Topic: Cloak's Training Journal

[Lydia Cloak]

Alrighty, 19 year old female here with five years of martial arts training (haven't trained in a couple years though) as well as a small background in dance. I've been wanting to learn parkour ever since I first discovered it, but every attempt I made was pretty much a fail. Seemed like I would get a bit humiliated the first day and then not really want to continue on. So it never really happened until I found ~FDM~. Actually, he found me if we want to be technical. He's begun training me, and I'm getting stuff a lot faster and easier now 

Goals
Hopefully be the end of the summer
1. Take 10 Cat balance steps on a railing comfortably
2. Balance a railing comfortably
3. Silent landing off my bed
4. Cat leap landing with control and strength
5. Muscle up
6. Monkey vault a railing
7. Monkey vault a picnic table
8. Precision jump a five foot gap
9. Perfect my lazy vaults
10. Speed vault a railing/wall
11. Rocket vault a railing/wall
12. Simple vault a railing
13. Hanging shimmies on monkey bars from one side and back without stopping
14. Support shimmies for atleast 10 steps
15. Tic-Tac
16. Tic-Tac into a cat leap (requires finding an actual spot for that)
17. Turn vault a railing
18. Horizontal wall-run three steps

Goal Progressions
13. Hanging Shimmies on monkey bars from one side and back without stopping - get them faster
1. 11 Cat balance steps (counting only footsteps) - get them faster and smoother without teetering
2. 34 balance steps on a railing with a 10 sec hold at the end - get faster, more confidence, and longer strides

Exercises
Compiling...

April 22, 2009 - First day of training - 3hr
We stretched out then he had me doing a wall climb. Unfortunately I failed miserably and ended up ripping some of the skin on my hand. The wall now has permanent blood stains compliments of me  Then he had me working on some under bar stuff. That went decently. Though my shirt hood kept knocking the tape off the bar that I was trying to carry myself over. Went to another location where I was working on my speed vaults and low crane vaults. Then did cat balancing on a 6-8" wide wall including the dismounts. Ground kongs, rolls and sideways gallops were next in store. By then my legs were killing me and I was not having the most productive QM work. Then went to the library to work on precisions and wall mounts.
Work on:
- Trust my upper body strength more for under bars
- Commit to my movements
- Take my foot tap off on the speed vaults

April 24, 2009 - Second day of training - 4 hr
My legs were still extremely sore from the previous training session, so we went to a park to warm up. Started out with QM then rolls. Worked on crane vaults on a higher platform. Also learned how to run a crane vault into a cat walk or a gallop to a dismount. Went on to jumps. Turns out I don't know how to jump  For some reason I couldn't wrap my mind around the full extension into the tuck. Went to another park where I could work on standing rail walks as well as holding the cat balance position on the rail. ~FDM~ did his first kongs again after his knee injury. Did some conditioning stuff there as well as at the local gym.
Work on:
- smoother run together from the crane vault to the cat walk
- be able to lift my full weight from a squat to standing on one leg
- jumps

April 29, 2009 - Third day of training - 2hr
Went to a track to warm up. Had a 200m (maybe it was 100m...I'm not actually sure...) sprint time of 17 seconds. Not great, but my legs were still recovering. Tried to work on my speed vaults again, but threw my hip out somehow  Was able to get into a cat balance position on round railings and hold myself. No movement yet. Got my lazy vaults down pat!!!! They feel good, and apparently look good too. Bashed my knee a few times on the bars trying to get my simple vault down. Never really did get that one. FDM changed up how I could learn it, which was working better, but it is no where close to being usable yet. Went back to the library. My wall mounts were bang on the first couple times I tried. I blame muscle memory. Then there was an epic parkour movie moment and we were both pretty much done by that point.
Work on:
- Strengthen my cat balance position
- Get more height for my simple vault
- Go into a full speed mount instead of taking the moment to bring my left leg up

More training tomorrow. I worked a bit on QM and did some skipping for cardio. (Not mentioning the fact I got glared at and talked to about my knee by my Mom. Lol) By the way, I doubt all my terms in here are correct and I know I still need to learn the names of a lot of stuff. Sooo, bear with me and correct me when need be. Please?

