Topic: Well, it was bound to happen i guess...

[Jason Todrick]

OK, as many of you no doubt know, I work for FiveTen Shoes... we sponsor a few freerunners and generally are big admirers of Parkour and Freerunning.

So, a few times I have had people out to the office to pick up shoes, take some photos, show us whats up...

I have met up with some guys for a jam at Cal State Long Beach to shoot some pictures, have them try some shoes...

I have watched every parkour related video I could find on the net, video, and even now in the theatre(Casino Royale)

I frequent several parkour forums and myspace groups myspace.com/fivetenfootwear(shameless plug)

all be damned if i wasn't at the mall today(Bella Terra in Huntington Beach, CA) with my wife and two kids when my kids wanted to play tag while we were outside waiting for my wife who was shopping in one of the stores... now bare in mind this was a very crowded outdoor mall...

next thing i know I'm doing precisions from planters to benches... wall runs over planters... and best of all, in this open area in the middle, i could pull long jumps clearing tiered seats in a miny amphitheater type setting... too bad i have no confidence in shoulder rolls or it could have been even better

now i have dabbled a bit when out for an evening run... but never like that...

the best part of this whole thing...

when my wife came out and gave me the dirty look for acting like I'm 13 instead of 31.. i took solice in what had transpired, people had stopped to watch... security, parents... kids, more to see what i could do to dodge my kids or catch them then starring like i was an idiot....
better yet, i actually overheard two kids walking out of the theater say... hey, that's like in the movie(flattering, but the kid was obviously delusional )

so, what's the point?

I'm hooked... I'm 31, pretty out of shape, but completely hooked.

I'm also a bit shy by nature... having my kids chasing me or chasing them was a nice excuse, but I'm wondering how the older crowd practices parkour without feeling like a complete doofus.

BTW... M2,Frosti,Skynative,PD... this is all your damn fault...

thanks.

[dwellens]

Bravo, Jason!

It's all about the FUN!!!.  Doesn't matter what ANYBODY thinks--as long as you don't risk life & limb of course.

Heck, at 54, I'm old enough to be YOUR dad, and it doesn't bother me in the least to bust a few moves, however simple, wherever I find myself.  At my age, my main concern is SAFETY--I hate being injured.  So I have to make sure what I am about to attempt, however simple, is not going to end up needlessly pulling a muscle, or even worse, result in a face-plant into the concrete.

If you've read over my earlier posts in this forum, I've engaged in serious sessions on playground equipment in front of park employees, rock-hopped landscape boulders in front of construction crews, and practiced rail-hops and vaults in parking garages in front of security.

Remember, PK is supposed to involve moving as effortlessly as possible "through" your environment.  I've done really simple maneouvers at ballparks, the zoo, parking lots, malls (like yourself), just to facilitate my "passage" from point A to point B.  It doesn't have to be a "performance" or workout.  In it's simplest iteration, it's just involves training yourself to tackle "makeable" obstacles instead of having to go around them.

Have fun out there and be careful.

[Jason Todrick]

thanks...

injuries are definately an issue... i have had repeated ankle sprains and eventually reconstructive surgery on my right ankle(that did not go 100% successfully) plus the various 'normal' injuries from childhood/highschool sports(soccer, karate, wrestling) and adult sports(rock climbing, mountain biking)...

the full story is long, but basically i hurt my ankle... and due to circumstances beyond my control had limited professional treatment & physical therapy before finally getting an MRI and informed diagnosis 6 months later, then almost a year after the injury i fianlly had surgery... then recovery.... it was a very long time with a very low amount of activity... plus the 'great' medication the doctors gave me had a side effect I wasn't aware of until it was WAY too late... 'Decreased Metabolism'... yeah... avoid DayPro, unless you want a 35% increase in body weight in 9 months 

BUT... that's not really the point... if anything my post was not to complain about my physical condition, well maybe a little, but there was a point to my whinning... it was to point of that if I can do this... anyone can... it's great fun and a fun mental game... plus it sure does make excersize more entertaining...

I'll be sure to keep you all up to date on my progress.

[dwellens]

Jason,

I come from a completely different generation where the number of "choices" of how we could trash our bodies in our youth were limited to the basic baseball, basketball, football routine, etc.  There wasn't half-pipe choices in skateboarding, inline skating, BMXing, snowboarding, kamikaze mountainbiking, suicide dirtbiking, no-holds barred downhill with your weapon of choice--name your method of destruction--it either didn't exist, or was in it's infant stages as not to register much of an impact.  Today, the buffet is plentiful, and you seemed to have piled your plate high enough in your day as to have a lasting effect.  I've made numerous posts in the 40+ forum and the injury forum regarding this issue because PK is ANOTHER extreme activity that you can add to the chow line, and henceforth, to the emergency room if you are not careful.

The chances are very good (and even worse as you grow older), that every injury leaves you with a compromised "part"--and worse yet, as you grow older, your parts go off warranty!  Every pull, tear, strain, bump, bruise, cut, laceration, impact, break, concussion, etc., etc., has a cumulative affect that WILL catch up to you.

