Strickin
02-24-2008, 08:03 PM
Alright, well I started doing Parkour about 3 weeks ago, and I find that it is very fun, good to do with friends, a VERY good workout, and it gives a general sense of freedom for your body. Here is a guide on Parkour.
I. How To Start Parkour/Free Running/Tricking
a) Finding out whether Parkour/Free Running is right for you
b) The workout routine
c) Finding friends/family to run/trick with
II. What To Do While Parkour/Free Running/Tricking
a) Flips
b) Vaults
c) Landing
d) Wall spin
e) Handstands
f) Movement
III. Keeping In Shape
a) Diet
b) Fitness
c) Laziness
IV. Injuries
a) Treating them
b) Avoiding them
I. How To Start Parkour/Free Running/Tricking
a) Finding out whether Parkour/Free Running/ Tricking is right for you
If you plan on starting Parkour, then you will need to know which physical level your body is on, but not only body strength will be needed, but you will also need tremendous amounts of determination to be able to keep in shape, and to have the will to keep doing tricks over and over again until you you get it right. Here is a little chart I made for which level of training you should go through depending on your physical condition.
Very Weak - Start your workout very slowly, and build up little step by little step on your movements/tricks
Weak - Do almost exactly as above, except try and up the level a tiny bit
Regular - If you are in regular body condition, then you should make it so that you are tired at the end of your workout so that you get stronger
Strong - Pretty much same as above, but try harder workouts that put your body to the test more
b) Workout routine/Warm ups
1. Stretch before and after a full workout/parkour training session, when the body is fully warm. Ideally every parkour workout should end with a stretching session like the one outlined here.
2. Pay attention to form, placement, and alignment when stretching.
3. Relax into the stretch. Breathe. Stretching should be a pleasant, relaxing activity.
4. Be mindful of your body’s sensations while stretching. Let your body “invite you into the stretch.”
Workout A-Upper Body – do not forget to warm up for each exercise
1. 15-20 Push-ups
2. 4x5 dead-lifts
3. 20-25 sit-ups
4. 3x5 pull-ups
5. 3x5 weighted dips
6. 3x5 Dumbbell curls
Workout B-Lower Body – do not forget to warm up for each exercise
1. 4x5 Calf lifts
2. 4x5 Leg lifts
3. 4x5 Touch the ground then jumps
4. 20-25 Sit-ups
5. 3x5 weighted pull-ups
6. 3x5 weighted dips
You should do these as workouts, but if you feel that you are either hurting your-self, or not getting enough of a workout then change the numbers around a bit. Also, the weight for each exercise will change depending on your physical abilities.
c) Finding a friend/family member to exercise with
When you start doing Parkour/Free Running/Tricking it is important to have a good friend or family member to move with, as it might get boring to just run or trick alone. If you are going to drag a friend or family member into your workouts or runs, then make sure that you do not push them into hurting themselves or getting you injured, as injuries will end all of your fun in milliseconds, and could cost you a very annoying loss of friend and medical bill. :confused1:
II. What To Do While Parkour/Free Running/Tricking
a) Flips
Back Flip - The back flip is the easiest flip to do, but the problem with the back flip is fear issues. The fact is that going backwards in the air isn't very appealing to most people, so they tend to freak out, which is OKAY! You will most likely not get it the first time, unless you have done gymnastics/martial arts in the past but you will need to get a hold on your determination to pull through. You'll want to have some kind of platform you can jump up onto, not down off of. it should be about mid-back height. a good improve without spending heaps of cash would be to get a few bales of hay or straw, and make yourself the platform. put an old mattress on top of it if at all possible, just to keep hay from getting down your clothes. an old rug or blanket is doable too, but having a little cushion is helpful. stand approximately 2 to 4 feet in front of your improvised crash pad, with your back facing it. pick a spot about eye level to focus on. looking at that spot, you want to jump up and land on your posterior side (your back, your butt, and the back of your legs, all at the same time. don't forget to swing your arms up over your head during the jump. this will help get you past the natural fear of going backwards and upside down. once you get good at, and comfortable with this, work on landing in the same manner, except you'll want to bring your knees up to your chest. once you're good at this, work on the same movement, except you'll be lightly rolling off of your pad, and planting your feet on the ground on the other side. from here, just work on making less and less contact with your crash pad. eventually you won't need it at all. when you get to the point where you are bringing your knees in to your chest (which will naturally rotate you), you want to constantly be looking between your feet, as this is how you will spot your landing. when you see the ground, start to reach for it with your feet. only stop looking between your feet once they have made contact with the ground. this is a modified version of how it's taught in gymnastics, but minus a coach / spotter. If you are trying this for the first time, then make sure that you either have a VERY VERY soft ground to land on, or inside of a GYM. Trampolines work well too.