Cheers,
Cloak

[Lydia Cloak]

May 1, 2009 - 3 hrs
Started learning monkey vaults today. Bailed many many times until I finally nailed one landing on my feet between my hands. I made a lot of progress including running starts and standing. Made many an epic fail though. Worked on vertical jumps (oi, embarrassment). Then worked on monkeys onto a picnic table. That was a hard one for me to do cause I kept visualizing myself clipping my feet on the seat. But once I nailed it (after many a smashed shin and knee on the table) I got over that mental block and did it nearly every time...nearly I say...nearly. Went on to balances and cat balances. Then speed vaults which I'm still having an abnormally hard time with.
Work on:
- farther jump distance into Monkeys
- Vertical jump height...a lot
- Speed vaults

[Jake Vigil]

Good luck with your training, Ill have my eye on your log, if you need any advice, just ask, and particularly pay attention to Chris Salvato's and Charles Moreland's responses, they can give you a lot of good advice.

[Lydia Cloak]

Thank you so much Jake! Any and all advice is always appreciated and put into play.  I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for tips from them.

[Lydia Cloak]

May 2, 2009 - 3.5 hours
Went over to a playground at the school next to my townhouse complex. I hadn't been there before, but I tell you, there's some amazing parkour stuff there. Anyways, worked on underbars for a bit. My kick out is a lot higher and faster now. FDM and I played around on the equipment for a bit trying stuff out. Figured out how to do a vault over one of the parallel bars while holding onto both. Also learned a vault...more based around QM movement. Neither one of us know what it's called. Worked on my cat balance on bars for a bit. Actually nailed hanging shimmies on the side of monkey bars which I was stoked about because I couldn't do them worth beans in a different location. Then he had me doing a massive amount of conditioning working stomach, legs, triceps...basically every muscle.

However, different moment, working on underbars of a sort, cept the bar was on an angle. I couldn't psych myself to do it for some reason. Straight on was fine, but as soon at it was angled I could jump. Finally I got really frustrated and just jumped at it. All I remember was me grabbing it, thinking, "Heck yeah I got it!" Then I heard this loud "BANG" and I jumped off the bars landed and crumpled to the ground. Started laughing my head off and was sort of rolling around on the woodchips in agony for a couple minutes still laughing hysterically. What had happened was somehow when I was swinging past my leg was a little bit too far over and it collided with the support column. Smashed the side of my knee cap full force into this massive metal bar. What makes it even worse...same knee that was already bruised to no ends. Lol. So now I'm bruised on my bruises...so the color is almost normal! 

Work on:
- Underbars
- Lazy vaults again
- Cat balance
- General muscle strength
- Muscle ups

[TraceuseDS]

Turns out I don't know how to jump  For some reason I couldn't wrap my mind around the full extension into the tuck.

Yeah, I had this problem too when I first started. Something that really helped me learn how to tuck was working A LOT of box jumps. Just find something fairly small to start out with, and work up to higher and higher things, and see if that helps.

What makes it even worse...same knee that was already bruised to no ends. Lol. So now I'm bruised on my bruises...so the color is almost normal! 

Ouch! Yeah, that happens a lot. The good news is that it happens less and less often as you progress!

Good luck with your training!

[Charles Moreland]

Missing a goals list. Also, what exercises are you doing to strengthen and protect your body against these long stints of plyometric activity? If none, add some. If you are, which ones and at what frequency?

[Lydia Cloak]

Oops, I will update my first post to include those. Thanks for pointing that out Charles 

May 4, 2009 - 2 hrs
Started out with some stretching then a move that's sort of a pre-req to the simple vault. Not really sure what it is, but I've got a lovely bruise on my shin because I kept letting my leg drag. Went over to the wall I got trained at the first day. Was still having a hard time not putting my foot on the wall as I went over to support myself. Soo, started learning to rocket vault over a gap so I had something to put my hands on but didn't have to worry about smashing my injuried knee on. I was never really sure if I was making it over completely, so used tape to check my height. I never broke it, but my knee did scrape it a few times, so I was glad I wasn't actually doing it over the wall. They were getting pretty good, not great. I couldn't pull myself to do it over the wall just yet. Then I did some crane vaults. Cat leaps which I landed and stuck two of. I was kind of seriously stoked about taht and wanted to work on them more today...but the rain decided no. Support shimmies which were a bit of a fail, but I'll keep working on them. Jogged for a bit too.
Work on:
Rocket vault
Support shimmies
Not dragging my left leg so darn much

