Topic: Jump City: Seattle (A post they made on Facebook)

[Shawn Meilicke]

Now I just lol at everyone who gets pissed at shit like this. Guy's, it doesn't effect your training. Live On.

No I agree with AdmiralSanchez on this. It does affect our training. When I go out to a spot and practice and there are other kids doing drops of 10+ feet because they think it's parkour that affects my training. I have had this happen, I asked them to train with me and to let me teach them what parkour is really about and they said "No, you're just a *expletive* *expletive* who doesn't know what parkour is! You can balance all you want, see if you get chicks that way!"

I don't think it's okay that people around his age (13) talk or act like that, but I really don't think that should destroy their body, and I definitely don't think the media or youtube should enforce their behavior. I don't understand why you guys think it's okay. I hate when people think that because something doesn't directly affect them that it doesn't matter. I'm not going to start ranting about human rights or the genocide(s) that are going on as we speak, but if your logic is always "Well it doesn't affect you so it doesn't matter" then I think you need to watch the news more and get involved in the rest of the world..

Sorry... I'm digressing a bit... Not trying to offend anyone. But seriously guys, this will eventually have an affect on the whole of parkour, and there's no sense in sitting by and watching it..

@Elet ET: I really hope that was sarcasm... If you seriously think parkour is about being cool and getting views on youtube that is depressing..

[Elet ET]

Chea brah, You wouldnt say that if you had a few thousand more views would you?

[Shawn Meilicke]

I have no videos on Youtube. If I put them up they will be link-access only so I can have people critique my form. I train alone the majority of the time so that's one of the only ways I can really get help

[Elet ET]

So that makes your way better than my way? Why?

[Elet ET]

To be honest i say the things i say, because its hard for me to watch you put in on someone, doing what they want, in a negative manner.
I want to share with you one of my favorite passages, for thee i quoth:

"I would like to be someone with whom no one would be ashamed of any part of their self. I would like to be able to regard the actions of others without feeling threatened or becoming defensive, even when they are defensive with me—to see others in the context of their own lives, not my own. I would like to know how to set the right limits on how far i trust others, so i never risk losing my respect for them or my ability to trust. I would like to be able to look those adversaries who should be allies in the eyes and say: 'Like it or not, this is who i am. This is what the world has made of me, and we all must live with the consequences. I cant change the decades of life behind me that have wrought this, only take responsibility for what i am and what i do. I dont want to compete for your moral high ground or anything else. Unless you're prepared to kill everyone who doesnt live up to your standards or else endure this impasse indefinitly, you're going to have to accept me on my own terms, as i hope to accept you. YOU ARE AS RESPONSIBLE AS I AM FOR MAKING WHAT GOES ON BETWEEN US POSITIVE FOR US BOTH--OR FOR THE WORLD OF STRIFE WE WILL SUFFER IN OTHERWISE.'"

To be honest, you assume to much when you say

"I don't understand why you guys think it's okay. I hate when people think that because something doesn't directly affect them that it doesn't matter. I'm not going to start ranting about human rights or the genocide(s) that are going on as we speak, but if your logic is always "Well it doesn't affect you so it doesn't matter"

First of all, to say genocide and a misguided view of parkour are analogous? Well that my friend is a tad bit extreme.

Secondly, think about effective resolutions. Would saying something change their mind? No(well i wont say that's an absolute, it may) It would most likely end in someone calling you an expletive(see your example). However, creating an image, (perhaps a video, perhaps a way of carrying yourself, or an article.) well that carries power. As evan tanner said "I dont want to be a champion so i can strut around and say look at me, or to put another belt around my waist, i want to be a champion because people will listen to me, it will give me a platform to speak."(paraphrased, but you get it)
If you want to change minds you have to make it appealing. And no, That doesnt mean you have to change your ideas to fit others.
I cant tell you how true the statement "Its not about what you say but how people feel about what you say and more importantly how they feel about YOU" is.
If you want to spread your ideas show people why its a good one. Dont say "This is better and if you dont agree you're an idiot an your life is depressing."

Personally i agree with a lot of what you say.

