Parkour is a cool, unique sport, and a popular art of motion. It originated in Europe, and it is just starting to establish a trustworthy name in the US. Basically, parkour is the act of moving from one area to another in the fastest, seamless, and most efficient manner. Parkour runners or popularly known as traceurs don’t mind walls and buildings along their way. They adeptly avoid it by jumping, rolling, back-flipping, and using other incredible techniques. They also make use of highly gymnastic movements to get past obstacles. The best thing about parkour is it can be performed anywhere, from rural to urban areas.
Basic Parkour movements
If you are interested in this adrenaline-rushing sport, here are several basic movements that you can start with:
1. Roll – if you feel that your legs and back need a little rest from all those high jumps, the roll is the perfect alternative movement. It is one of the foundations of parkour and safety.
2. Kong Vault – the Kong vault might look complicated, but it actually isn’t. In fact, it is one of the most effortless parkour movement to learn. It is best to utilize this movement if you have tables or walls along the way.
3. Backflip – the backflip is one of the most popular flip techniques in parkour. This is an entertaining and pretty cool movement that you can learn in just one day. No kidding.
4. Cat Leap – based on its name, the cat leap is performed by jumping from one wall or vertical structure up to another and landing with your hands above it and your feet placed against the wall that’s in front of you. This is followed by climbing up and over the wall by utilizing your arms to bring your body up and your feet to climb. Basically, it mimics the sly movements of cats.
To start, look for an object that has a top that you can hold onto and hang from. It should not be covered in sand or dirt, and it should not be made of sharp materials. Also, it shouldn’t be too high since your goal here is to land using your arms in a chin-up position rather than dangling straight down. Position yourself several steps away from the object and jump with your hands partially guiding you.
You should land with the support of your hands, and your arms should be bent while the lower part of your feet against the wall. Then, jump your way down and repeat the movement until you are familiar and comfortable with doing it. As you acquaint yourself with the move, you can improve the horizontal distance and difficulty of the obstacles.
Strength training and sprinting
These simple and easy Parkour movements for rookies include strength training and basic sprinting that will help create a powerful foundation for more challenging movements. Build a little course in your local park or backyard so you can have a place to practice and perform each move. Once you are more confident with your skills, the urban scene is yours to conquer!
Photo Attribution:
1st and Featured image from https://pixabay.com/photos/disintegration-parkour-urban-race-1819860/
2nd image from https://pixabay.com/photos/back-flip-double-jump-sport-1390075/
