Topic: Ash's Training Journal (Comments Welcome)

[-Ash-]

I went to the practice area today...but I was so tired I couldn't do much. I did some of the stuff I planned...but it felt really sloppy.

My monkey vault is now screwed up again.

Fixed the monkey! I just had to drill it a bit... I pulled forward a lot more, and it felt a lot better.

TOMORROW, I AM GOING TO DO WHAT I WANTED. I. WILL. NOT. BE. TIRED. I. WILL. DO. A. WALL. TURN. VAULT.

[-Ash-]

It rained last night, and my legs hurt. 

I wanted to build this railing to practice on that was posted in the Movements section...but dad won't let me. He just laughs and says it'll cost about a hundred dollars...and I have already shown him that it won't cost that much.

50 Tricep Dips
30 Push-ups

Oww...my legs... 

5 Pull-ups
3 Dead Hang Pull-ups

================

Tomorrows goals, if it isn't raining and my legs feel okay:

Pop Vault

Pop Vault to Speed Vault
Pop Vault to Turn Vault to Monkey Vault
Pop Vault to Turn Vault to Underbar to Kong

Turn Vault on a Wall
360 Dismount
Work on form
Flow
Sit-Turn

Parkour time: 1 1/2 Hours
Condition: Randomly all day

PLEASE DON'T RAIN!

[-Ash-]

Its raining and my legs hurt. 

Tried to kong a picnic table shortways...got about two thirds over.
Tried a wall run on a 9' wall...I got about half a foot from the top.
Did a couple monkies on a very low rail, they were fine. I also tried a speed vault on said rail but was too scared.

I got some new shoes to try. K-Swiss Tubes (Yellow) and some shoe by New Balance (Black and Red). I'm going to try them at home with my precision trainers, and then see if they have good grip on a wall. If not, I'm taking them back. I really wanted some of those White/Blue/Green/Purple/Red Ariakes, but they're apparently discontinued.

Okay, well... I went to my trained area despite rain and sore legs, and it went very well. I did a slightly assisted pop vault (YES!), some monkey vaults, turn vaults, and lazy vaults... I decided it was too slippery to try a speed vault like I wanted. When people looked at me, I just sucked it up and did something pretty impressive to the average human: kong off a 6' wall, and then continued with my training. I did a monkey vault at rib line, which was good for me; it was scary.

I discovered one of the most satisfying things ever today...

Bailing and not hurting yourself:

I did a 360 underbar in a small gap in a rail close to the ground, got most of the way out, tripped myself, and fell forward. I caught myself with my hands on the concrete, and was like, "YEAH!". THEN, when I left from training, I decided I wanted to run from the beginning of my neighborhood to my house. I cut through a neighbors yard, sprinting, and caught my foot in a hole. I fell forward, and with out thinking, rolled. It felt so great...thinking your about to faceplant, then saving yourself. Maybe it's just me...

I just discovered something NOT satisfying:

Baling and GETTING HURT:

I finally did a good diving kong over my dresser. I did a few, then hit my knee fully sprinting and jumping with all my force.

It hurt. For a minute. Now it's better. I'm not scared of hurting myself on kongs now, because I just hit my knee full-force on a sharp edged object, and hey, it wasn't that bad. No pain no gain, eh?

[-Ash-]

Today...rainy again. It cleared up later in the day, and I went out to my practice area.

Monkey Vaults - About an inch higher today. My right foot clipped once, but I landed it. Really satisfying.

Turn Vaults - Tried to get my arms straighter. I actually landed close enough to the rail to be considered a useful turn vault.

Two-Handed Vault - After each turn vault, with my hands still on the rail from the vault, I went over the rail. This was very good for me, because I was close to the rail. (toes nearly under it) (I've wanted to be able to do vaults really close to the rail.)

Cat Grab to Assisted Pop-Vault - Instead of doing wall runs on my favorite wall today (see avatar), I simply did a cat grab on it. Wow, my vertical jump has really improved! Once I got into cat position I did a assisted pop-vault over the wall. (what I mean by assisted is, that wall has this like, 1cm thick groove in it where I can place my feet for a little better grip, allowing me to push myself over the wall, and pull, of course.)

Lazy Vaults - I tried a few on the rail there... It felt really uncomfortable. It was the first vault, I learned, too. I think I'm scared...I don't think, I know I'm scared. I had a knee-banger on one of these. AND DAMN, it hurt.

What I was too scared to do:

Speed Vault
Turn Vault on a Wall

============

3 Pull-ups

I'm gonna condition in a bit.

Dang, I didn't. Guess I'll work over time tomorrow. 