Oh and watch my videos(they're effective propaganda):

Be real and Be wild
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NDrct3tKx4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ER4xoVXW_xw

[Shawn Meilicke]

I agree with what you just said, and I loved the video (I just watched the first one, I'm tired and have a short attention span). I wasn't comparing parkour to genocide I was saying that having the viewpoint of "as long as it doesn't affect me it doesn't matter" isn't good. I'll expand on my reference to genocide to show how it was a simple example of how that state of mind can make things worse. I'll go with Rwanda instead of a current, ignored, genocide like Darfur. With Rwanda we supplied their Army with guns. We thought all was good. Then things took a turn, there were killings, beatings, rape... What did we do? Evacuated the Americans and told everyone it'd be alright over there. They'd sort things out, it was just a small problem that didn't really matter to us. The death toll ended up being between 500,000-1,000,000 (which is 20% of the countries population). We could've easily intervened and stopped things from getting out of control. This is a great example of how small problems, when ignored, can turn into HUGE problems.

Obviously hundreds of thousands won't die from taking 10' drops, but if we can educate those that think it's okay to do this without proper training, and let them know that by conditioning before they do this they can easily extend the time they can effectively do parkour, then they'll be more willing to change. However, if alls they ever see on TV and youtube are people gapping roofs and taking huge drops they'll be like "but this is parkour, you don't need to work up to it!"

I am always one for making people question what they think, but I am never one to force my opinion upon others. I don't think your videos were outrageous, and I think if a newcomer to parkour saw them they'd be inspired to go to rail work and flow work, they wouldn't go destroy their bodies jumping off the top of a park (while there are four year olds running around watching them).


Well like I said earlier I have a short attention span right now and I can't really concentrate on anything.. I'm sorry if this post was choppy and/or didn't make much sense. I've had to reread things like four times to finish my thoughts lol. Hopefully you can see where I'm coming from now though

[AustinL]

I do believe the closest thing parkour/freerunning could relate to in tis matter would be skateboarding,skateboarding was practically nothng,till a few sows blew it up.
Now,if some one is skateboarding,and anoter person unfamiliar with it sees that person,they are going to say somethinglike "Hey,do a kickflip!" or "Hey do a col trick,your a skateboarder right?"

I think it translates the same way,by no means am I comparing our community t skateboarding,but you gotta think of all the live to die skaters that were very unhappy when their sport hit like that.

[Mr.WWII]

yo Elet, you videos are fricken awesome man. Thank you so much for posting those. That's the kind of video I am always on the lookout for, cause they are outweighed by bs flipping videos way too often

[Nick Smith]

Tonight at 8 eastern

[Joe Brock]

"No, you're just a *expletive* *expletive* who doesn't know what parkour is! You can balance all you want, see if you get chicks that way!"

This has always been a big concern of mine.  I generally run back to my car (sometimes vaulting stuff) and cry.  "Those noobz at the park are SOOOO mean!" I'll say through streams of sniffles.  "I can TOO get the hawt chicks!"  I mean, this totally detracts from the last 6 months that I've been practicing isometric holds, and makes me question if I TOO should just go jump off of a roof.  I mean, why can't I also be so cool?

...no, wait, this doesn't happen.

[Shawn Meilicke]

Lol Joe, I'm not saying it affects me that they act like this on a mental or personal level. I just wish they would listen to me so they don't destroy their bodies. I'm trying to look out for their health and safety

[Bergie]

B) I beg to differ. It affects me everytime I'm distracted because someone commands me to do a flip off the rail I'm trying hard to stay on, or the same thing happening while doing some other drill, or just when I'm walking down the hallway. I get the feeling that all these annoying little distractions would diminish if people knew what parkour really was.

That just sounds like douche bags.  "Hey flippy, do a flip."  Sounds like the kind of people that would yell crap at you for doing anything they dont.  "Hey jock, go catch a football."   "Hey nerd, go roll a 20 sided die."

Think of it this way, ignore those people shouting nonsense the way you might ignore your roommate watching TV while your trying to read.  If you have trouble ignoring either of those things, then think of it as training for both parkour (focus on your surroundings/body position) and academics (focus on your studies).

....and you've got people going like "that parkour shit is crazy," and leaving it at that (I overheard a conversation, ending with this, about the MTV PKC). Some new recruits? Yes, but limited to those who get G4 and realize they can get to this point. I suppose we'll have to correct those of them who are not exactly clear on how parkour training goes...I'm doubtful about how many of those will stumble upon the forums.

probably only those that would be interested in learning more about parkour and freerunning to understand any distinctions between the two, as well as those looking to become actively involved in the sport.