A Lifelong Quest for Physical Mastery
My name is Zagreus, and for over two decades I have relentlessly pursued self-mastery through attuning my mind to my body. What began as a fascination with the incredible strength of my childhood fantasy heroes evolved into a deeper exploration of the human body’s untapped potential—revealing a wealth of hidden knowledge about strength training, movement, and embodiment far beyond the conventional wisdom of weight rooms or the literature available to me growing up.
When I was 17 years old, a chance Google search brought me into contact with a series of out-of-print books dating back to the turn of the 20th century. These relics of a bygone era, brimming with Victorian-era prose, pointed to a rich culture of self-mastery through practical weight training. These old-time strongmen, as they are now commonly known, revealed a world of strength-training techniques and physical culture that were largely unknown to me at the time. Their methods for developing godlike prowess and physiques were built upon principles that seemed counterintuitive by most modern accounts. The first—and most prominent—of these books for me was The Secrets of Strength by Earle Liederman.
The feats described in these books seemed like the stuff of fantasy: bending and breaking spikes, lifting anvils by their horns, and pressing 100-pound weights overhead with a single finger. Yet these accounts ignited a spark within me, convincing me that with the right knowledge and dedication, I could unlock my own untapped potential and achieve legendary physical prowess through natural means.
In a short period of time, I was able to tap into my latent strength and validate these methodologies. However, ambition got the better of me, and I began to sustain injuries that restricted my sense of freedom in movement. I had focused so intensely on acquiring strength that I neglected other physical virtues, such as flexibility—or even the sheer enjoyment of inhabiting a pain-free body.
I realized that my quest for strength needed to transcend mere physical power. I yearned to achieve unrestricted mobility, liberated from pain and discomfort. This shift in perspective led me to see my movement limitations not as simple flexibility issues, but as deeper challenges to be understood and overcome. My injuries and pain became my guiding compass.
This new perspective transformed my relationship with exercise. I began approaching training with an inquisitive mindset, constantly refining my techniques and confronting my greatest weaknesses head-on. Instead of focusing solely on my strengths, I embraced the challenges that existed beyond my comfort zone.
During this period, I studied dance at Santa Monica College, spending five semesters immersed in modern dance, ballet, and jazz. This training introduced me to a refined language of movement—one guided not only by function, but by beauty, efficiency, and expression. It arrived at a time when I was searching for a new way to train and to live, one measured less by how much weight I could lift and more by how effortlessly I could move through the world, meeting it with grace and ease.
Throughout this journey, I worked full-time as a bodyworker, assisting individuals in overcoming injuries, restrictions, and weaknesses. This experience further deepened my understanding of the body—its intricate mechanics and the psychological dimensions of pain and injury. For a creature that thrives on movement, a life devoid of pain-free expression is akin to being confined to a cell. When pain restricts our movement choices, our life force narrows and our joy diminishes.
My pursuit of self-mastery has always extended beyond the confines of the gym. Over the past decade, dance and movement-based flow states have become a cornerstone of my exploration. Most recently, the study of contact improvisation and various partner dance styles has drawn me into a uniquely dynamic and ever-unfolding inquiry.
Unlike my previous movement relationships—primarily with consistent objects or static surfaces—partnering with another human presents an ever-changing landscape to move within. This dynamic interaction keeps both partners literally and figuratively on their toes. Partner dancing has profoundly enriched my understanding of movement, challenging me to adapt, respond, and co-create in real time. It is a continuous interplay of anticipation, coordination, and trust, allowing for shared experiences that transcend the individual. My journey of self-mastery has now expanded into the realm of relational mastery: learning how to lead, how to follow, and how to build dynamic, responsive team environments.
Through partner dancing, I’ve discovered a new dimension of physical mastery—one that extends beyond strength and flexibility to include connection, communication, and improvisation. It serves as a reminder that mastery is not about perfection, but about embracing the fluidity and adaptability of the human body, as well as life’s ever-evolving terrain.
As I continue this journey of physical exploration, I remain deeply grateful for the endless possibilities that partner dancing has opened up. It is a constant source of learning, growth, and joy—affirming that the pursuit of physical mastery is truly a lifelong adventure.