[-Ash-]

So much for working over time. I feel weak and tired.

60 Tricep Dips
10 Push ups
2 Pull ups

So...weak...

[Hazim Salem]

Nice stuff there! I enjoyed reading some of this, it's very well organized and descriptive, gotta give you one of that.

Keep it up!

[-Ash-]

Nice stuff there! I enjoyed reading some of this, it's very well organized and descriptive, gotta give you one of that.

Keep it up!

Thanks! 

[-Ash-]

Damn. This sucks... I haven't conditioned at all today, or practiced. I've just felt so tired/weak...

It's like I'm accomplishing nothing. I want to practice konging a pic-nic table shortways... I want to get over my speed vault fear... I want to do a turn vault on a wall... I want to learn another vault...

I feel like for the time I've been practicing, I'm really bad. I want to dedicate a whole day to training away from home, at a park... But I always end up leaving with in 30 minutes. And any day I could go and practice all day, a day with good weather and no homework, I end up getting weak or tired.

[-Ash-]

Well, today was beautiful. BUT I couldn't find a pic-nic table to practice on, so I ended up doing nothing and just being sad about it. Well...I did find some, but there were tons of people around. Then my mom got mad at me because she had been driving me around to find one and I wouldn't practice just because of people around. I don't think she understood that I wanted to just do progression for an hour or so, which I don't think would be great to do around lots of people...

3x1 2x2 Pull-ups
5 Wall Dips

Okay; I decided I would practice speed vaults on my couch. (below waist height) I did them good, in my opinion, and they felt good. I just need to try them on actual rails now...  Of course, going upstairs led to me doing a mini-work out.

20 16lb Bicep Curls (8lbs in each hand)
20 Ultra-Wide Push-ups
10 Dips
10 40lb Pull-Downs
30 20lb Ab Curls

I feel better now.

[-Ash-]

Nice day, today... 'ere we go:

Area:

Local park-ish fair-ish animal-stuff farming place...

What I did:

Kongs: On concrete barriers, a few inches higher than waist height. I'm starting to feel more confident with these...

Speeds: On the low sides of the concrete barriers, a little lower than waist height. I still think I'm doing something wrong, because I land on two feet. I'm gonna get it fixed up tomorrow, now that I was confident enough to actually try them...

Diving Kongs: I tried to get over a pic nic table, short ways... Not quite. My toes land on the edge of the table.

Turn Vaults: I DID ONE ON A WALL! HELL YEAH!

Wall Runs: A little higher than my head...no trouble grabbing that. I still can't do anywhere near a proper climb-up. I use the sides of my arms and elbows... Is this normal at this stage? I was going to try higher today, but once I got to these I was really tired. I got on the roof of a WW2 bomb shelter thingy... It was like, 10 feet down, so I lowed myself down the way that had the hill on the side. (the side that was a little higher than head height)

Cat Balance: Up a triangular, 18' high (at least) concrete wall. I only went halfway up, because... One, it's really dang high. Two, I know I can get to the top, so why risk my life going to the top? It wasn't like, soft grass around it either. It was over grown grass with random cinder blocks and sharp things in it.

Running: A little of it...I walked a lot today.

Explored: I explored the partially broken down WW2 storage buildings, and the area around them. It's really eerie, and over grown with poison ivy and strewn with junk that the park area stores... Also, I found this deer trail like thing, going into the woods at a really high angle. So, I followed it a few yards, which was enough to see it was on a...10'? mound of dirt that sharply dropped down into the normal woods. It was beautiful...but full of that damn poison ivy. Maybe I'll go in further later...if it doesn't rain...which it looks like it might any minute. Even weirder, I found two pic nic tables...cut in half. For some reason I couldn't kong them, but it was the last thing I did, and I was REALLY tired.

Total practice time: About an hour and a half. (it was 82º today, killer hot...and really humid...I couldn't stand to do much for long and took often breaks...now I have a headache)

It looks like it's gonna rain and ruin my weekend. AGAIN.

Okay, seriously... I try to be optimistic, but it just seems like for the time I've been doing this (three months) I really can't do much. I can do three of the basic vaults, but not very good, and only at about waist height. I can do wall runs, at about 8'...but I can't do a correct climb-up. I'm scared of every thing I do, too. I have days when I feel like I've done really good, and I get excited...but then I realize I did the same thing I do every day. I can still only do a few correct pull-ups, and I just seem to be making no improvement with any of my exercises. It's really discouraging...

[-Ash-]

Surprise...it rained. Maybe the sun will shine, soak up some of the water, and I can go to USI.

