In all my experiences of helping young people interested in parkour transform their newly acquired anxiety and trepidation towards their potential into self-motivation and enthusiasm; I have always witnessed, at one point or another, the ubiquitous: “well, I would try this, but…” Having come across this cliché time after time, I’ve decided to explain the three main types of excuses that any beginning traceur will inevitably use. Some of these excuses are simply a means to escape their fears, and should be dealt with on the spot. Other excuses are actually legitimate and need to be taken into account. So which one was it today?
Case A: Independent Factors
Examples: “I’d do that, but there are people over there watching…” “Well, let’s wait until those guys stop looking…” “I don’t feel like it, I’m not very good yet and there are a lot of people around…” These excuses are the most common. I call them “Independent Factors” because they will occur whether or not you decide to practice in that location. These are mere factors that should in no way physically prevent an individual from performing at their best. Rather, they pose as mental barriers that each traceur must eventually overcome, if they are serious about their training. Almost every traceur when they first began training felt a sense of anxiety when they’d go out to a place they thought they felt comfortable and found that there were other people there as well. Many beginners at this point will turn around and go home, or wait and hope the people will eventually leave so they can train without feeling like people are constantly judging them. Assuming the group that concerns you is not directly sitting or standing exactly where you were hoping to practice, it is important to learn to shut them out. Of course, you should always be aware of your surroundings, but learn to work around them! If you let them prevent you from training altogether, you’re focusing on their image of you, while you should be focusing on yourself. As you increase your ability to focus and concentrate on yourself more and more, you will find that spectators are generally more interested than intolerant. As a side note to beginners, this doesn’t always apply to security guards…
Case B: Fake Excuses
Examples: “I’d try that, but I’m wearing jeans…” “Nah, not in this baggie sweatshirt…” “I don’t really have good shoes for it…” These excuses are the most annoying. While there may be some truth in them if a person wasn’t actually planning on training, the majority of the time they are simply code for: “I don’t want to bother trying this right now as I probably won’t do it very well and it would be a waste of time for me to even contemplate thinking about possibly attempting this any longer so I’ll try to give an excuse that sounds reasonable and simultaneously shuts down the subject so I won’t be bothered again to try and do it.” As extreme as that may sound, I can undoubtedly say that 90% of the people who have given me this type of excuse have actually admitted that they were just trying to avoid thinking about the movement. There’s absolutely nothing wrong about not doing something with which you are uncomfortable (see “Case C”), but how can you possibly know if you can or can not do something if you don’t even think about it? Any beginner who starts giving these excuses should reevaluate their reason for saying them, and learn to be honest with themselves in their training. For example, if your excuse is that you can’t perform Kong vaults in a certain type of shoe, either (a) discontinue wearing them in your training, or (b) learn to do the movement in those shoes and expand your playing field. Overall, this type of excuse only serves to limit yourself and to prevent you from truly developing your abilities and reaching your potential.
Case C: Personal Judgment
Examples: “I would, but I don’t think I can do that yet…” “No, I don’t feel comfortable trying that…” “Maybe next time. I really don’t feel up to it today…” The biggest mistake I have ever made in guiding new traceurs was to not recognize when they were trying to avoid addressing their fears versus when they truly knew they were not ready to do something. Of course, it is hardest for a beginner to know where to draw the line between expanding their boundaries and being superfluously dangerous. The best way to distinguish between the two is to always think long and hard before attempting anything that looks risky. The main reason why beginners will commit a “Case B” excuse is merely because they choose not to think about the aspects of the movements involved. The difference between “Case B” and “Case C” is that if you’re using a “Case B” excuse, you haven’t even considered what it is you would have to do, whereas in a “Case C” excuse, the individual has thought deeply about it, understands their limits, and isn’t afraid to walk away. As beginners develop their skills, if and when they make an excuse, it should be none other than a justified “Case C.” These excuses are completely legitimate. However, it is one thing to know you can’t do something at a certain time, and another thing entirely to say you can not do something day after day. A dedicated traceur needs to find out where their limits stand and work up to them; not give the same excuse over and over and never seek a solution. After all, do you think a task gets easier the 100th time you say you can’t do it? Absolutely not. So, the next time you tell yourself you can’t do something, remember:
“Argue for your limitations, and sure enough, they’re yours.” -Richard Bach, Illusions