[Lydia Cloak]

May 9, 2009 - 1 hr
I was in Victoria for a wedding and didn't get a lot of training in cause of an overprotective Mom, but I did manage to get a little bit on for awhile. Mainly worked on my catbalances which are getting a lot better. Also worked on my catleaps. Those were amusing cause I was in a back alley so I kept kind of having to pretend I was just texting in a corner on my cell when somebody walked past. Otherwise they'd probably think I was failing miserably at trying to break into the hotel. Lol.

Work on:
Faster walk for the catbalances
Bringing my feet up higher for my catleap
Straighten my arms on my landing for my catleaps so I have better leverage

[Michael Graham]

Friend linked me your profile, lol. Wishing you luck on your journey!
My tidbit of advice: Water is your best friend. The friend that makes you unstoppable and gives you super ninja powers. It's totally worth drinking.
Also, I've learned that icy water burns more calories than just cool water.
Just giving ya some tips, also stops cravings for food as much. Worked wonders for me. :]

[Lydia Cloak]

Linked you? Interesting...apparently I'm being watched >_> Thanks to him and to you actually 
Water, the drink I have forever been in love with. I don't think any drink could replace water for me, but I have consciously been upping my water intake since I read your post. Also, interesting about the icy water bit. Definitely something I wasn't aware of. I'll keep it in mine. I'm generally not a fan of icy water, but I'll will keep that in mind. Thanks so much! Cheers =D

May 12, 2009
The weather has been terrible as of late so I was doing a bit of training around the house. Mostly QM movement as that's definitely something I need to work on. Makes chores a bit more interesting too. It's like hand washing floors without letting your knees touch the ground.  Hopefully I can go out to the playground tomorrow after my trial run at work. I've been getting ancy to work on vaults lately.

[Joshua Winzer-Irwin]

apparently I'm being watched >_>

oh yes

yes you are.
lol

[Michael Graham]

Lol. And whats worse Cloak is that Josh isn't the person that sent me the link. O.o
But you're doing great with your journal.
I want to start one but I'm lazy about typing everyday.
+1 for the loving water part. It's the best thing in the world. Nice cold glass of water first thing waking up is amazing. :]

[Lydia Cloak]

Ahaha! Wow...I'll have to be sure to watch my step from now on seeing as I'm being watched so...closely or perhaps numerously 

You may regret not keeping up a journal Michael. Just something to be aware of.  I wish I had kept up a journal with a lot of other things. 'sides, it's always fun to be able to go back and see where you've improved since the beginning. Thanks btw.  Water

May 12, 2009 (cont.)
Static Forward Lunges - 10 e/s x2
Bench Step - 10 e/s x2
Standing Hip Abductions - 10 e/s X3
Floor Hip Abductions (alternating posterior and anterior) - 20 e/s x2
Lateral Thigh Raises - 10 e/s x2
Crunches with Feet Raised - 20 x3
Leg Extensions (alternating feet raised and down) - 20 x2
Pelvic Rotations on the Floor 10 x3
Oblique Crunches 30 x3
Torso Extensions - 10 x2

May 13, 2009 - 4.5 hr
Started my first day of landscaping work. Will probably be a bit sore tomorrow...the day when I shall be continuing work  Off to do some more conditioning exercises inside seeing as it's raining outside  Update in a bit.

[Michael Graham]

Water is the sexy.
I'll keep up a journal eventually. I videotape my progress so I can see where I've come from where I started.

It's a huge difference. I laugh at my old videos.

When I get back from Miami this summer (only for a few weeks, probably closer to the FT Lauderdale area) I will be keeping a training log as it will be the start of my freerunning.

 Your training log is looking great though.
If you're feeling sore in the morning, I would encourage you to do some light stretching. It does wonders for me.

[Lydia Cloak]

Water truly is the sexy. Very much so ^_^
Ooo, okay. Videotaping is probably almost better. I need to do that sometime soon...when it's not raining. Lol, good old videos. Amusement for the soul really.

