Topic: Realizations in Parkour.

[Sombrero]

This is essentially a short list of what I've realized as a novice traceur.

* Wall runs. You're not jumping at the wall, or into the wall, but jumping up the wall. The other leg is not for kicking the wall, but to turn your forward momentum into upward momentum.

* Shoulders are very heavy and throwing them around will get you places you couldn't get before.

* Martial arts rolls are inadequate for parkour. My martial art has rolls designed to protect you if you're pushed to the ground during a fight; these rolls will not protect you if you're pushed 20 feet to the ground during a fight.

* I'm not so strong that I can do parkour without significant amounts of momentum. Run fast.

* Dedication to training is much the same as apathy about injury. Either you want to train very hard, or you don't care if you get hurt.

* The only cure for fear is immediate action.

* Parkour IS like martial arts in that you mustn't overthink it while you do it.

* Some traceurs are full of hot air, yet they still can't jump very high, even with all that buoyancy.

* An ability to control your lateral movement during a wall run denotes A) Leg strength, and B) Beginning to "understand" the technique.

* Drawing little pictures of how I think wall runs might look on graph paper typically doesn't help me with wall runs.

* I seem to dislike letting my palms touch things. This greatly weakens my grip strength.

That's all for now. I'll post more tomorrow.

[Muhammad]

ahahahaha! I like this one: * Some traceurs are full of hot air, yet they still can't jump very high, even with all that buoyancy.

[WolvenWhspr18]

haha, I enjoyed that one as well, these are good points to keep in mind especially for starters 

[BearMills]

* Parkour IS like martial arts in that you mustn't overthink it while you do it.

I consider Parkour a Martial Art because it can be used as self defense (running from the baddies) also it requires great discipline

[RedSpeedStar6]

Those are some good observations, do post more, There interesting!

[Sombrero]

Part two:

* The feeling of sore hands is alien. I have muscles BETWEEN my fingers?

* Lateral movement on a wall is good.

* Parkour is extremely good at conserving energy. Rock climbing is far harder, because it's inefficient. 

* Don't give up momentum. This is inefficient.

* Parkour is natural; I can't try to do it. I have to LET myself do it.

* Handstands are easy if I go into them with a little momentum. I finally managed my first real one recently.

* Falling on to a mat is disorienting.

* Don't talk when I'm doing parkour. Speak only when I must, mainly to say things like "Hey, you're on fire" or "I think someone's shooting at us".

* It is better to fall on one's face than one's ass. Your arms are more easily repaired than your spinal cord.

* An extra three feet means a world of difference in the drop speed.

* There are two kinds of people. Traceurs and those who watch them train. Sometimes, those who watch them train like to say they're traceurs, too. These people also watch horse racing and insist that they be fed hay.

* Loud = Bad.

* I need to extend my body when I roll.

That's all for now.

[SidKitten]

lol I haven't yet had to use the muscles between my fingers, what did you use them for?? I like these lists

[RedSpeedStar6]

ive noticed finger pain recently too. I feel like im useing muscles I didnt know I had.

[Robillard]

you don't actually have muscles between your fingers lol. its just the strengthening og the ligaments that control your fingers. depending on your previous physical activity you may or may not feel the strengthening but you use them for climbing, grip, cat grabs, all sorts of things.
go rock climbing till you can't move anymore and you'll feel the pain in your fingers.

[RedSpeedStar6]

I meant pain in other areas, I use to do MA but I didnt or didnt use as much the muscles im useing in just basic parkour, Its good to know im strengthening every bone and muscle in my body, not just the ones I use on a daily basis. Also, I have rock climbed before, not very much and yea, I remmember my hands hurting pretty bad.

[Sombrero]

Chapter XVII:

* My leg strength means absolutely jack shit. It's all slow-twitch power.

* Parkour takes a mind and a body. My mind is almost always the limiting factor. I cannot seem to get over the fear.

* I'm more spry on a wall than I thought I was. Horizontal movement is very natural.

* Sitting and staring at a gap does me absolutely no good, but it's a wonderful way to waste a lot of time.

* I don't breathe when I jump. I should work on that.

* Motivation is everything.

[Sombrero]

My wall runs have really come along. In a 10ft hallway, my face now comes close to touching the ceiling, and my hands can very easily touch it. Of all the things in parkour, I think I like this movement the most. It feels so fluid and effortless, yet satisfying.

Here are some of the things I've learned:

* Ankle tension is key (how much?)

* I can't ask myself if I'm doing it right. I know when I'm doing it right.

* It can't be forced.

* At no time am I not in control of my momentum and movement.

* Foot placement still frustrates me. I really want to take off on my left leg, but I have to be the proper distance from the wall and everything. This is the hardest one.

* The surface appears to matter. Smooth surfaces tend to frustrate, but I feel very little downward pull; perhaps, with time, one's control increases to the degree necessary to wall run up anything.

* I have not yet tried to do this and actually grab on to something.

* I'm still skittish.

* What I have in muscle, I lack in stamina.

[Xeno Gonzalez]

How about this one

*Chuck Norris doesn't parkour because he just stares down buildings until they move out of his way