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The Parkour/Free Running Thread!

Endersmens

By Endersmens
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Endersmens

Endersmens

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I'm not sure how many traceurs are in this community, as this is a science game, but I'm hoping someone else here is.

For those who don't know, a traceur is one who practices Parkour or Freerunning. Parkour is moving through a complex environment as fast an efficient as possible. Freerunning is a type of parkour that is more expressive, usually including acrobatic movements not found in parkour because of the lack of efficiency. The terminology usually isn't that important however, as usually a traceur isn't concerned about what he/she is doing being called the wrong name.

It started as military training, to help soldiers be able to traverse difficult environments full of obstacles, but quickly people learned how much fun it can be, and the advantages a practitioner of parkour has in extreme situations.

I am an intermediate traceur, I do both parkour and freerunning, depending on the environment. Sometimes it's better to just get somewhere crazy, sometimes its better to do a flip over something, ect. It's all good fun. :)

Are there any other traceurs out there? If so, drop a video of yourself! Even if you don't think you're that good, people always have to start somewhere. It's more about having fun and being fit anyways. :D

Here is a very dated video of myself (and a friend) when I first started. Some of the clips in this video were from the first week I really started. I have since much improved, and hopefully will have a new video soon. :)

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Flymetothemun

Flymetothemun

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I'm not a parkour guy, but I'm amazed at those who are. Never had the coordination, and I've always had at least a couple growing pains, joint pains, and/or muscle pains/soreness all throughout my life, even when I was young, so I don't think my body would thank me if I did it. And I broke my leg when I was young and every time I do stuff like that it hurts and I can feel the bone straining right where it broke.

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Endersmens

Endersmens

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Ouch. That stinks. I usually end up in some sort of pain after a session, soreness, maybe a light sprain or a scrape or something. I do have persistent back pain, have for a few years, but it's usually not bad till I do a lot of exercise. I can say it's worth it though. :)

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T-Bouw

T-Bouw

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Parkour and Freerunning have always facinated me!

During my mail delivery-times I've used lazy vaults and various other ones to go from door to door.

I've always wanted to become better but my age, lack of like-minded people and a Parkour-friendly environment halted my progress.

Good luck on your future runs!

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Endersmens

Endersmens

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Never really been into it, but always been kind of intrigued. What should I do if I want to get started? Is it easy enough to learn on your own? Do you have to get into shape first or do you kind of get in shape whilst doing parkour? (I'm in OK shape but I'm no athlete)

If you want to get started, I would first find a location that is suitable. Typically concrete areas aren't the best for beginners, as the risk of minor injuries increases. Picnic tables, benches, anything really can be turned into an obstacle.

It's easy for me to learn on my own, but having someone to show you exactly how to move is very beneficial.

Being in great physical shape is a good thing, but a lot of people use parkour as exercise to get in shape. Typically the average teenager to mid 20 year old is in good enough shape to start. The more important thing is balance. I cannot stress enough the importance of balance. Practically everything in parkour and freerunning involves balance. Vaults, for example, require you to balance your whole body on the hand/hands you are using to vault over an obstacle. Anything that involves jumping into the air requires balance, if you intend on hitting the ground with your feet anyways. :wink:

I would suggest watching tutorial videos for beginners. Here's a few, but there are more.

This one is more for the tricking aspect, the cool flips and twists and such.

This one is basic vaults for parkour. A vault is one of the most basic moves to use in parkour, essentially it is jumping and using your hands to get over an obstacle.

And this video shows that you can even train on things like picnic tables. The best place for parkour is the world around you. :)

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Endersmens

Endersmens

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I just got home from the Cincinnati Parkour Jam and it was a blast! There were at least 50 great free runners there and we all had tons of fun. We spent yesterday afternoon at the university of Cincinnati campus and we spent the night at the newly opened swift movements gym. I did some pretty crazy stuff, and hopefully you'll see some of it soon. I have 1:30 of good footage so far, adding a few clips every week. New video will hopefully be around in a month or two. :D

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Endersmens

Endersmens

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Free running incorporates a lot of gymnastics (albeit sloppy) but Parkour is about efficient movement. What's the fastest and best way to get from this wall, over that bench, up the other wall, and to that door? How do you get over this big box in front of you in the fastest way possible? That is what Parkour is mainly about.

I like to think about this. Parkour is about flow of movement, like water flowing. If you're trying to get through some obstacles, you want to flow through them like water. Free Running is about expression through personalized tricks and such. Instead of just trying to flow like water, you're trying to surf a wave.

Not the greatest analogy, but it works. :)

Also, has anyone heard of the American Ninja Warrior show? If so, you probably have heard of the warped wall. Its sort of like a quarter pipe for skating, except it curves back in 15-20 degrees at the top, and is 14' high. The object is to get to the top. Well, over this weekend, I was able to run up and get on top of an exact copy of the warped wall many times. :D

- - - Updated - - -

There was a parkour club at my university that I ran with for a short time. Stopped going when the club kept getting itself into trouble with the administration.

Interesting, more recently parkour clubs have been supported by universities. The University of Cincinnati even has an on campus "Parcourse" where different purpose built obstacles are scattered around the campus for parkour training. I'm hoping there are similar things elsewhere.

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Ethanadams

Ethanadams

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the most extreme parkour stuff I have ever seen is running in a straight Line and not stopping building in you way climb over it top secret biological testing facility in your way run through it apartment building in your way climb to the top and climb down on the other side no taking left or rights just a straight line

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Endersmens

Endersmens

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the most extreme parkour stuff I have ever seen is running in a straight Line and not stopping building in you way climb over it top secret biological testing facility in your way run through it apartment building in your way climb to the top and climb down on the other side no taking left or rights just a straight line

Sometimes lateral movement is necesarry, but yes, most of the time straight lines are faster.

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Camacha

Camacha

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Parkour is moving through a complex environment as fast an efficient as possible.

Apparently I practice parkour. I always go through an area, avoiding all the obstacles I can to cross it in an efficient manner.

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Endersmens

Endersmens

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Apparently I practice parkour. I always go through an area, avoiding all the obstacles I can to cross it in an efficient manner.

No no no, you're avoiding them. In parkour, you move through them, over them, under them. :sticktongue: It's not avoiding obstacles, it's getting through the obstacles. :)

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Camacha

Camacha

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No no no, you're avoiding them. In parkour, you move through them, over them, under them. :sticktongue: It's not avoiding obstacles, it's getting through the obstacles. :)

That does not compute. You say most efficient, while apparently you mean most contrived or least efficient. It is manneristic walking.

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Endersmens

Endersmens

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That does not compute. You say most efficient, while apparently you mean most contrived or least efficient. It is manneristic walking.

You seem to either be missing the point or nitpicking. Can't tell which. But there is two parts to this. You're only looking at one. Fastest and most efficient. The fastest way wouldn't be going around that picnic table, it would be jumping over it. The efficiency part comes after the speed part. What's the most efficient way to jump over that picnic table. Things like that.

If you don't get that, just google parkour and read the whole article. If you're still confused, not sure what to tell you. :)

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