You aren't 16 anymore and you're already hauling around some serious baggage, so you can't play fast & loose with what you have left.  With age comes LONGER recuperative times, less elastic muscles & tendons, more brittle bones--well, you get the idea.

Enough said.  If you've checked out APK's "Dispersion" DVD (which is great, by the way), all is not what it appears to be.  The seemingly flawless "flow" of the action is in reality a compilation of numerous "makes" & "MISSES!" all edited together for your enjoyment.  What is most instructive are the "outtakes" at the end which reveal the "behind the scenes" reality of their PK session highlighting the failed landings, etc.  Quite instructive, and close attention should be paid to it.  Not included there (or elsewhere in any of the online videos which you may run across) is the actual "injury report" regarding any of the participants.  There is ALWAYS a price to be paid--do not be fooled.  Even maneouvers which appear to be "successful" are not without their cost.  As awesome as many moves look, the human body can only take so much trauma even without mishaps.  No one is invincible.  Overuse, injuries and age catches up to EVERYBODY.

Be careful out there.  Your kids (& wife) don't want a broken-down cripple for a dad (or husband).

[Jason Todrick]

just saw the video of David Belle botching a Kong to Cat at UCLA... not pretty... he did however get up much quicker than i think i would... thn gain he's in a littl e bit better shape than i am

still I do know the risks... but like  said, that certainly doesn't take away from my enjoyment.

thanks again

[M2.]

I just feel like a doofus

Nice Jason!! Keep it up!!!!

[Depraved Indifference]

I'm younger, but I no what you mean because even though I'm 14 starting out I still looked like an idiot

now when I see an action movie with my friends they always say that the stunts are nothing compared to me,

there is always that little space of time when you look like a doofus but u gotta swallow your pride a little and practice, just try not to show up a two step wall run or you'll really look dumb

[hardcoretraceur]

not over 40 but would like to add a little insight to the "price to be paid" deal. in my two years of parkour i can count the number of injuries ive had on one hand, and the number of ones needing any real medical attention on no hands. im not saying this to brag, because im not the only traceur out there this is true for. you should always progress slowly and carefully, staying within what you know you can do. i dont think that parkour is another extreme sport, because it emphasizes power and control, not going crazy and looking cool. you can constantly push yourself without ever endangering yourself. i can assure you that if there is something in a video of mine, it was successfully executed several times (have to get several camera angles with one camera) and im confident with it.

not to say i had this approach coming in to parkour, i was much less concerned for my welfare than i am now, i definately did some things that were beyond me, and luckily didnt get punished for it. deep down i know if i mess up my body i have to deal with it when i work, i do manual labor and its hard enough on my body as it is.

i guess with the added fragility that comes with age you cant really afford to do the stupid things in the beginning, but that gives you a jump start on getting the mentality i think that you should be approaching parkour with.

[dwellens]

"Not to say I had this approach coming into Parkour; I was much less concerned for my welfare than I am now.  I definitely did some things that were beyond me, and luckily didn't get punished for it. Deep down I know if I mess up my body, I'll have to deal with it."

That quotation already indicates you're gaining a little bit of wisdom along the way. Hopefully, you won't interrupt the flow. 

I always like to point out the common MISconception that, "That which does not kill me makes me stronger."  NO WAY!  It merely compromises whatever you screwed up for use down the road.  So, whatever injury can be avoided, that puts you farther ahead in the game. 

I'm turning 55 in the next couple of weeks, and I am currently recouping from being body-slammed into the concrete while playing basketball.  Taking down a rebound, I flipped over someone else's back, sending both my arms and legs straight up into the air, and landed right on my pelvis, bone versus concrete.  I wasn't even doing anything "dangerous" or "foolhardy", but the consequences are the same.  Most of the guys I play with are 1/2 my age, but I can keep right up with them BECAUSE I have practiced injury avoidance most of my life (having never broken a bone), but remained extremely active throughout.  So, if you practice within your limits and take incremental steps, you'll do just fine.  You would do well to preach that to all your bros.  Downtime from injuries is a downpour on the parade.

Have fun & stick that landing.

[Timothy Chen Allen]

"That which does not kill me makes me stronger."  NO WAY!

I agree with you.  Here is my take on that quote:
1. That which does not kill me makes me stronger.
2. Sitting on my ass eating potato chips does not kill me.
3. Therefore, sitting on my ass eating potato chips makes me stronger.

Actually, Nietzsche might very well have been American.

[Lion143]

I usually just take comfort in the fact that not very many 20 somethings can even move like we do, let alone the 30s and 40s in this country.
I'm 41 and was in the Army up until recently.

[Timothy Chen Allen]

I'm with you, Lion143:  I do my best not to gloat about it-- but it's true!  Last night I ran from work to GWU to train with another traceur and we did QMs and vaults and precisions while the college students right next to us sat around and listened to their iPods eating potato chips.  The night before I tried on my USMC dress blues that were originally tailored 24 years ago when I was 21 years old-- they still fit!