263. Mastering the Handstand: Mathieu Bolillo's Journey to Resilience

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Enjoy the show.

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Matheiu, such a pleasure to be seeing you again. How's everything going? You look amazing. Thank you, Sandy. I'm very excited to be here, let's say virtually, but I'm very excited and feel great.

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Well, thank you so much for taking the time and thank you for being so flexible because Matheiu rescheduled for me because I had a minor procedure on my nose done, which you can't even really see it, but it's all good. And so I was just so grateful because I was like, I think we probably need to wait another week to do this. So I love being connected with you and we have a mutual friend who know referred you to me, which I'm so grateful because you were in Cirque du Soleil for six years, which is so cool. And then you're also the winner of the US aerial in Innovative and Unusual Circus apparatus and now you're performing all over the world and in Las Vegas. But there's more to what you do than just that and we're going to talk about all of that.

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When you and I first had a conversation, you were telling me about your story. And I always love to share my guest stories because it just shows the resilience, especially when it comes to athletes. Because I think that's the hardest thing for an athlete to go through is an injury that could be potentially career ending or take you away from your sport for months, if not a year or longer. So can you share your story with everyone? Because it's pretty amazing.

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Yes. And I even want to add even from your life.

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That'S for sure. That's right. It can take you. Just like with my little nose thing. It was ten days of my life.

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Just can't get back. But it's okay. I'm happy that you are here. So that's great. How can I start it?

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Because I can write many books about what happened to me. But I'm going to try to be short. When I was working for Sergio Soleil in this show called Car, which is the most dangerous show in the world. Well, which one was it again? Car.

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The name of the show is named Car. K A. Yes, k a okay. And I'm pretty sure I saw that one, so I don't know if you were in it when I saw it or not, but that would be pretty fun. Yes.

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You know, this is the one where the stage is there is no stage when you enter in the theater, but then after the stage appear, and then it's moving all around, and then we do stunts, acrobatics all around this stage. And it's crazy. Pretty hard to describe, but you got to come to Vegas to see. Yeah. So when I was walking there, performing there, suddenly I broke my leg.

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And for me, and then for any acrobat when you broke your leg, it's the end of the world. Pretty much, of course. And then I was watching my friends in the training room during my rehab, during acrobatics, crazy stuff. And it get me very frustrated. And then for some reason, I was like, okay, so now I'm stuck.

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I cannot move. So instead of using my legs, then I'm going to use my hands. And that's kind of the first revelation for me. And it became like, I already have the passion for gymnastics and circus, obviously, but now it became more a passion of being on my hands, like using handstand as a tool for me to recover and then to be unique, let's say. So I perfected my handstand practice.

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And yes, I became, after that, like, handstand master. And I teach people how to do handstand, how to master handstand, how to conquer handstand, and using handstand in their everyday practice, but also in their life. That's one of the first thing that I'm very proud of. Yeah. And it sounds really incredible.

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I want to go back just a little bit with your story, because when you told me, when we had a call a month or so ago, whenever it was, I forget it's been a month and a half, I don't know, two months, something. Yeah. Time flies so fast that it's like it seems like just yesterday we were having this conversation, but I know it wasn't yesterday, but you were telling me how the emotional part of it was really difficult for you. So can you just go into that? You don't have to go into all the detail that you necessarily gave me.

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But it was a long road to recovery. And through that recovery, what did you learn about how handstands can really be life altering?

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During this recovery, I was practicing every day and then the more I was practicing, the more my mind was into it, seeing everything upside down, literally.

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I used this process to just seeing things differently, taking things differently, and just enhance my power. The power of the mind, but also the power of the body. It's all related and this is why everything became balanced. And yeah, this is this process that I've been through that changed my life. And then I've been also doing that with people I identified through practice.

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And also I discovered when I was practicing with people handstand, that identified through their practice different fears that they were experienced. And that becomes like another revelation for me and for them. The fears they were experienced during the practice of handstand are the fears that they experience in life. So that became like kind of a flash for me. Like, okay, this is that, this is that.

