s work focuses on connecting with our body through physical play and practice. They entertain people with their dance per...
Mar 19, 2021•1 hr 31 min•Season 1Ep. 147
