Hello Facepunch, we probably have all heard of Parkour, or know what it is. But do you know all that much about it? If you think you're interested, then, be interested.
[b]A Basic Introduction:[/b]
Parkour, or the "Art of Movement"(Originally known as l'art du déplacement.) is basically getting from one point to another in the most efficient and fastest way possible using the environment around you. The people that Parkour are known as "Traceurs".
[b]The History/Origin of Parkour:[/b]
Basically, Parkour was initially founded by Georges Hebert when he had a visit to Africa. Hebert was amazed by the tribes' movements and started to teach these movements in France during the Pre-WWI era onward.
Modern Parkour is founded by David Belle, who had been greatly inspired by his father, who was part of a well known Firefighting team. When he was being raised in Fecamp, he had a taste for fast action and movement. When he moved to Paris he met a group of friends who shared the same interests. During his time in the french version on the Marines, he earned an award for agility, however his tastes for adventure did not go very well with the Military Service. He later earned a black belt in Gong Fu, and began promoting his discipline. The rave of the new "Parkour" was ecstatic and many individuals became absorbed in the same world as Belle.
David Belle in Action:
[img]http://image.hotdog.hu/_data/members1/617/72617/images/david-belle_t350.jpg[/img]
[b]Free Running, Don't Mix Yourself Up[/b]
Freerun is a common mix up of Parkour, and many Traceurs here on FP can definately agree on this. Freerun is basically Urban Acrobatics. In freerun, there is NO point A to point B, it is simply the joy of, well, running and acrobatics mixed into one fancy bundle. Parkour, as I have stated before is point A to point B. Even one of the common techniques in Freerun contradicts Parkour, the "180 Wallspin". What do you think happens when you turn 180 degrees and walk away?
An example of Parkour (Featuring David Belle himself):
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jquXcwooV6A[/media]
An example of Free Run:
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xItCVAFqIc[/media]
As you can see, Parkour and Free Run are very similar, and use many of the same techniques. However, If
you pay attention you can see the differences between the two.
[b]Parkour in our World (The gaming world that is):[/b]
This is probably exactly where you heard or experienced the joy of Parkour from. Many games have cool little experiences where you do Parkour-esque scenarios, but there are two full-out games that I would like to present, many of you all know.
[highlight]Assasin's Creed:[/highlight]
[img]http://www.gamesonsmash.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/assassins_creed1.jpg[/img]
This game is awesome, I can definately say that. Jumping roof to roof is pretty awesome, and this game awesome overall.
There is too much good gameplay to select a good video, so I picked a trailer.
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cc-ClutaN_I[/media]
[highlight]Mirror's Edge:[/highlight]
[img]http://mirrorsedge.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/wallpaper_mirrors_edge_02_1600.jpg[/img]
This game is 100% Parkour, but on crack. However, this game is a prime example to be honest. The only bad thing about it is the fact you can wallrun ridiculously long and you can survive almost any landing.
Same situation with Assasin's Creed, the trailer:
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2N1TJP1cxmo[/media]
[i]Other Cool games with Parkour like situations:[/i]
-Prince of Persia series: has some cool tricks, though not based on Parkour.
-Thief series: same thing with Prince of Persia, but less combat based.
[b]Parkour in Movies[/b]
Parkour, due to its amazing popularity has been featured in many movies as well. Poltergeist says that newer action movies such as Casino Royale and The Bourne Ultimatum features such scenes.
A great movie that has excellent Parkour scenes is District 13, which is a French movie. The movie also features David Belle, just so you know.
Very epic action scene, 100% badassery and Parkour
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0la6hrMnyE4[/media]
[b][u]How Do I get Started![/u][/b]
Well, it's actually fairly simple, but there are some things you should probably have before getting started.
[highlight]What to Have[/highlight]
-Light, but well-treaded running shoes.
-Light clothing
-Hairpins (If you have long hair)
-A Brain
-Possibly a friend or someone else that can help you get started and train
Keep in mind, take off, or hide your watch before you ever think of going out, I have injured myself loads of times looking at my watch mid-jump.