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This is what I'm going to do. I'm going to use handstand to heal people. Literally. It sounds so incredible and I want to hear can you give a couple of examples of some of the fears? Because I haven't tried a handstand since I was a kid in yoga maybe 20 years ago.

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I was doing headstands, assisted headstands up against a wall or whatever. And honestly, I don't even remember what was going through my mind. I do know that there have been times when I want to try a cartwheel and I'm terrified of trying it because I'm so afraid I'm going to fall and hurt myself.

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So this is a cartwheel. It's also part of a Hanston process as well because you have to be balanced. Right. So you just said one type of fear, like the fear the fear to fall. Right, right.

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The fear to fall, translated to fear to fail. Simple as that. Yeah. This is one of the three fears. You have the other two.

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The first one is when, for example, someone wants to try a handstand but wants to try, but it's like petrified of going to this is the fear to try, which is translated the fear in life to take action. Even if you know that you can do it and you want to do it, there is a moment of frozen where you just want, but you can't. And this is also applying to your life, meaning that you want to do a lot of stuff in your life, you have a lot of goals, but you can't because you are scared. You have this fear to take action. Yeah, this is the most common and the one that is pretty rare, but it's happening.

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I have a couple of people that experience that. Let's say you are on a handstand position and you want to try to hold it and you feel pretty good about it, but you can't. So this fear of holding it, it's a fear actually to hold it translate to the fear to succeed. People also know they can, but they are scared of it. And that can be a freaking blockage.

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In life, for sure. I mean, without question, the fear of and it's so counterintuitive, right? Because you know, you can succeed, you want to succeed. And yet so often people become paralyzed. Exactly.

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I say petrified, like petrified. Yeah, right. I mean, I'm not saying literally paralyzed, but you become paralyzed in a sense that it's so hard for you to take that next step and to take that action. So what is it about and I kind of have my own I can make my own assumptions here, but I'd rather hear it from you because being an athlete myself, what is it about overcoming that and being able to be successful? Doing a handstand, what is it about that that helps people to make that switch in their mind?

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So, because I did it on my own without knowing it, pretty much when I to become a handstand master, I call it tricking the mind. Tricking the mind? Yes, tricking the mind. Because the mind it's pretty simple but also pretty complicated. The mind can put you wherever you want, but also can put you down at any moment in your life.

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And I have some techniques that you can apply just by tricking the mind. The most common is while you do anything. It can be handstand, it can be a movement, it can be anything. If your mind is focusing too much. I'm not saying that it doesn't have to be focused, but if it's focusing too much, then the mind is taking over.

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And then it's a moment inside your body where you feel not confident and you feel like, oh, maybe I shouldn't do that. So the point of that is to focus on something else while you're doing the movement that you want to do, you want to achieve, like for example, a handstand. Let's say you are against the wall and you want to hold it with the wall. But then there is a moment that you can hold it. You don't know how to do it.

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So what I usually say is you have to focus on something else while you're on handstand, while you're on a balanced position, let's say you are focusing on your legs. You have to bend one leg and then point the other one, and then vice versa. So like this, you're focusing on your legs while you're doing a handstand. And that's very powerful because unconsciously you're doing it without even noticing. And that's kind of one of the technique that I use just to trick your mind.

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I love that because when it comes to mindset, a lot of this is I call it like a mind hack. But it is it's like you're tricking it. Yes. That's totally powerful. Very powerful, because it really does work.

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And the thing is, if I could just add to that, when you're able to accomplish something like that, especially later on in life when we're not climbing the monkey bars at the playground and I'm in pretty good shape, but I don't know that I can hold my body weight upside down on my arms. Right. I don't know if I'm strong enough. Right. But by being able to accomplish that, you then know you can use that, like, in your toolbox.