Front Flip
For a front flip, it's basically the same idea, except your crash pad should be about waist high, and you'll want to start by trying to do a partial flip onto it, landing on your back while curled into a ball. and then just work on getting further and further around. once you get good at landing on your feet in a crouched position, you can either increase the height of your crash pad by 4 to 6 inches at a time, and begin the process again, just to gain some extra height in the move, or you can head straight out onto a grassy area, and just recreate the same thing you were doing on your crash pad (but making sure you're jumping as if it were still there, lol). again, once you've curled, keep looking between your feet to spot your landing. I caution again, if you are trying this for the first time, then make sure that you either have a VERY VERY soft ground to land on, or inside of a GYM. Trampolines work well too.
Side Flip
Now, explaining how the Side Flip works and so on is difficult. So I am gonna chuck this at you guys. Listen carefully. After you take off, you will just tuck your knees in. DO NOT throw your legs you that your knees are behind your hips and make sure that you DO NOT arch you back backwards, keep a holly body position. The point of this flip if to bring your knees up and in front of your hips and chest and you will get around. This is gonna be really weird when you try it, it was for me. If someone tells your that you are doing a misty flip kind of flip, it means that you are not in the right body position and you are not tucking your knees correctly. Misty flips are cool, but they are not Side Flips. Also, make sure you are 90 degrees in your take off because 1 little degree difference will make your take of direction go crazy. I did a Side Flip once and I went diagonal and hit the wall. Scary moment, the reason was because I tucked myself as if I was doing a back flip, so imagine you going sideways and trying to back flip, WRONG. Side Flips are more associated with Front Tucks. You Front Tuck with a hollow body not with a straight back, and your knees are NOT making you go backwards. So, PLEASE, DO NOT THROW YOUR KNEES IN THE WRONG DIRECTION! THEY JUST TUCK LIKE A FRONT TUCK BUT WITHOUT THE UPPER HALF MOVEMENT, SIMPLY BECAUSE THIS IS A SIDE FLIP! OK, also, I do not recommend that you do Front Flips in learning Side Flips because they will mess up your technique. Also, do not try to learn Double Legs and Side Flips together. You will regret it.
I have to go now, I will finish the rest of the Tutorial tomorrow.
I. How To Start Parkour/Free Running/Tricking
a) Finding out whether Parkour/Free Running is right for you
b) The workout routine
c) Finding friends/family to run/trick with
II. What To Do While Parkour/Free Running/Tricking
a) Flips
b) Vaults
c) Landing
d) Wall spin
e) Handstands
f) Movement
III. Keeping In Shape
a) Diet
b) Fitness
c) Laziness
IV. Injuries
a) Treating them
b) Avoiding them
I. How To Start Parkour/Free Running/Tricking
a) Finding out whether Parkour/Free Running/ Tricking is right for you
If you plan on starting Parkour, then you will need to know which physical level your body is on, but not only body strength will be needed, but you will also need tremendous amounts of determination to be able to keep in shape, and to have the will to keep doing tricks over and over again until you you get it right. Here is a little chart I made for which level of training you should go through depending on your physical condition.
Very Weak - Start your workout very slowly, and build up little step by little step on your movements/tricks
Weak - Do almost exactly as above, except try and up the level a tiny bit
Regular - If you are in regular body condition, then you should make it so that you are tired at the end of your workout so that you get stronger
Strong - Pretty much same as above, but try harder workouts that put your body to the test more
b) Workout routine/Warm ups
1. Stretch before and after a full workout/parkour training session, when the body is fully warm. Ideally every parkour workout should end with a stretching session like the one outlined here.
2. Pay attention to form, placement, and alignment when stretching.
3. Relax into the stretch. Breathe. Stretching should be a pleasant, relaxing activity.
4. Be mindful of your body’s sensations while stretching. Let your body “invite you into the stretch.”
Workout A-Upper Body – do not forget to warm up for each exercise
1. 15-20 Push-ups
2. 4x5 dead-lifts
3. 20-25 sit-ups
4. 3x5 pull-ups
5. 3x5 weighted dips
6. 3x5 Dumbbell curls
Workout B-Lower Body – do not forget to warm up for each exercise
1. 4x5 Calf lifts
2. 4x5 Leg lifts
3. 4x5 Touch the ground then jumps
4. 20-25 Sit-ups
5. 3x5 weighted pull-ups
6. 3x5 weighted dips
You should do these as workouts, but if you feel that you are either hurting your-self, or not getting enough of a workout then change the numbers around a bit. Also, the weight for each exercise will change depending on your physical abilities.
