The Ascension Podcast

Episode 31 · September 9, 2025

The Journey of an Olympian: Alexi Shostak's Path to Paris 2024

with Aliaksei Shostak →

Tyzen sits with Olympic trampolinist Alexi Shostak, who traces his path from Belarus to two Olympic Games. They cover his family's gymnastics legacy, meditation and flow state, the locked-down Tokyo experience, bodily sovereignty, and the joy of competing at Paris 2024.

Chapters

Stress is a story told about a potential negative future. There is no stress in presence, and flow state is hyper-presence that dissolves the sense of time.
Tyzen

Show Notes

  • Roots in Belarus and immigrating to the US at age six, growing up inside a family Olympic legacy and choosing competitive trampoline.
  • Discovering meditation, breathwork, and nervous-system regulation, and entering the deepest flow state of his career at World Championships.
  • The Tokyo Olympics under COVID restrictions: empty stands, the quarantine village, and a conversation on consent and bodily sovereignty.
  • Paris 2024 as the dream fulfilled, becoming the first US male trampolinist to compete at two Olympic Games.

Key Takeaways

  • Slowing down paradoxically increases efficiency and effectiveness. Rest and reset prevent burnout.
  • Shift from outcome to process. Be inspired by the journey rather than excited for the event, and stay present rather than performing enthusiasm.
  • There is no stress in presence. Flow state is hyper-presence that dissolves the sense of time.

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