Parkour

I started a new section of my website that gives links and other info related to Parkour. Parkour is also sometimes called free-running since it was referred to as such by Sebastian Foucan (co-creator) when dealing with the English speaking media. This section will hold random links, articles, tutorials, etc. If Parkour interests you and you want to learn more send me an email or just browse the links.

In the last year I have been looking for a way to get into shape; a very difficult thing for me being so lazy. I have tried martial arts at various times in my life but classes are somewhat expensive, short and infrequent. To get in shape doing martial arts requires that you have another program in place on your own since the classes are for learning technique and not enough of a workout. In case you are interested I have studies Goju, Uechi, Tai Chi, Kobudo, Ken Jutsu and Jiu Jitsu (they are ordered from most time spent to least). I tried running but was bored out of my skull and quickly lapsed back to lethargy. I started going to the gym which is a big improvement over running since I enjoy the exercise machines with the programs and lights to play with. In addition you can mix up the cardio a bit with circuit training (weight machines) and watch the TVs. The gym I go to also has many different fitness classes which are good for a change of pace. The gym is definitely a good solution to the getting in shape problem but I started to have a problem with motivation.

This summer I discovered Parkour via a video that was shown to me at work (David Belle in Banlieue 13). I was excited about the way this guy moved through the urban environment. It was like child’s play but in an adult way, something I have always felt inside but not really known how to express. I did more research and found several sites which had videos and pictures; other sites described the history of Parkour and gave short Bios of the creators. Finally I found Urban Freeflow which contained a fundamentals section with photographic tutorials of the various basic moves of Parkour. I set to practicing immediately and was so scared to try anything that I didn’t advance nearly all summer (except my running endurance). At some point in August I joined a forum at pkto.ca and found that there were going to be others coming in September to the University of Waterloo to study who practiced Parkour. A meet was scheduled and I decided to go out even though I was terrible and would likely embarrass myself. To my relief I wasn’t too bad, I just didn’t really know what I was doing. During that first meet I learned so much that after it I progressed much more rapidly. Parkour is more mental than physical, most people have the ability to vault a rail but they don’t have the confidence to attempt it. Thanks to the confidence I gained at that first meet I can now do most of the basic vaults, rolls, balance, rail precisions, and more. I still can’t quite pull myself up on to a roof after a wall-run but that is the physical side and it will come in time.

Next time I will discuss shoes. Damn shoe companies and their plastic mid-arc hinges.