[b]Training[/b]
Training for parkour is essential, and also keeps you healthy. Being ready for parkour is key for your success, and personal safety. A basic way to get ready is just doing running, because that's what parkour is all about. Don't fret if you don't have very good muscle strength, because as long as your technique is good (Which is strongly recommended) you will do just fine.
And don't forget to train with other people, they can give you pointers and advice that will either be very useful, or even lifesaving in certain situations.
[highlight]Where to?[/highlight]
There are many places to start practicing. There are many spots that are just amazing for building you skills.
Skate Parks
[img]http://www.burnie.net/html/images/skate-park-nov07.jpg[/img]
They are simply amazing. You don't even know. The abstract architecture is great for literally, every techique in parkour. Words can't describe it, the rails and random concrete blocks are amazing for vault practise. The random walls are epic for wallruns. Not to mention the dips where you can practice longer jumps, or even a new technique you made up.
Playgrounds
[img]http://z.about.com/d/cleveland/1/0/K/M/-/-/playground2.jpg[/img]
Like skateparks, have a little bit of everything, however due to the size of the equipment, you may have trouble not hitting your face off a pole. But its also good, because you can get some sliding in.
Trees
[img]http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/mid/sites/ilovewales/images/oak_tree_400x300.jpg[/img]
Yes trees. I live near a forest so I am extremely lucky. Every tree you can find can be climbed to the top, I can guarantee it, as long as you don't break the tree. The way that I climb trees really helps my, well climbs, and the constant twisting of your body will help too.
Trampolines
[img]http://www.alltrampolines.com/images/plum-13ft-round-trampoline-large.jpg[/img]
Yes, trampolines. They are great for keeping you in shape when you aren't able to go out. They also build leg muscle, and you can even practice some jumps shit. A nice little investment in my opinion.
Streets
[img]http://touritaly.org/tours/capri/IslandCapriNarrowStreets03.JPG[/img]
How the heck are you going to do parkour without actually going out and actually practicing? I guess you could use a treadmill, but it literally won't get you anywhere. Also, many roads are slightly angled, so remember to alternate sides EVERY DAY, or you can get your ankles/feet screwed over in a jiffy.
[b]Health and Safety[/b]
You always have to be careful when you're doing parkour. Even a small mistake can kill you, or have you permanently disabled. Here is a small list of reminders to keep you safe in the act:
-If you are unsure you can do a certain move/techique, ect. DON'T DO IT, like everyone says, better safe than sorry.
-If you get injured or anything, don't do parkour until you know you are fully recovered.
-Don't jump off anything high up, just because you can do a roll doesn't mean you can walk away from a 3 story land.
-Start small and work your way up.
-BRING WATER, in the heat you can get easily dehydrated and you can fall into Heat Exhaustion or even a Heat Stoke in a flash, and if you're up where a normal person can't reach you, chances are you will [b]die[/b].
-Stay away from high traffic areas, if you're moving around next to a bunch of speeding cars and you don't know where they may go, getting hit by a car could be the next (or last) thing you see after a fumble.
[b]The Techniques[/b]
This is probably what you have all been waiting for. There isn't a very wide range of common techniques, however, once you learn more wierd technques, you can easily memerize them.
The common techniques are basically in 4 categories in [i]my[/i] eyes. This is NOT official.
Also, for further readings after this, check out [url]http://parkourpedia.com/[/url] it's got amazing tips and tricks for getting you started.
[highlight]Common Sense[/highlight]
Basically, you should know this before you even practise.
[b]Landings:[/b]
Basically, all you want to do when you land is bend your knees when your TOES hit the ground, never land flat footed, hurts like a bitch, also some good info from Faren: but the balls of your feet as to maximise the amount of force is put into your muscles instead of your bones.
A nice picture of a landing, featuring Jesse Woody.