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Like, you know what? I was able to do a handstand. If I can do a handstand, I can do this. Right. It gives you wings.

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Right. It's so powerful that when you realize that you can do it and meaning with that, that everything is possible. Yeah. If you put your mind into it. That's right.

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That's it. And the rest is flowing, let's say through the right guidance as well. Yeah. This is so powerful. It's incredibly powerful.

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And to demonstrate that a little bit more extreme was that I did a marathon, and it was back in 2006. I live in the DC. Metro area, so I did the Marine Corps Marathon. And it was such an amazing experience. And I did it through Leukemia and lymphoma Society team and training.

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I'm just putting a plug in for them because I think it was amazing. And you had help with the training, and we had retired Marines jogging with us just for the fun of it, to help move us along and keep us going. But the thing about that, what I learned from that experience is that it became mind over matter. Right. You did your training, you completed it.

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And the last I'd say especially last few miles, it's all up in your mind. You're just tricking yourself that I can finish this, but then I can look back and say, oh, my gosh, I finished a marathon. Of course I can do this. So that's the big thing. So now I'm so curious because now I want to practice and I want to try to accomplish doing a handstand.

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How does somebody get started? Especially someone like me. I'm in my 50s. I'm strong, but not that strong. I don't think I'm strong enough to hold myself upside down.

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So what does one need to do to prepare in order to work their way so that you can accomplish a handstand? Well, there is many ways, but I can tell you that I created a program for that. And this program is called up to you. Up to you. I love it.

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Up 2.0. You meaning that it's up to you if you want to be your 2.0 self. I love that it's including Hanston. And in this program, everything is there. Like, all of the process from starting from zero.

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You need fundamentals, physical fundamentals techniques. Fundamentals. I'm not the kind of coach that really into much of a technique because everybody is different. Meaning that everybody has a different body, meaning that everybody can have a different technique. Of course I got it through the right one.

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But then after it's yours, it's more to take the responsibility of yourself, of your movement, of your mindset. This is what I'm doing in this program. And of course you need fundamentals. Like before going on your hands and then lifting your whole weight in the vertical position. There is many steps before if somebody never did a handstand before, then you want to start on the ground with your feet and then little by little you want to elevate yourself.

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There is steps also. The wall is an incredible tool. But I always say at some point during the practice that the wall is your best friend, but it can be also your enemy. Meaning that some practice in the program I use the wall, but you don't want to use it too much because you don't want to be too dependent of it, right? Like for example, you have friends coming and then you want to practice with them and say oh, let me show you my progress with the up to you program.

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And then you go against the wall and then your friend is telling you hey, you don't need the wall anymore. And then this is when can trigger you. Meaning that oh, that's right. But you don't want to try it without the wall because you are now so used to it that it becomes a struggle. So this is also the psychologic aspect of it for handstand, for fitness, I take the whole aspect of the person, meaning holistic.

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I take the five aspect of it during this program. I created in this program a document called 1% Better. So it's like a self evaluation. So you take the five aspects of the holistic ways, which is the physical, the mental, you have the emotional, social and spiritual. And then you notch yourself through that every day.

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And at the end of the day you have a number. And the goal is to do 1% Better the next day and the next day and the next day. So like this you can track yourself through your progress in these five aspects. I can continue on and on on this. I just suggest that people just sign up for the program.

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It's a life changing, I can tell you. Yeah, and I love that because what people don't realize, they want that instant result. But if you can just be 1% Better every single day, it compounds it's like compounding interest. So that doesn't mean in ten days you're going to be 10% better. In ten days you're probably going to be 20 or 30% better than you were.

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Right? And that's what people don't realize. If you just break it down to. Those little baby steps at the end, it's up to you. That's right.

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And I love that 2.0. So where can people learn about this? I know we're going to put it in the Show notes.

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Yeah, explain that a little bit. It's an online program. I have a website where everything is on it. Like every details of it, like how the process is working. This is pretty much that.

