Topic: New 40 Traceuse

[Nicki]

Hello All!

I am *supernew* to training - on-and-off for the past couple of years. I have decided to take it more seriously as I have lost interest in running and rowing.  Also, I am excited that my 7-year old wants to learn.  He has been climbing doorways, jumping off dirt piles etc.  He is not interested in team sports unlike his older and younger siblings.  Snap!  We both can learn at the same time  

I am excited to see other mature traceurs (euses) here. 

While I have been looking around, learning and experimenting, what have your experiences been in starting out?  What kind of conditioning?  How to keep it fun for a 40 and 7 year old? 

Thanks for your input and I'll keep on reading 

Nicki

[eryn o]

I'm pretty brand new to parkour too, but it's awesome to have you here! Welcome!

There's a guy in my city who trains with his kids (I'd guess they're aged 6 and . I don't have any tips other that to say it's totally possible and his kids are going to be the coolest people they know when they get older.

[Gregg]

Welcome!

The easiest way to keep it fun is to keep the variety high, and make games of it, like:

Obstacle courses
Follow the leader
Add ons - one person does a move, the next person does that move, and adds another
Tag
Races - hopping, one foot hopping, crawling, running... you can handicap the faster person by having them count to a certain number, or have to carry something, etc.
Tug of war, push wars,
Balance games...

See MN games and http://www.youtube.com/user/ExuberantAnimal

[Timothy Chen Allen]

I'm 45, so you and I are pretty much in the same boat.  I "train" with my eight year old son a lot!  He loves it, and it is definitely a real bonding moment.

I don't know that I do anything all that special with him-- I've taken him to a few jams with me, so he's seen what parkour looks like.  A lot of times he'll come up with things he wants to be able to do.  He really likes doing Quadrupedal Movement (QM) a lot for some reason, as long as I'm doing it alongside him.

Gregg, the MN Games you put up are awesome! I'm going to look at these and see if they work with my kid, too!  Thanks!

[BobT]

Keeping the kids interested is easy.  If it's fun, they'll keep at it.

[Aaron Hrinda]

That's awesome! Welcome to APK!
 I have been taking my kids out with me every once in a while:
 Working precisions with my daughter (
 and letting my son (2) run after me through the yard and over stuff
 "daddy, need help" holds out his hand so i can help him jump.

 it's awesome.

 Today the best thing happened, we were running back over to the garage,
 and he saw me tic-tac off of a wooden palate, and when I slowed down again to
 watch him catch up, he ran up to it, put his foot on it, and kept running after me.

 Kids are awesome, and if you watch them, you can catch some natural movement.
 Like they know how to land jumps.
 they just do..

[M2.]

Welcome! I'll try to hit this forum more, it was originally 40+ ... and I qualify in a few months

RE: Keeping it fun - explore your world! Do it in your own way, climb, crawl, play, have fun!

As for conditioning, there are 100's of fun things to do ... good squats are the basis ... and then the sky is the limit.

Don't subscribe to "common knowledge" the body is not separated into parts, work it all at once, strength vs cardio - both! try 25 burpees and tell me if it's strength or cardio and which "body part" it works

For the youngster - balance is the key! Work on balance on everything, and safe landings from 6" to 1 foot. Move up only as correct form allows.

Have fun, play often!