Topic: Just saying hey to the USF crews.

[Sombrero]

You know who this crazy boot-wearing moron is, stomping the yard since '89.

I finally registered, so let's talk about parkour and how much we like it. I had a question about drops (yes, I know, they're bad). One might think they'd be very bad for your knees, so I had wondered if anyone had experience with it from a medical standpoint. I'd say I take an 8+ foot (not too high) drop on a daily basis, so it worries me a little. However, again, I wonder if it doesn't just make your tendons stronger.

EDIT: I should mention that I take drops because it's a convenient way to get around campus. Why go around when I can go down? I read a post on the dangers of drops, so I'll quit till I completely master the 1ft drop, but now I wonder the theoretical limits of the human body in a drop. How far could we, in theory, drop and walk away unharmed?

[Josh Maciel]

Well theoretically speaking...you should be able to take a drop from as high in the air that you can be...but only if you have ABSOLUTE PERFECTION IN YOUR LANDING AND ROLL TECHNIQUE

...now for that to happen...you'd either be god...the best land/roller...EVER...or...incredibly lucky.

thats just theoretically tho

[Sombrero]

Bear in mind that only about 50% of people survive a fall from 24 feet or so. When you look at people who fall four stories, you get a survival rate of well under 20% (I'll go chase the statistics later). Granted, we're not most people, and we land on a pair of extremely strong muscle groups (legs), but it's good to take into consideration.

I should probably calculate out what force it would take to break the legs during a controlled landing. In theory, though, you're terminal at eighty feet or so, so IF the human body could take a drop from 80ft, it could probably survive a much higher fall.

Just speculating.

[David Glass]

Well the news is, the more you impact your bones, the stronger they get.

This is the reverse effect as with astronauts, who lose bone density in space.

I was watching on Discovery the other day, a program about this dude who had so much force in his kicks that they estimated he could life a 2 ton trailer with a single kick. His force and bone strength had developed through years of training and, of course, impact.

From there you go on to people who do push ups on their index fingers, so on and so forth.

The important thing is you take it slowly. If you go out there and kick a trailer, or if I tried resting my 225 lbs on my two index fingers, you can guess what's going to happen

Training, training, training... that's the ticket!

[Daniel Arroyo]

We'll taking drops is slightly different! Being able to take a drop has to do primarily with technique then muscle/leg strength and then the ability for your joints to handle it! You mostly damage your articular cartilage within your knee! It is when you develop great technique that you enable your knee's to with stand higher and higher drops!

[Sombrero]

We'll taking drops is slightly different! Being able to take a drop has to do primarily with technique then muscle/leg strength and then the ability for your joints to handle it! You mostly damage your articular cartilage within your knee! It is when you develop great technique that you enable your knee's to with stand higher and higher drops!

I have been trying to figure out why your landings are so silent and I'm using you as a model for figuring how high one could hypothetically take a drop from. How much can you squat, from all the way down?

[Daniel Arroyo]

We'll believe me or not but I squat 465 lbs, (bench 255). I think the highest drop I have ever taken was about 15 ft.

[ZacharyCohn]

Not to butt in, but is that a full squat (thighs just below parallel to the ground/perpendicular to the knee. See picture.) or a partial squat?

A partial squat is not only useless, but dangerous, as it primarily works the quadraceps without really engaging the hamstrings or the glutes. This can lead to lower back and knee injuries, and is just generally no good.

So anyway. 465lbs full squat, or partial?

[Charles Moreland]

Actually the link provided shows a parallel squat. A good full squat goes just below parallel. Many Oly lifters go far beyond that.

http://strengthconditioningcoach.co.nz/shop/show_link.php?id=1&pID=48

[Josh Maciel]

Well one reason i figured out that danny lands so quietly is cuz his shoes are flexible...my landings are almost always loud cuz my shoes are pretty stiff even after 2 and a half yrs of use...but when i use my running shoes my landings are pretty quiet.

also...idk if anyone else saw it but on discovery channel sunday there was "The Human Body: Pushing The Limits"

in there a guy was picked up and thrown by a tornado and walked away with from it with only cuts and bruises...no real internal injuries or broken bones...its cuz his muscles were completely relaxed cuz he had been knocked out by a lamp before getting picked up by the tornado.

our bones are extremely strong, able to withstand a lot of forces...our ribs can bend 1 whole inch before snapping...thats actually a lot...there are a lot of other things you can look into...thats just the only thing i remember.

but people survive falls from to failed parchutes when sky diving...my friends cousin who was in special forces training...was training for the halo jump when both of his chutes failed and he fell...lived...had many broken bones but lived. its just how you land but the main thing is...YOU HAVE TO RELAX

[Daniel Arroyo]

We'll I use to powerlift and body build in competitions, I have been working out half my life. I also use to be a personal trainer. BTW I do a full squat (that's parallel to the floor!) I don't go beyond parallel with heavy weight because of the affect the weight can have on your joints (knees). I usually take 135 lbs and do jump squats to warm up (I go beyond parallel with that).