When Nate Diaz famously quipped “I ain’t touching no dude’s butt in the park” ahead of UFC 196, he unknowingly launched one of MMA’s most famous memes.
The target of his dismissal was Ido Portal, the unconventional movement coach who had been working with Conor McGregor during his 2015-2016 training camp. Recently, Stanford neuroscientist Andrew Huberman sat down with Portal on his podcast for a conversation about the science and philosophy behind his movement practice.
Portal explained that movement isn’t something confined to strict routines or gym walls. Instead, he views it as an “open system,” something without a fixed center or rigid protocol.
“It can be approached from anywhere,” Portal told Huberman. “That’s its magic and that’s the benefit of it.”
For Portal, true movement practice goes beyond scheduled workouts. It’s about developing awareness of how we exist in our bodies throughout daily life.
He shared an example from his time in Hong Kong, where he would walk through dense crowds for two hours while trying not to touch anyone. This became his practice, replacing traditional gym work with what he calls “bringing awareness to the fact that they are living in a body, that they are living in motion, that their mind is a type of movement.”
The conversation also highlighted why Portal’s methods can seem strange to outsiders. He spoke about teaching boxers to bob and weave by leading with the head rather than the feet, experimenting with eye position during movement, and even incorporating different emotional states into physical practice.
“If you don’t get the weird looks, you’re not moving in the right direction,” Portal said. “You already know the result of that direction.”
Portal also offered a sharp critique of modern fitness culture. His main issue is how regimented and linear exercise has become.
“These practices are very good,” he explained, “but they are not designed for the goal that we think they were designed for.”
Whether it’s weight training, yoga, or running, Portal believes the industry has stripped movement of its natural, dynamic quality. He pointed to yoga as a prime example, arguing that modern versions have become rigid and geometric, while traditional movement was “all rounded, all curly, like nature.”
According to Portal, fitness culture has turned into what he calls an “industry of icing.” “There is no cake,” he said. “People want to hack. People want that icing.”
In his view, the obsession with shortcuts and quick results distracts from movement’s real purpose: education, exploration, and self-inquiry rather than simply chasing physical outcomes.
Portal also criticized how commercial fitness has homogenized the way people move.
“Our culture and practices… put us closer and closer to each other,” he said. “We have the same opinions everywhere around the world.”
Unsurprisingly, Portal admits he feels disconnected from the modern gym environment. He describes himself as “turned off from commercial gyms,” preferring to find movement opportunities in everyday environments.
