Today we’d like to introduce you to Yuri Marmerstein.
Hi Yuri, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
It’s kind of a long story and it’s very much still being written. I’ll keep it short today. I got started with some basic martial arts and fitness towards the end of high school. I played some of the standard sports but never found them too interesting. I eventually got more inspired by movies as well as the feats of the old-time strongmen.
I studied physics in college and got a job in the field not long after graduation. I quickly learned that corporate life wasn’t for me. After the contract on that ended, I took a job working part-time coaching gymnastics. While I made much less money at this job, it allowed me the time and energy to stay closer to my passions.
Eventually, I decided to make the move from Ohio to Las Vegas in order to pursue a career in performing and circus. It also gave me the option to train with people much better than me at the stuff I wanted to be good at. It was a big risk but it paid off; I went from being self-taught in the backyard to performing as a professional acrobat.
Because of my self-taught background, I found I had an affinity for teaching. I started running workshops on handstands, acrobatics, strength, flexibility, and fitness. These workshops are generally open level, but a lot of the focus was on breaking down the skills for adults to be able to learn safely and effectively.
Eventually, I found my skills were in-demand on an international level, and so I spent years traveling the world and teaching my perspective. The world shutdowns of 2020 however, put a halt on much of that operation. In the interim, I decided to start shifting my focus to working in film as an actor and stunt man.
At the end of 2021, I took the opportunity to get out of the city and made the move to East Tennessee. Currently, I’m working on building contacts in the area, getting some workshops/classes going, and continuing to pursue my film career.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It’s never a smooth road, especially when you’re self-employed. You just try to learn what you can along the way and make the best of things. I’ve had many great moments, and I’ve had many failures that forced me to think on my feet and adapt. There are lots of variables and many things that can go wrong when you plan international workshop tours on your own.
2020 was an especially hard year for my business, as it was for many others. It was looking to be a busy year for me: I had just finished a tour of Australia at the end of 2019, ran a week-long intensive event in Las Vegas in January, and did a tour of Europe and NYC in February.
I had about 6 months of work and travel booked out in March when the shutdowns happened that basically all ended up getting canceled. I transferred to doing online classes and courses, which was good in many ways but ultimately not as satisfying as being able to connect with people in person. It also allowed me some time to relax from traveling and start focusing on other pursuits.
Now I’m facing different challenges with business by moving out to the country, such as waiting to get internet service installed at the house. or having to drive much further to meet new contacts. Either way, it’s never a smooth road but there is always the opportunity to learn and adapt.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m known most for my instruction in handstands, acrobatics, and fitness training. I come from a self-taught background, performed as a professional acrobat, and have run seminars all over the world.
I’m hoping to bring more of this to East Tennessee and the surrounding areas. I also have e-books and video courses I sell online. I’m also pursuing a career in film as an actor and stunt man.
What matters most to you?
Integrity, being true to myself, keeping things interesting, and having the opportunity to learn.
As a teacher, I like to prioritize independence and critical thinking. Get people to look at something clearly and understand the how and the why behind it.
Contact Info:
- Email: yuri.marmer@gmail.com
- Website: www.yuri-mar.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yuri_marmerstein/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yuri.marmer
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChOI-0z67jymsW6Xtz1yvHA
- Other: https://beacons.ai/yuri_marmerstein
Image Credits
Kris Mayeshiro, Andrey Ace Photo, Tio von Hale, and Russell Brown
