Topic: I feel embarrassed practicing in public...

[vrai]

But if they don't take our ideas into account when they judge us...we shouldn't take theirs into account when we're training, yeah?....

Very nice quote right there. Sounds like you have a tough situation there on Guam, I'm glad your getting threw it.
Your story is very inspirational and a classis-tale of pulling through! 

[shadowrunner671]

hey bro!..im from guam!

maybe we can train together!

[Kiernan]

This is totally random but....dude how can a "guest" post replies?! Whenever I'm on here as a "guest" the "reply" option isn't even available....doe's anyone care enough to enlighten me?

[3runPkPogo]

lol i don't really live in a city, but when i go into a city, i kinda am becuase i pretty good at flips, but im trying to do aot of Parkour now, but i dont really get embarrassed, alittle, but i dont think about it lol 

[Saint Kazin]

hey im kinda new to parkour to ive been practicing for about 1-2 months and i feel really embarrassed about practicing in public.  I'm also only 13 so sometimes people come up to me when I fall or something and it only looks really painful when its not and they're like" OMG!! Are you okay??  Are you hurt?? Should we call and ambulance??  Are your parents nearby??".  Stuff like that only makes me even more embarrassed....  It would be easier for me to not be so embarrassed if I had some of my friends with me, but I am the only 1 in my school who's interested in it, or knows that when they do it they won't kill themselves.....  It would be a bit more fun if I knew some people near me that were traceurs that could help me and stuff......

[Cr4ar_Vr3an]

i like some of the stuff the other people said, but they left one thing out.

screw what people think.

if they're giving you dirty looks, then isn't that they're problem.

but for instance, if you fall in front of people, then don't downplay it or up-play it.
take the fall for what it is, get up, and try again.

if any of the people there even know about EFFORT, they'll respect you for it.

[Rowe]

People are going to look at you, but keep in mind that they might be thinking "That looks like fun," or "I wish I could do that." Here's an example. This past summer, one of my friends took to jumping off the pier and into Lake Michigan on his days off. It's only a four-foot drop and far enough out that the water is clean, but I have never seen anyone else do it. As you might expect, he received more than a few awkward glares. A few weeks later, a customer at his store said that she saw him and was inspired. The next day, that woman of 50+ years grabbed her husband, went to the pier, and had the best day of her summer.

I'm not saying to show off for the crowds, but even after a few weeks, you will be capable of doing things that most people can't. You might get 20 confused stares or comments, but you also might inspire one person to make a change in his/her life for the better.

[Dan Elric]

There's a simple solution to this...

THE HELL WITH WHAT THEY THINK!

[Andrew So]

There's a simple solution to this...

THE HELL WITH WHAT THEY THINK!

I don't see the need to be aggressive toward other people's opinions.

I dance while no one is watching.  I also train while no one is watching.  If you love it, you will feel no shame.

[pinkpawn]

novel {
I often train at a park/playground near a fairly busy shopping centre, so it constantly has people moving around and through it. It is one of my favourite places to train due to its variety of different obstacles and surfaces to train on. During my time here I have had many people approach me and tell me how they thought what I was doing 'was awesome' or 'cool'. This has always helped me to be able to train in public places, as the majority of people will take an interest in what you are doing because it is different; and often something out of their physical ability to do. Such an example is doing a planche on top of the chin up bar at the playground. The only time I feel uncomfortable in what I am doing is when small children are watching me, as I do not want them to try to copy any moves I am doing and hurt themselves. For this reason whenever I think I am being watched by young children I do the most basic and safe moves or activities I can.

During my training I get people from all walks of life coming up to me and expressing their amazement at what I am doing; from kids, hot girls who sat and watched me for about half an hour drill the same jumps and strength exercises (always fun), parents, people in suits, skaters or the neighbourhood 'roughs'. I can be using the playground and have parents talking to me about what I am doing (in a good way) while their children are playing next door to me. Try to use situations like this to your advantage to spread a good word about parkour.

The other week I was training around sunset and a group of kids about 16/17 were mouthing off to me, obviously trying to bait me into saying something to which they could use as provocation to get into a fight or whatever. I ignored them and after about 5 minutes of watching me they came over and told me how what I was doing was cool, how they had seen in somewhere else and if I could do a back flip for them.

