Topic: Stutter-Stepper

[Rory84]

I always do it when charging at a wall or fence or rail or anything where you have a certain distance to clear or jump, I found that if I take it at a bit of an angle, I can time my steps out a little bit better...

Anyone know how I can defeat the stutter stepping?? It's real annoying and traceurs everywhere laugh at me,

[SkyNative]

Hmm I dunno if there's any technique for breaking that, I think eventually you can just intuit how to take your steps so you dont stutter-step. But one thing you can try is instead of taking smaller-than-normal steps to correct your stepping, try taking larger-than-normal steps to correct it.

[Rory84]

Thanks SkyNative, I'll try that and get back to you.

[hardcoretraceur]

just keep training and it should go away. perhaps you could train techniques that you have this difficulty with at a speed that you no longer have this difficulty with.

[JumpOff]

I am actually currently in the process of writing a big article on this subject. My dad is big into walking meditation, so i've talked to him about this alot.

However, for the time being, I would exercice these two things:

1) do as Native says, and practice taking large bound steps...it builds up your momentum and a  result, your power.

2) train your other foot. Try this...run in a straight line, in 3 step sets.... one little step, one little step, LEAP off the thirs step...as you do sets of three, youll jump off of the other foot each time.  Keep doing this, trying to go faster and higher...this will help alot, i promise

[parkourkid]

just don't be afraid and keep on running or whatever i had the same problem to.

[Canavi]

I am actually currently in the process of writing a big article on this subject. My dad is big into walking meditation, so i've talked to him about this alot.

However, for the time being, I would exercice these two things:

1) do as Native says, and practice taking large bound steps...it builds up your momentum and a  result, your power.

2) train your other foot. Try this...run in a straight line, in 3 step sets.... one little step, one little step, LEAP off the thirs step...as you do sets of three, youll jump off of the other foot each time.  Keep doing this, trying to go faster and higher...this will help alot, i promise

Would you send me a PM when you get this article up? I am very interested. Also, what is this "walk meditation?"

[Argon]

This has helped me:

During thier run-up, most people focus on the first place they are going to plant thier foot on the wall. This is good technique, but if you're stutter-stepping, it may be because you are getting worked up about that first kick. Instead, try to focus on the place where you will plant your foot to leap off the ground. When you reach that point, immediately shift your focus to the wall again.

Once you get that down, focus on where the foot is going to go immediately prior to the lift-off one. When you get there, shift your focus to the next step, etc.

If I find myself getting worked up about a wall-run, I'll use this technique and typicly plot out three or four steps from the wall. Hope that helps!

Oh and also, many of the other methods discussed above, such as practicing large leaping bounds, are very helpful as well.

[Steven Low]

I tell people to focus on making their strides long at a jogging pace first. Then speed it up gradually while focusing on keeping their strides long. The brain generally wants to calculate and recalculate the distance and thus stutter steps when it gets afraid it may have calculated the amount of steps wrong. This is a big problem with teaching little kids and some older college/adults gymnastics especially with vaulting or tumbling. You can do this generally by doing what I said above, and also including some runs at a corner of a wall where you would imagine you are going to plant for a wall run but instead run past the wall. As you get more comfortable, build up to the point where you can run at the wall and plant steps on it.

[Shamas]

I also have problems with stutter stepping. But I had begun taking the long strides before reading this, and it was gradually helping. I was hoping someone had a more effective way off curing this offset. But I guess that I just need to keep on keepin' on. ; )

[controlfreak321]

A great way to fix stutter stepping is to just ignore the step, the reason you might be stuttering is because your brain is telling your body that it needs to fix its momentum, I found that if you don't hold back on an obstacle and take it at full speed repeatedly then you'll have no choice to hit that obstace, clear that obstacle, or stop...and stopping isn't an option... This may not be the same problem behind stuttering for you, but that was my problem, if you at least try it safely a few times safely, you may find your stutters are a lot less noticeable than you think.

[Shamas]

I have noticed that with kongs. If I don't think about it I do alot better. But with wall runs and with certain vaults I stustustutter. I have been using the long strides to fix it but my off foot is a pain in my arse

[Alex B]

I used to do that, I found for vaults taking a small jump before your real jump (as if you are blocking, but without the angled foot technique) it helped me get thee right distance without shutter-stepping.

as for things like wallruns, you just have to learn to see the difference quickly in your head and adjust accordingly.

[Tom Coppola]

Ryan Ford covers the concept of "always training" in one of his demon drills.  His example in the article can help eliminate stutter-stepping.  Give it a try.  http://www.americanparkour.com/content/view/1577/387/

[controlfreak321]

I have noticed that with kongs. If I don't think about it I do alot better. But with wall runs and with certain vaults I stustustutter. I have been using the long strides to fix it but my off foot is a pain in my arse

With larger things such as vaults and wallruns, you're going to want to stutter until your 100% comfortable not stuttering, because those can get really dangerous. If you don't power into a certain move correctlly, you'll end up hurting yourself. I still stutter with 180's of of wallruns...

[Rowe]

Also look at which foot you are jumping from. For me, stutter-stepping was an unconscious movement to make sure that I was jumping off my left foot. When I realized this, I went back to square one and retrained the same movements while alternating feet for the take-off. Sometimes I'll even pick an obstacle (usually something at an odd angle) and do the same thing to figure out the best movements given my take-off foot.

[Grip]

i only know the last 4 steps i'll take for sure
usually i just do an estimate, like imagine myself running
unless it's something simple that i can jump off of the other foot