In the eyes of many people, Parkour appears dangerous...
The uninformed observer will cringe in anticipation of disaster each time a traceur flies through the air. What these people do not understand is that parkour is not some "extremesport" where practitioners put their lives on the line for the sake of money and fame. Parkour is a discipline in which alertness and safety are highly valued. When I say "safety", I'm not talking about strapping on a helmet and throwing caution to the wind. Instead, what I'm talking about is evaluating yourself and your environment in order to assess risk. Your environment consists of external matters; your obstacles, terrain, weather conditions, etc. A very good habit to develop is inspecting your environment. This doesn't mean eyeballing the area before beginning practice. Get involved in it, use your sense of touch. You'd be amazed at how deceiving your eyes can be. By feeling the facets of your environment, you will gain a better understanding of it, and be able to interact with it in a safe manner. You may discover that a rail that looks solid at first has a wobbly section near the end, or that there's a loose brick on the ledge that seemed so secure at first glance. On the other hand, you may find that a decrepit looking wall can bear much more impact than it appears to, or that a tree has a lot more grip than meets the eye. Knowing the surfaces, textures, stability, traction and positioning of your evironment's features will not only help you avoid injury, but alos sculpt you into a better traceur. As traceurs, we must understand our environments as intimately as a warrior understands his weapons. The other half of the equation is evaluating yourself. This is where we deal with our internal issues. Two of the main factors of self-evaluation are knowing your abilities as well as your boundaries. We all know that Parkour is about improving yourself and pushing your limits, but there are ways which are more safe than running yourself into the ground. As exciting as advancement may be, do not let yourself be carried away. Don't train your body more than it can handle. The healthy human body is a very sensitive piece of equipment, and one that is vital to traceurs. Over-training can be damaging to your body, impeding your progress much more than simply giving it the rest it needs. Be aware of your body's needs. Listen to it. If you're too exhausted to train, go home and rest. If any part of you is in pain, stop and consider the consequences of continuing your training. If you have taken any serious damage, don't try to "walk it off", stop your training and consider seeking professional medical attention. Hopefully, by the time you are in a situation where you are required to use Parkour, you will be able to analyze your environment on the move, and your physical abilities will exceed the requirements that your situation demands. Be alert, stay safe, go practice.
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The uninformed observer will cringe in anticipation of disaster each time a traceur flies through the air. What these people do not understand is that parkour is not some "extreme