Ah okay cool, I'll keep an eye out for said journal. So you're going to start adding in all the flourishy stuff then?

Thanks again and yeah, stretching does usually help I find. But I never seem to have the motivation for it. Bad! Bad self. I'll compile a list of regular stretches for myself.

May 13, 2009 (cont.)
Standing Hip Extensions - 10 e/s x3
Floor Hip Extensions - 10 e/s x3
Squats - 10 normal, 10 legs apart, and 10 pulses x2
Russian Twists - 50 x3
Leg Lifts - 10 x3
Horizontal Stabilizers - 30 second hold & 10 pulses
Prone Hip Extensions - 10 e/s x2
Calf Raises - 20 x2
Pushup Sways - 10 x2

(Just a note about these exercises. I'm trying to compile a list of exercises to do on my non-parkour days. So I'm trying stuff out, focusing on specific areas, and using books from the library for outdoor conditioning and such. Hopefully I can have a complete list with exercises as well as stretches. I'll also try to work out an outdoor conditioning list too.)

[Michael Graham]

It's the sexiest liquid next to Mojo. O.o
Well videotape everywhere you can, and just save them to a disk. I promise you they'll boost your confidence in the long run. May think you're a dork in the short run, but that will pass.
Well, I want to perfect some moves a bit first but yeah, I think it would be a lot of fun to do some flips. I do this mostly because I live in Florida and Rural Florida at that. Not a lot of places to do parkour and a flip can add a lot of difficulty to an otherwise simple workout.

As I've directed people to before, trickstutorials.com has great stretches and ideas.
Bad you for not stretching. If you don't stretch after training you can slowly set yourself up to some injury. We don't want that. D:
It is t3h bad. :[


Added note to your note which is cool because it's like a note within a note like the play within a play in hamlet.
Anywhere...where was I going? Oh yeah, outdoor conditioning is great. I wouldn't trade* my outdoor time for the world.
If you're into gardening, look into keeping one for the summer. Added bonus: Grow some fruits and vegetables (going to have an easier time with most veggies) and its exercise that FEEDS YOU!!!! HOW AWESOME IS THAT?!?!!?
Plus you can set up a sprinkler system and skip through it while singing showtunes. Or is that just me? Guys...? GUYS?!

Your goal list is very realistic but very demanding. I like it. :]

[Lydia Cloak]

Mojo hey? I'm not so sure about that. I think milk flavored like root beer (sugar-free syrup) ranks pretty darn high. Actually, I don't even know what Mojo is. Is that bad?
Ah, back when I had a trainer (long story) he filmed some of my stuff including a monkey stand onto a picnic table. That which I thought looked so cool...actually looked really idiotic and I was rather embarrassed because I remember all the people that were watching. I will see if I can...borrow...my Mom's tripod next time I go out when it's not raining.
I'm definitely of the same mindset that it would be cool to add in some flips. I really need to go to the local gym and work on those. Is there a gym you can work on them where you will be, or is grass going to be your very close and intimate friend?

Jujimufu ftw! (no idea if that's how it's spelled) Yeah, Tricks is a really good website. There's another one, http://www.flashmavi.com/index-en.shtml that's a really good one with information and spiffy little flash videos on tons of stuff.
Yessir, I shall stretch more. I usually stretch out a bit beforehand (not intensive because that's bad) but now that I'm training solo, I'll be adding that in.

Lol, nice train of thought there. Whoot! No garden for me. I live in a townhouse complex of old people. No gardening. But since I just got a landscaping job today, that will most definitely be incorporated into parkour. Not for the first couple weeks obviously, but once I'm comfortable with the job, I'll focus on specific muscle groups while doing particular jobs and such. But yes, would be awesome to have veggies and fruits to consume that are home grown. But alas, it shall not be so *sigh*

Oh dear...jumping through a sprinkler system...in a bathing suit no doubt. Hooray for giving the seniors heart attacks!  I think that might just be you though... cough*shiftyeyes*cough

And thank you. They all seem to be things I should be able to get by the end of the summer. (let's hope) *wants the rain to depart* I'll be waiting for your list when you actually get that training journal up and running  Btw, do you have a youtube account? I'm curious to see some of your training stuffs.