One thing I will say is even if you do feel uncomfortable training in public, remember someone will always find what you are doing as interesting or exciting; so try to use this to your mental advantage. If someone does approach you be a positive ambassador for parkour, and take your time to explain what you are doing and perhaps why you are doing it. I spent about 45 minutes talking to a couple of skaters (probably around 25yrs old) one day about parkour. While it was frustrating they chewed into my training time the outcome was a positive one. If try to turn times like these to your advantage maybe training in public will seem a little less daunting...
}

edit: Probably what alot of people think when they see you http://youtube.com/watch?v=1W9pss5q6t8

[mremohair]

just do it

get a group

and plus if you break your ankles

somones gonna help you

...

or they should

train on !

[Justin L.]

Alright well it kind of sucks but nobody else is as interested in it and it would be way to hard to hook up with someone. Parkour is is not a very big sport at all. And what would you think if two 14 year old kids are running through san fransisco jumping over fences and climbing up on rooftops. If its not the people I am worried about, it is the cops! I want to keep my record clean...

First, about the public thing.
Just ignore them, most of the time their impressed. It's not like their going to say "Stop, you suck". They're just walking by. Now, if you get a crowd around you watching in awe at your moves, then you might be a bit scared.

About the cops. If they say "Hey, kid, what you doing?" Just say "I'm practicing the art of Parkour, do you know what that is, officer?" "No." "It's the art of overcoming obstacles through training and discipline."

If they know that you didn't just rob a bank and were running, they'll usually say it's ok.

And if they tell you to go home, don't not ever come back out. They're worried for your safety. Especially when your on rooftops. Parkour isn't really about rooftops.

If that does happen, stay lower to the ground and don't go up on rooftops, then the cops will think that your trying to commit suicide or something.

[Joeson Wong]

Haha I remember when I went to the gymnasium and I couldn't get in yet, I started doing a bunch of exercises like at the bleachers and everyone gave me weird looks.

I think I remember some guy saying "Why isn't he in there?"

[Dan Frank]

I'm not embarrassed when I train in public, but I still want to learn handstands and flips so I can show off if anyone gets mouthy with me. 

But of course, I want to learn handstands and flips for the purpose of my training, not showing off, really. 

[Sean C]

Don't worry, once you get good at parkour and you can flow smoothly over obstacles, you won't feel so embarrassed anymore. You'll feel more like RAAAR!

Hellz yeah whem im really groovin at playground or somethin passerby are just like oh s*ht and i know im not even nearly as good as im gunna get

[swap01]

I agree with what I've read on here. It is all really good advice. Training in public will become easier once you are better and more confident with yourself, and more used to Parkour (at least it did for me).
Speed will come with practice. For me Parkour is being able to get away from someone if they were chasing you, so I strive to be able to do vaults while I'm running. So sometimes I drill techniques, and other times I actually run and hit whatever is in my way. But I would drill before I started to actually run, as (I find) it to be harder, and you tend to stutter step more.

It should all come with time, practice, and confidence.
Swap

[jorgeDominik]

who cares what people think,

 HONESTLY

there is no other way to put it

if they're not in any way in charge of anything that has a direct influence on your training they do not matter. end of story

if you dont ask questions in class cause you think people are going to laugh at you, YOU will be the only one failing not the other people whose opinion you placed higher than your own edification

worst case scenario: you run> people watch> you get nervous > you fall> people laugh/say stuff>...thats it ALL THEY CAN DO IS LAUGH and create sounds by moving their mouths/tongues

laughter no more than laughter, what happens then?? does their laughter and/or words present themselves as such obstacles that a TRACEUR cannot overcome efficiently?? NO

what happens when you get up from the other side of the picnic bench laughing at how the guy said "GOOD ONE SPIDEY "
..or maybe at how ridiculous giving two pop vaults what that guy thought would be.

[ps. i dont think david belle even sees people while he trains belle vision: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m717ZHQORzg]
 

[Brandon Haag]

well, first off don't let it get to you and DON'T practice at night it's not safe don't risk hurting your self so people who can't do it and just give you dirty looks get to you. they don't understand what it take to train for parkour. just keep on traininng listen to music or find something to help you pay attention to what your doing and not them ok. good luck :]

[Kyle Gouch 'Triple K']

Lol not to put you down but, I have practiced by myself, no shirt, raggedy PJ pants(one pant leg ripped to my upper thigh and the other is ripped to my knee), messy and sweaty hair, in the middle of a crowded play structure, dont worry, we're all enduring the same amount of weird looks as you. Just know that your not alone xD.

[PurpleParkour]

Its ok im younger than you. About to turn 13.  I have the same problem but i just act like no one is looking at me.  They will soon either leave, or become interested.