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For every hard exercise there is an appropriate substitution that facilitates a progression appropriate for your level of fitness.
The workout of the day on American Parkour is created to be scaleable for every ability level. The basic concepts of randomized strength and conditioning movements mixed in a manner that taxes multiple standards of fitness can remain intact while certain substitutions are made to correspond to ability level or the availability of equipment. With a few simple guidelines, anybody can take advantage of starting a simple and effective fitness program today, rather than passing it up because the posted movements are above their current level of fitness.
If the exercise in question is within your ability, but not at the posted rep-range, going at the workout at 100% and falling slightly short of the posted reps is completely acceptable. One of the most useful skills in the realm of functional fitness is knowing your limit, and the only way to learn this is by working right up to it and attempting to nudge it a bit farther each day. By putting everything you’ve got into each workout, you will begin to see that limit stretch more and more, and before you know it, you’ll be doing the workouts as posted!
If you find an exercise that you are not able to perform yet, there are many substitutions that can work as an equivalent movement while building up your level of fitness to a point where you will be able to do the exercise posted. Many of the exercises are relatively advanced, and just being able to perform one or two reps is a standard that most adults in our country can’t match. Pull-ups can be replaced with jumping pull-ups (where you jump just enough to use momentum to complete the move) or negatives (where you start in the top position and lower slowly), handstand push-ups can be replaced with push-ups (whether decline, flat, incline or from your knees) and pistols can easily be replaced with one-legged lowering to regular squats or just plain squats at a 2-1 ratio. As time goes on, you will realize these substitute exercises are becoming easier and easier, and eventually you will be able to move up to the prescribed movement for lower reps.
The basic idea is that for any exercise you can’t perform with good form, a substitution is probably a better option. A good guideline is to try to perform the exercise with added momentum first (as this is a product of increased muscular recruitment anyway) and if this isn’t enough assistance, progress to a change of angle and leverage (such as going from handstand pushups to pushups with your feet elevated or flat pushups). As you notice your fitness improving, it is important to move to the next progression as quickly as possible, because this nudging of your perceived limits is the entire point!
I will be updating many of the exercises with appropriate substitutions as time goes on, but until then, if you still have any questions, don’t hesitate to shoot me an email and I’ll be glad to suggest alternatives for any exercise that is giving you problems. There is no better time to start on the road to improved fitness than today. Your current level of fitness is no excuse to put it off, so find the subs, put in 100% effort and before you know it you will be happier, healthier and more motivated than ever. |