[Michael Graham]

Mojo baby, yeah. (Austin Powers ftw)
Not bad at all, just means I'm a dork.
Trainer? Explain. In PM if need-be. I'm a curious cat and a pug-nosed pup. (+1 if anyone read this gets that reference)
Well keep the old footage if you have it, it'll stand for great comparison when you do get at a level you find respectable. Yes...borrow it...for a long time..
No gym around here. I'm going to be so intimate with grass that I might as well propose. Or at least offer to pay for its services.
Jujimufu is the best. He's come a loooong way from the skinny ass he was back in the day. Just follow the site like its your 'bible' and you'll be in great shape for anything physical.
I shall definitely check into that website.
Good deal, I try to stretch every morning but I'm pretty damned lazy in the morning.

Sorry, I do get distracted by my own thoughts.  Oh that sucks, maybe you could grow one inside like the pot dealers do?
I've been doing my best to find a physically demanding job for the summer but I just can't. :[ 
I do that around the yard, moving paving tiles around I stack them and hold them above my head or hold one in each arm outstretched. Fun fun to feel the burn.
Aw :[ Maybe you'll get to grow them some other time. Or see if you cant plant them where you work (not the jobsite but the office if its out of town?)

Bathing suit? What is this of which you speak? I frolic only in the nude.
Nothing wrong with giving them heart attacks. They're just clogging up the system anyway.
I hope its not just me. Though that would explain the restraining orders...

Yeah I could easily see you going BEYOND that for the summer. EASILY.
Go train in the rain, just run and jog and stop inside buildings and shake yourself off like a dog onto people reading their newspapers then jump around in there until kicked out.

My list will be long and comprehensive so I can make progress everyday in the little things and wipe them out.
I dont have a youtube account with anything on it, but I do have a progression picture of me doing a double kong across my carhood. But I'm without sun for awhile (bad for a floridian) and it's very white. But I might can send it over IM or email sometime. IM is probably fast because I'm lazy with email.
Also the uncut footage I have is around an hour a piece constant. Also I'm very very white. Like it looks like I have a white t-shirt on. But I don't. D:

[Chris Salvato]

OK lets address these goals:

Cat balance a railing comfortably

Not quantifiable.  I am changing this to  "10 consecutive Cat Balance 'steps' on a rail".

Make sure you work reciprocating joints.  Without reciprocating joints cat balance is impossible on a rail.  This means that the Left Arm-Right leg are in contact with the rail at the same time --> then you have all 4 on the rail --> then the Right Arm-Left Leg are in contact with the rail.

Balance a railing comfortably

If this is a true goal of yours you need to balance every day as much as you can.  Take a long walk on train tracks, if you can.  If not, dedicate some time to balance training every day at your favorite spot with rails...make sure the spot is low so that you can easily jump off.  Practice balancing down into cat-balance to make sure you can save yourself with cat-balance if you start to lost your bipedal balance.

Silent landing off my bed

Practice and observe good form as much as possible.  Balls of the feet and engage the core and lower body.

Cat leap landing with control and strength

Purely technical training.  Just do this as much as you can...and possibly think about incorporating pullups into your training since they are structured and will help your hanging strength overall.

Muscle up

FINALLY!!! A strength goal!  Do you have access to rings?  That makes this easier. Here is a progression I outlined a while ago that works pretty well:

http://www.americanparkour.com/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,159/topic,14270.msg169562/#msg169562

Monkey vault a railing
Monkey vault a picnic table

Practice, technique and fear conquering.

Precision jump a five foot gap

Do you have a 5 foot broad jump?

Perfect my lazy vaults
Speed vault a railing/wall
Rocket vault a railing/wall
Simple vault a railing

Practice, technique and fear conquering.

Hanging shimmies on monkey bars from one side and back without stopping
Support shimmies for atleast 10 steps

Practice Shimmies....pullup work also translates to this very well.

Tic-Tac
Tic-Tac into a cat leap (requires finding an actual spot for that)
Turn vault a railing
Horizontal wall-run three steps

Practice, technique and fear conquering.

Put together a program based on this advice that you can follow a few days a week...3x a week to start is good (something liek MWF or TRS is good.....MTW is a bad routine...).  We can build from there.  Send me a PM when u do this since i will probably forget to check back in here.