Topic: Im scared of monkey vaults

[Ol1ver_62]

I know it really shouldn't be anything to be scared of, but I can't seem to get my head around the fact that my feet dangle down too low, and every time this enters my head halfway through the initial leap, I face-plant.

I'm considering searching the streets for a mattress someone left out on the street and putting that behind my monkey vault rail.. but that's not very practical because I wouldn't be able to bring the mattress home at the end of the day...

So back on topic. Is there any good ways of practicing the monkey vault in a safe environment which doesn't involve severe pain? I've heard lots of people say get a good run up, but that just hurts more when I stuff up. Is it worth working on extra push ups to help give me more of a boost from my arms?

Can anyone help me?

Thanks heaps 

[Iceucold]

Try something lower. Find something ridiculously low and work your way to larger objects. That helped me with my fear, but as far as form is concerned, just practice getting on top of it. It'll help the muscle memory and you'll feel more confident in your ability to bring your knees into your chest, and clear the obstacle.

[Nhan Du]

Just watch

http://www.youtube.com/v/QXH7FHfMCH0&hl=en

[David Glass]

I was going to post Ozzi's tutorial too.

We call that "Clipping", when your feet hit the obstacle. I started 2 months ago and didn't make a single attempt before watching this video.

I have practiced on picnic tables and have never clipped. Another thing I should mention is until you feel comfortable, don't try to kong over anything, instead do Monkey-Stalls, which is konging onto obstacles like tables (picnic table). And don't try to kong rails yet. There is a bit of precision involved, and not to mention confidence in the maneuver.

Be sure to keep us posted on your progress!

[james2610]

dont start off on a rail, start off on a small wall and practise monkey stalling it first, then move on to going over instead of putting your feet down...it all takes practise and everyone takes up an injury now and again

[tabler1010]

i dont know about you but it helps me to push myself up a little bit higher with my fingers and shulders to pull my legs trough

[Thomas.K]

well sometimes a object thats to low is hard to vault because all your momentum is going down not that its impossiable but sometimes hard to do

P.S hes trying to monkey not kong

[Twentythree]

For some reason the monkey is one of the easiest for me, I'm over 6ft tall to lol! I'm starting to get the kong down. One of my biggest obstacles is the dash vault, I cannot get that one down, its hard for me. I guess practice makes perfect lol!

[Matt Carter]

blocking may be of some help?

[BearMills]

I know it really shouldn't be anything to be scared of, but I can't seem to get my head around the fact that my feet dangle down too low, and every time this enters my head halfway through the initial leap, I face-plant.

I'm considering searching the streets for a mattress someone left out on the street and putting that behind my monkey vault rail.. but that's not very practical because I wouldn't be able to bring the mattress home at the end of the day...

So back on topic. Is there any good ways of practicing the monkey vault in a safe environment which doesn't involve severe pain? I've heard lots of people say get a good run up, but that just hurts more when I stuff up. Is it worth working on extra push ups to help give me more of a boost from my arms?

Can anyone help me?

Hey Oliver,
dont worry im in the same situation... Im able to Monkey Vault onto Picnic Tables but not rails. I have a fear of face planting (same thing as you) IM going to go to a gym soon and get over that fear by using the padded stuff.Then u can try and try and face plant onto soft stuff so thats all i know. Ive watched the tutorials but none of them really help me for monkey vaults

[Adam McC]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoSHryz88l0

Bring your hips up and your shoulders forward.

[BearMills]

I wish you guys would talk sometimes its easier to learn the move when the person talks instead of it being typed up onto it. Just a thought... Also when your scared of clipping...tutorials help you understand how you are going to do it but its not going to help you get over your fear. Thats why i cant do a monkey vault over a rail because I think im going to clip. like when someone is afraid of doing a move, the only way to overcome that fear is to get past that mental blockage, and again any tutorial that people show you is HOW TO DO IT, but no1 has ever made a video on HOW TO GET OVER THE FEAR...Could some1 please make a video on that because i know a lot of people have trouble with it, and + i do to even tho this is my 3rd month training

[Ozzi]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xgZr1w8ydU

[Adam McC]

Our Monkey vault tut is a bad example, but most of our videos give you progressive exercises to slowly overcome the fear by taking little steps. Kong vault, frontflip, lazy are especially good examples. That's what we try to do versus other videos, which are a kind of "here's how I do it in slomo".

[Down87]

In response to Alex:
If we knew how to conquer the fear, then we would be able to do absolutely anything. Obviously, we don't know.

I think a big way to prevent clipping is make sure you have your shoulders forward. Your body should be at an angle.

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If the second thing is your body, and they are the same length, then the second one will have more room for clearance over the obstacle. Of course, the only problem I have working on this is you must let go of the obstacle.

Please let me know if thats incorrect.

[Sweet_T]

I had the same problem the last time I tried monkeys.  I would doubt at the last moment and then let my left hand go so I could kick my legs out to the side and clear it.  It wasn't a big kick out; it only turned my body about 15 degrees, but it wasn't a monkey.  Thanks for putting up the tutorials, guys, it's pretty clear that I need to work on getting my hips up.

[khaos14]

Yeah, is it ok to turn just your feet to the side while clearing the object?

[Nom]

Of course it's ok to turn your feet to the side. We wouldn't call that a monkey vault per se, but it's progression definitely. Don't worry about how quick you're progressing, kong vaults/monkey vaults have given many a traceur issues. Don't expect to get it on day 1, don't expect to get it on day 150, it will come to you whenever it feels like it .
The trick for me was to go over the object as if you were going to land in all fours, in a "quadrupedal position." So get to your object and check out the other side so you know what's there. Doing that helps keep your mind off whats over there while you're airborne and lets you focus on the actual feeling of the movement. If you're at the point where you clear your obstacle with your feet out to the side you'll be ready to monkey. The higher you can get your hips and the more horizontal your torso, the better this will go for you. The "landing on all fours" schtick is literal, try it.

[Jack K]

I just did my first monkey yesterday over one of those green electrical boxes. I saw it and just did it, i guess sometimes you can overthink things. I didnt really think about it, so i didnt have time to be scared.

[Samuel96]

Try it on a couch banister! Then on a rail/small wall that goes into some sort of elevated dirt/grass. Then onto grass, then the fun one!!!!!!

I was afraid to do it to. Here's a thread I made: http://www.americanparkour.com/smf/index.php?topic=6090.0
PS Get over it!
PPS Get over it!