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Because of this podcast I created like a 14 day challenge, free if you want. Also you have a 30 day challenge which is my, this one is my baby because it took me a year. Plus all of the experience that I've been through to put together this ebook. It's 96 pages. It show you how to do a handstand but is also inspirational motivational ebook.

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It's called unleashing the handstand in you. And then also there is also like I created a community on Facebook. It's a Facebook group that it's a private group where you can sign in. And this is where I going to show tips for anything. For handstand, for fitness, for nutrition, for anything you need for your practice, for your life.

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So this is that pretty much, yeah. I love it. So folks, remember, go to the Show Notes. I always have the links at the very bottom. So just go to the show notes.

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Not while you're driving obviously, but go to the Show Notes and click on that link and sign up for Matheiu's class. Because little things like that are so simple to do. If you just take it those baby steps and you don't give up. Just try it. Exactly.

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Just give it a try. Because give it a try. People want result, but results are very important. But for me, and I'm sure for a lot of people, what it counts, it's the process. Because no matter what, there is not final ending.

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There is not it's constant progress, it's constant learning. And what it comes for me is the journey. What did you learn? How did you feel yesterday compared to today and how you're going to be tomorrow? This is what make people powerful.

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It's to think not. Yes, you have a vision. Like you want to go there, but to go there, there is steps. And if you are not living the moment every step, then you're going to get it. But it's not going to be really a life changing what it counts.

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It's the moment for every single stuff and every single step you want to take. I love it. And you know what? I love every opportunity to show this off. One of my quotes that I was a guest on someone's podcast.

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Totally. Right? In order to grow, you have to be comfortable being uncomfortable. Yes. And it's just so important.

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It's so true. I always say that to my people and to my clients. Once you get comfortable in the uncomfortable, this is a huge step that you take in it through your goals, through your life, through everything you want to achieve. Yeah.

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I wanted also to just share another experience that I've been through. Please. And this is also why I created this program, because when I finished my career with Soleil to become a freelance artist, I came back to France. I don't know if I told you. That story, but I came back to.

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France, and I think it's important to also I want to share that with people because this is why I'm here today as well. So I came back to France, and then three weeks later, I contracted chickenpox at the age of 30. That's right. I remember this. Yes.

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It took me years to recover because I lost everything. Usually the chickenpox is made, let's say for children, but I didn't know. I didn't get it when I was a child, but I got it at 30. And when you're an adult, it can be fatal. You can die.

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And I was very dangerous. Yes. And I was near death. And on top of that, I lost everything. Meaning I lost all of my muscle memory, I lost all of my sensation.

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I started to become a handstand specialist, and after a couple of months, I tried to train again, and I couldn't even do a handstand. So I'm like, okay, I'm 30. I lost everything that I learned, every skid, every sensation, everything. So I have to start it from zero. And I did.

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And that's also the message here. No matter what happened into your life, you can always have the strength, if you really want it and if you really put your mind into it, to start all over again and then become even better than before. Yes. That is such an amazing message to share, and thank you so much. And it also demonstrates like you had to teach yourself how to do a handstand all over again because you got the chickenpox.

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Yeah, exactly. I had the help of two of my amazing friends that are personal trainer in France, but at the end, I did everything on my why. This is why also, I want to transmit through this program. I create this program because Hanston changed my life, and I want to use it to change people's life now. I love it.

00:28:57
Matheiu, thank you so much. Everyone who's listening, thank you so much. I'm grateful for you. Go to the show notes, click on the link, and check Matheiu out. And I look forward to seeing you in Vegas yes, in a couple of months.

00:29:11
Exactly. So excited to meet you in person. Matheiu. Thank you so much. Thank you, Sandy.

00:29:27
I certainly hope that you enjoyed today's interview. Thank you so much for joining me. And as always, I hope that you and your family are healthy and safe and that your lives are filled with peace, joy, and happiness. Take care.