You know, I think maybe I can do vaults at chest height...well, a two handed one. I'm thinking a monkey vault would be a lot harder over something that high, but I feel like I can pull off a two-hander... If I do get to USI today, I will test myself.

At the moment, I am trying to convince my mom to take me to USI. Sadly, I have tons of homework.

25 16lb Bicep Curls (8lbs in each hand)
20 16lb Overhand Bicep Curls (8lbs in each hand)
10 16lb Tricep Curls (18lbs in each hand)
5 60lb Pull-Downs
20 Ultra-Wide Push-ups
50 Crunches
TEN SECOND L-Sit

Some lazy vaults on my couch... They feel awkward. Probably because the couch is so low for lazy vaults... I put my second hand down too soon, and it hurt my wrist. I think I might have nearly broken it. 

I feel so smart... I knee-bang-proofed the dresser I practice kongs on. I took some foam pipe insulators and duct taped it to where I normally hit my knees, causing pain. I still can't kong over it... I can land my heels on the end of it. I can land my heels on the edge of lots of things longer than the dresser, too. I just can't seem to get all the way over. Some times I will sprint at it full-force and can get over, but I want to be able to do it from a normal run...

I still feel like I suck, big time. I can't even do a speed vault. >_<

10x2 Tuck Jumps
35x1  Squats

Well, I convinced my parents to take me to USI. As soon as I got there, though, it started raining. I just didn't think practicing with eveything so slippery was a good idea...

On a lighter note, I found four new training places today.

Church/School Place:

Really big... Lots of high walls and tons of sloping hand rails. Good for vault combos, wall runs, and drops.

Old Courthouse:

Some medium height walls and hand rails. I could do some sweet combos here. It's basically...wall rail wall.

Vectren Building:

Really modern looking... Walls, tables, and potential railings. I didn't look around much.

Parking Garage:

I didn't look around much. Two big walls, and a really cool atmosphere.

----------------------------

I just worked on doing a reverse vault... I did a few, I think, but I recorder them and they looked pretty bad. Probably just because they were on my couch...

[-Ash-]

Raining. Again.

I went to the Old Courthouse, despite the rain.

Wall Runs: Fine... Still can't do a correct climb-up.

Vaults: Monkey and two handed... Scary. The rail was about two inches above my waist... I didn't do so good. 

I tried to to a wall run, improvised climb-up, to vault, but I slowed down before the vault...a lot. I was scared... 

----------------------------------

I feel like I've made no progress since I started.  I can't flow, at all... I can only do individual moves... I need to get over my fear of vaults...really...badly...

-----------------------------------

Today just got a lot better. I did some reverse vaults on my couch, and they looked great... I know because I recorded myself on my phone and because my father gasped. Also, I did a sit turn...and a double sit turn...on my couch. They look okay...

---------------------------

I changed my name to my first name.

[Jon E]

Today just got a lot better. I did some reverse vaults on my couch, and they looked great... I know because I recorded myself on my phone and because my father gasped. Also, I did a sit turn...and a double sit turn...on my couch. They look okay...

I can't wait to learn the sit turn!

[-Ash-]

I can't wait to learn the sit turn!

Then get outside and practice!  Or you could do the safer thing, and stay inside and learn it on your couch...   

[-Ash-]

I'm going to USI today.  Hopefully I won't...not practice...because of so many people being there. I'm gonna try my first reverse vault on a rail; wish me no broken bones! (or sprained stuff...)

Well...my mom wouldn't take me to USI. She said that I wouldn't do anything because people would be watching me...damn...it... Instead I went to one of my new training areas and did wall runs and two handed vaults. I did a really good sized wall run and nearly a correct climb up. Then I went to my old place and tried to a sit turn; I failed. Also...I was too scared to try a reverse vault...but hey, its a scary vault. I also tried a turn vault on a wall...that went okay minus slipping and cutting my wrists.

BUT I did do some epic two handed vaults...I'm nearly at chest height now.

Oh, yeah! I just did a two handed vault on my porch railing! I've been scared to do it for a while, because there is only like a centimeter to put my feet... But I did it effortlessly.

Since I did some pretty high two handed vaults today, and a tried a turn vault on a wall, I think I have earned two more marks in my getting over fear bar.

About the sit-turn... I think I just need to do it fast.... Damn harder than it looks!

=======================================================

Tomorrow, if it isn't raining, then I plan on going to one of my training areas and practicing reverse vaults on concrete barriers. Maybe I can listen to some music to have my adrenaline block out my fear... 

[-Ash-]

Yet another day where I do hardly anything... I don't feel 100%.

