Interview with Lasse Tufte

Interview with the strongest Norwegian street workout athlete and head of Norwegian Street Workout Federation Lasse Tafte.

1. How did you started to do street workout? Where did you saw it on the first time and what was your first feeling trying street workout.

When I was 16 years old – I did what many boys at that age does – I signed up at the local gym. I started lifting weights with my friends. My only goal and my only motivation for working out was to get as big as possible, as fast as possible. Working out was no fun, it was just the means to an end. After some years I got really tired of traditional weightlifting, so me and my friends started searching the web for alternative ways to work out. We quickly found calisthenics and Street Workout videos on YouTube. I started trying to do the muscle up, which was the first thing that really motivated me to keep going. It seemed so impossible at the firste try, but only a few tries later it seemed to much closer. And that is what has kept me doing Street Workout ever since, the fact that a skill can seem so impossible, and yet be acomplished in short time when dedicating the proper time to learning it. So my workout started to be about the workout itself, not just about the goal that the workout would get me to. And in time I could see that you could also build muscle-mass by doing Street Workout, in addition to the balance, the core strength, the muscle-stability, the explosiveness and the endurance – which for me makes it the ultimate way of working out your whole body.
2. What is your personal goal of doing street workout ?

My personal goal of doing Street Workout is working out to be the best version of my self that I can be. And if I can also do Street Workout in a way that will motivate others to start doing calisthenics and Street Workout – that would be a big bonus. For me Street Workout is so much more than the workout itself, it is about a good mindset, a healthy way of thinking, a social arena, making friends, promoting good values, creating a culture for including people – as an apposite of so many other things in the world. Street Workout and calisthenics is workout in it purest and most natural form.
3. How do you see future of street workout in your country and in the world at all ?

Some people have been doing Calisthenics actively in Norway for a long time, but the term Street Workout just hit Norway a few years back. We can already start to see the impact it has on society both in Norway – but also all over the world. Street Workout is becoming a global movement that is changing and revolutionizing the way people think about working out – mostly because of all the arenas that walks hand in hand with it.

4. Maybe you have some BIG dreams connected with this street workout game ?

We have just founded the Street Workout Federation of Norway, so my big dream is to use this federation to promote Street Workout to all, so that Norway in the future will be a good competative nation in the Street Workout World Cups, The European Cups and The World Championship. Other that it has been a dream come true to be able to represent Norway as an athlete in some of these competitions – and I will do my best to qualify for these tournaments in the years to come.
5. Tell us the funniest story that happened with you connected with street workout.

This might not be a funny story in the true meaning of the word – but still I found it truly amazing that for me the Street Workout scene has given me so many new friendships all over the world – and there are so many people that really recognizes me for what I am doing – even though I am not even close to being one of the best. The best example of this would be the World Championship in Riga 2012, a scene where you have participants from all over the world competing against each other trying to be the best, and still all the athletes were cheering for each other during the performances – that is truly unique, there is not another sport in the world where you can see this phenomenon.
6. Do you have any other hobbies ?

It has been my hobby for the last few years developing Calisthenics and Street Workout parks throughout Norway, and the way the Street Workout culture is developing in Norway, this has now aloud me to make a living out of my hobby.
7. Short wish to others that have just started! 

Once you have completed your first muscle-up you will learn what true motivation means. Keep practicing and you will have great progress with your workout. The good thing about Street Workout and Calisthenics is the fact that you learn something new almost every time you do it. So keep doing Street Workout – and the sport will naturally promote itself. And remember that we have a common responsibility to pass on the positive culture, the including social arena and all the other positive things that make Street Workout the most up and coming sport in the world.