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Have you ever wanted to work on a difficult technique but felt uncomfortable trying it somewhere outside? Gyms are a perfect solution to this problem because they offer a highly controlled environment to customize and increase safety for trying new things. At a gym, you can also safely learn non parkour things such as flips and tricks. But before you go try to attend a gymnastics gym, there are some important things you should know.
I. Finding a Gymnastics Gym Not everywhere has a close, convenient, and publicly accessible gymnastics gym. But chances are, if you live in a fairly large town, you will be able to find one. The phone book and internet are good places to start your search. Once you find a possible gym, it is a good idea to call and find out more information. As a traceur, your best bet to go to a gymnastics gym will be during “open gym”. Open gym is a time in which the facility opens for public use. The typical open gym can cost anywhere from 5-15 dollars, last for 1-3 hours, and run 1-3 days a week. Be sure to find out the time, cost, and any other policies about open gym that the gymnastics gym has. The gym will require you to sign a waiver. If you are under 18 years old, a legal guardian will have to sign it for you. Don’t bother explaining parkour this early as it may raise a red flag to the owner. Just feel them out and if later on they ask what you are doing, then give them some basic information about parkour. Some gyms may also offer classes to the public if you want to focus solely on gymnastics. II. Attending Open Gym Once you have found an open gym to attend, try to keep a low key at first. If employees ask you what you are doing, give them a little background information on parkour and why you are at open gym. Be sure to emphasize intent, safety, and competence so that you don’t look like an out of control person with no purpose. It is also a good idea to learn about the equipment you use and any rules the open gym has. Always be respectful of other people at the gym and they will respect you. Always watch out for other people and be sure to share equipment and space with everyone. III. Safety While a gym can offer soft landings and more safety measures, this does not mean you can be reckless. Often times, people who are new to the gymnastics gym environment will feel a little too comfortable. By pushing your limits too much and being reckless, injuries will happen in the gym! Just because you are not surrounded by concrete and metal does not mean you can disregard safety. When trying new things, always use mats, sometimes spotters, and make sure all equipment is secure and being used properly. IV. So What Can You Do at Open Gym? The possibilities are endless! Besides the obvious flips and acrobatics training, the training you can do in a gym is only limited by your creativity. By manipulating mats and other equipment into training tools, you can drill cat leaps, vaults, precision jumps, more, and combinations of everything. If you encounter something outside that you aren’t comfortable trying, recreate the setup in the gym in order to build up your confidence. Aside from parkour, gyms are also an excellent place to learn flips and other tricks such as palm spins. It is possible to drill almost anything in a gym. |