Well, I went to one of my training areas and did some wall-runs to two handed vaults. I clipped on the first one and hit my shin pretty hard... I kept going though....

I can't do a good reverse vault today. I did some really good ones just the other day. Maybe it'll be better tomorrow.

[-Ash-]

Well, I couldn't do a reverse vault at all for the majority of the day...but then things got better. I went out to one of my practice areas, and did reverse vaults on walls a little lower than my waist and about 5" across. They look okay, but I'm working on 'em. I'm not getting the full rotation fast enough... I'll fix it this week, most likely. Other than the reverse vaults, I also did about ten monkeys in a row just to keep my form good, and some two handed vaults after cat grabs.

I can't do even three pull-ups today... I need to start conditioning again. It's weird, though. I have noticed obvious progress in my climb up--I can almost get my whole torso up from the handing position. Can't quite get enough to do it correctly, though...

I'm going to do some basic conditioning RIGHT. NOW. 

35 Push-ups

Damn, I got rushed to eat dinner, then felt sick, and did nothing else. :\

WELL, I did a decent reverse vault on a wall today! It wasn't great, but I did it! This earns me some goal and fear points... Now for a rail...

[-Ash-]

Today was overall, awesome.  Not just parkour wise, either.

SESSION ONE:

DRILL: Cat grab, to two handed vault, to diving kong, run, repeat. I could only do it three times; it's harder than it looks!

FLOW: 360 Underbar, to freestyle flow, to monkey. I did it a few times, it felt good...

SESSION TWO:

WALL RUNS: About eight feet. I can grab it every time... But I'm still working on any higher than that. It's okay.

FUN VAULTS AND STUFF: About two inches higher than my waist. I did monkies and two handers, and a sort of tic-tac to lazy. I kind of drilled these; I had two rows of three rails. I would start on one side, at the very end, and I did a sort-of tic-tac off a rock to let me lazy over the chest high rail. Then I'd monkey and two hand vault, run up to the next row, and repeat. Hard stuff!

REAL POP VAULTS: Well! I can almost do a real pop vault...now I can do an actual vault, I'm just not completely clearing the wall. I'll be able to do it tomorrow for sure, though.

QM: Up a "\" shaped ledge; about fifteen feet up. I can get up that really fast.

=========================================================

I really tried to give it my all today; and I think I succeeded. I'm gonna go to USI Saturday, hopefully, and do a reverse vault and a speed vault on a rail.

30 Push-ups
40 Sit-ups
3 Pull-ups
30 Squats

[-Ash-]

It's starting to rain.. OF COURSE, I  WON'T BE ABLE TO GO TO USI. 

30 Push-ups
20 Wide Grip Push-ups
Some other stuff...

4x2 Pull-ups
5x1 4x1 Chin-ups
10 Pull-up Negatives
5 Clapping Push-ups

I tried to kong my dresser again, and it's just fear... The very ends of my heels hit the end, because I am too scared to go over... I've done it before, like the first week I started parkour, even. Just fear. Also, I know I can do a reverse vault over it...just fear. I'm not going to try the reverse much until I can kong it every time I try, though.

I think I might try to start learning front flips. I'm thinking about getting lessons for that, actually... I just want to be able to do them. I don't want to incorporate them into my normal training, I just want to be able to know how to do them. Same thing with dive rolls and dash vaults.

[-Ash-]

I went to USI. 

Reverse Vaults: On a rail! YES! It's actually pretty easy now.

Monkey and Two Handed: A lot...these feel effortless now, even above my waist.

Wall Runs: You know, most of the things I used to have trouble wall running, I can just jump to grab the top of? Well, yeah. I can wall run a lot higher now. I an easily do eight feet.

Flow: Getting much, much better.

Pop Vaults: Almost getting all the way over...

I did tons of stuff today...already. And it feels really good. I think I'm getting pretty good at all this. I love it... I wanted to do some cat leaps today, but my mom scared me into not doing them.  But yeah, my wall runs are a lot better, as is my over all strength. I'm not scared anymore...

I wanted to do a big run today, but it was really cold and windy, and I had/have to go to my cousins graduation party. I'm gonna do it tomorrow, though, hopefully.

I feel like I'm good at parkour now...

OH OH OH I NEARLY FORGOT. I did a tic-tac to cat. 

========================================

I just got back from my cousins graduation party. I ran about 500m, and I practiced two handed vaults at mid-torso height. They're okay...a little slow, but I don't really care. I was going to try to do a kong to cat there, but I decided it was probably a bad idea. I really felt like I could do it, though...

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20 Dips