A general fitness program can lay a good foundation for all-around efficiency and effectiveness of movement, but as you progress in your skill-level a certain amount of sport-specific training can be very beneficial. Outside of simply practicing Parkour, there are both certain methods of exercising and specific individual exercises which carry over more easily as effective Parkour preparation. By combining these within your general strength and conditioning program, you can round out an already strong workout and make it rock solid as far as efficacy within the world of Parkour.

As with any set of exercises, those that are more specific to Parkour technique can be broken down in to simplified types of movement, and for our purposes, we can qualify them as pushing, pulling and stabilization exercises. Pushing movements in Parkour manifest themselves when you are topping out a cat leap or performing a vault, Pulling movements occur when you are catching a cat leap, starting the first pull of top out, or when you are climbing. Stabilization movements are everything in between, ranging from retaining body position during a vault to maximizing jumping power and preventing injuries.

Since Pull-ups will form the strongest foundation possible for pulling strength and endurance, Parkour-specific pulling exercises can focus on very exact aspects of certain techniques that are often sticking points to fluidity. The pull out of a cat-leap is a pretty big point that people often have trouble on, because the motion isn’t purely a result of pulling, pushing or kicking off the wall. The best way to train the coordination needed for this movement is to perform mock cat-leaps on a wall around body-height or slightly higher, running up and jumping from flat ground into the cat-leap position, then attempting to preserve your momentum into the pull and press movement needed to top-out. Once you gain an understanding of the coordination of the arms, abs and legs in the move, perform a mock cat-leap, quickly top out to the support position (arms straight, after the press) and then drop back down into the hang position in a controlled manner. From the hang, repeat the pull-to-press motion without the added help of momentum, which will increase the functional strength in this movement immensely. Remember to avoid using your elbows to scrape your way on top of the wall, rather, coordinate your arms, abs and your legs to propel yourself powerfully into the press position.

The last move obviously does a good job of working the pushing aspect of one of the most powerful Parkour movements, so further training in pushing strength can be performed in more of a support aspect. There is a minimal amount of pushing strength and power needed in the vaults, being that momentum should take a lot of the force off your arms, but having the extra strength in this position helps instill a sense of confidence that improves the commitment that can be given to the movement. One great way to work this strength is to perform a variety of vaults as statically as possible. Start from standing directly in front of the rail or other obstacle, placing your hands in the position for the chosen vault. Perform the vault with the absolute minimum amount of effort from your legs, instead concentrating on a powerful pull and press with your arms to propel you over the object. Besides this simple drill, the majority of your pushing strength can be taken care of through your regular workout. Dips, Push-ups and Handstand training all do a great job maintaining excellent upper-body strength that carries over easily to Parkour.

The Support aspect of your core musculature during a Parkour technique cannot be overstated. Without a strong and supportive core, the majority of your strength is lost before it can be used to effectively overcome the obstacle. The three aspects of movement described here are a continuum; very rarely do you have one existing independent of the others. The support of your core is the glue that holds both of the other aspects of movement together. One great training drill that works your stability in multiple planes of motion is Quadrapedal Movement. Not only is this a great strength and coordination exercise, but it can often have direct carry-over in Parkour technique, where you need to quickly move underneath an obstacle rather than over it as usual. Without a good bit of stability in your abs, back and shoulders, this quick change from upright to all fours could be slow and cumbersome at best, or possibly injurious at worst. Working on quadrapedal movement in a variety of positions, at a variety of speeds and over, under and through a variety of obstacles goes a long way in improving your overall stability during any Parkour technique.

These training tips are just a few of the simple methods of using Parkour movements in a sport-specific workout. Rather than replacing your general fitness program, they make a great addition at the beginning of a training session, following a warm-up and proceeding individual techniques training or longer runs. With a good, solid foundation in the form of a broad-spectrum conditioning program, these exercises can make a huge difference when you want to take your Parkour to that next level of mastery. By addressing your specific weaknesses in technique, you can then create a plan that includes progressive overload of these patterns of movement, solidifies each technique from beginning and end, and opens up new avenues of movement in any environment you may encounter.