c) Finding a friend/family member to exercise with
When you start doing Parkour/Free Running/Tricking it is important to have a good friend or family member to move with, as it might get boring to just run or trick alone. If you are going to drag a friend or family member into your workouts or runs, then make sure that you do not push them into hurting themselves or getting you injured, as injuries will end all of your fun in milliseconds, and could cost you a very annoying loss of friend and medical bill. :confused1:
II. What To Do While Parkour/Free Running/Tricking
a) Flips
Back Flip - The back flip is the easiest flip to do, but the problem with the back flip is fear issues. The fact is that going backwards in the air isn't very appealing to most people, so they tend to freak out, which is OKAY! You will most likely not get it the first time, unless you have done gymnastics/martial arts in the past but you will need to get a hold on your determination to pull through. You'll want to have some kind of platform you can jump up onto, not down off of. it should be about mid-back height. a good improve without spending heaps of cash would be to get a few bales of hay or straw, and make yourself the platform. put an old mattress on top of it if at all possible, just to keep hay from getting down your clothes. an old rug or blanket is doable too, but having a little cushion is helpful. stand approximately 2 to 4 feet in front of your improvised crash pad, with your back facing it. pick a spot about eye level to focus on. looking at that spot, you want to jump up and land on your posterior side (your back, your butt, and the back of your legs, all at the same time. don't forget to swing your arms up over your head during the jump. this will help get you past the natural fear of going backwards and upside down. once you get good at, and comfortable with this, work on landing in the same manner, except you'll want to bring your knees up to your chest. once you're good at this, work on the same movement, except you'll be lightly rolling off of your pad, and planting your feet on the ground on the other side. from here, just work on making less and less contact with your crash pad. eventually you won't need it at all. when you get to the point where you are bringing your knees in to your chest (which will naturally rotate you), you want to constantly be looking between your feet, as this is how you will spot your landing. when you see the ground, start to reach for it with your feet. only stop looking between your feet once they have made contact with the ground. this is a modified version of how it's taught in gymnastics, but minus a coach / spotter. If you are trying this for the first time, then make sure that you either have a VERY VERY soft ground to land on, or inside of a GYM. Trampolines work well too.
Front Flip
For a front flip, it's basically the same idea, except your crash pad should be about waist high, and you'll want to start by trying to do a partial flip onto it, landing on your back while curled into a ball. and then just work on getting further and further around. once you get good at landing on your feet in a crouched position, you can either increase the height of your crash pad by 4 to 6 inches at a time, and begin the process again, just to gain some extra height in the move, or you can head straight out onto a grassy area, and just recreate the same thing you were doing on your crash pad (but making sure you're jumping as if it were still there, lol). again, once you've curled, keep looking between your feet to spot your landing. I caution again, if you are trying this for the first time, then make sure that you either have a VERY VERY soft ground to land on, or inside of a GYM. Trampolines work well too.
Side Flip
Now, explaining how the Side Flip works and so on is difficult. So I am gonna chuck this at you guys. Listen carefully. After you take off, you will just tuck your knees in. DO NOT throw your legs you that your knees are behind your hips and make sure that you DO NOT arch you back backwards, keep a holly body position. The point of this flip if to bring your knees up and in front of your hips and chest and you will get around. This is gonna be really weird when you try it, it was for me. If someone tells your that you are doing a misty flip kind of flip, it means that you are not in the right body position and you are not tucking your knees correctly. Misty flips are cool, but they are not Side Flips. Also, make sure you are 90 degrees in your take off because 1 little degree difference will make your take of direction go crazy. I did a Side Flip once and I went diagonal and hit the wall. Scary moment, the reason was because I tucked myself as if I was doing a back flip, so imagine you going sideways and trying to back flip, WRONG. Side Flips are more associated with Front Tucks. You Front Tuck with a hollow body not with a straight back, and your knees are NOT making you go backwards. So, PLEASE, DO NOT THROW YOUR KNEES IN THE WRONG DIRECTION! THEY JUST TUCK LIKE A FRONT TUCK BUT WITHOUT THE UPPER HALF MOVEMENT, SIMPLY BECAUSE THIS IS A SIDE FLIP! OK, also, I do not recommend that you do Front Flips in learning Side Flips because they will mess up your technique. Also, do not try to learn Double Legs and Side Flips together. You will regret it.
I have to go now, I will finish the rest of the Tutorial tomorrow.