[img]http://www.crossfit.com/mt-archive2/landing-overall-th.jpg[/img]
[b]Rolls:[/b]
Whenever you land from something higher up, roll or you will be sorry. It's hard to explain how to roll, so just practise and the gym and once you're confident you should have it down.
A great, in-depth link for a roll technique, suggested by Solid.Snake.
[url]http://parkourpedia.com/technique/rolling[/url]
A frame by frame shot of a good roll method.
[img]http://www.crossfit.com/mt-archive2/roll-01-th.jpg[/img]
[b]Jumps:[/b]
Well, basically it's a jump, usually followed by a roll. If you have track and field at your school sign up for long jump AND high jump, you can get a good technique and excellent practise.
A common parkour jump, note that this guy brings his legs up.
[img]http://www.solidsmack.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/parkour-jump-roll.jpg[/img]
[highlight]Vaults:[/highlight]
Why go around when you can go over?
[b]Pop Vault:[/b]
Basically this is a vault aided with a wallrun to increase upward momentum.
A picture showing how you should pull this move off.
[img]http://parkourpedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/wr1.jpg[/img]
[b]Turn Vault:[/b]
This is a vault where you rotate your body to turn 180 degrees, mainly used to go around or below an obstacle.
As you can see, great for getting down lower.
[img]http://farm1.static.flickr.com/104/254469614_c2e2eab4a6.jpg?v=0[/img]
[b]Speed Vault:[/b]
This vault is easy peasy, all you have to do is rotate you body sideways over the obstacle, placing one hand on the obstacle to keep your momentum and balance.
As you can see, when you vault you go horizontal, like this.
[img]http://www.freewebs.com/njparkour/parkour%20john.jpg[/img]
[b]Lazy Vault:[/b]
Just as easy as the Speed Vault, but you place one hand on the obstacle before you climb, and then launch yourself forward with your free hand.
The other hand is used to help you keep going.
[img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8f/Jordi_Lazy_Vault.JPG/800px-Jordi_Lazy_Vault.JPG[/img]
[b]Kong Vault:[/b]
A very fun vault, dive over the obstacle, and then tuck in, revert to your vertical position for landing, and you're done.
An example of a kong vault, when you start proceeding over the vault, you can use your hands to get yourself upright.
[img]http://content5.videojug.com/da/dad54bb3-5337-4a7d-b9fc-ff0008c9bd29/parkour-kong-vault.jpg[/img]
[b]Dash Vault:[/b]
Start with a two handed vault, tuck your legs over the obstacle, and then push off with both your hands BEFORE they extend completely, or you will fall on your ass.
A bench is a good obstacle to Dash Vault over isn't it?
[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v519/kohlbucket/Parkour/NHPK/GYMJAM/matt_dashimg.jpg[/img]
[b]Reverse Vault:[/b]
You do a 360 during a vault, or rotate 180 to get up higher/lower, very awesome and fun. It can also be used to get your momentum back up if you made a stupid mistake.
Good for getting by annoying little ledges.
[img]http://content5.videojug.com/63/63496552-4b12-e4bf-c505-ff0008c9bd29/parkour-reverse-vault.PostIt.jpg[/img]
[highlight]Climbs and Jumps:[/highlight]
The main tools that get you from point A to B.
[b]Muscle-Up:[/b]
The easiest way to get up a short wall you can't vault over. You just grab the ledge and pull yourself up, nothing more, NOTHING.
So easy, even a kid can do it!
[img]http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2040/2433736988_7114ebed4f.jpg?v=1213301726[/img]
[b]Arm Jump:[/b]
A jump that leads you straight onto the ledge of an obstacle. This technique is usually followed up by a muscle-up or a drop if applicable.
Very good for annoying gaps like this.
[img]http://www.parkour.asn.au/images/chippa-arm-jump.jpg[/img]
[highlight]Other Techniques:[/highlight]
You won't get anywhere without the strings holding everything together.
[b]Cat Balance:[/b]
If you have ever walked on a balance beam it is closely related to this. All you do is get on all fours and scale a small beam/pole without having the worry of falling. I have never done this ever, it's rare for me. I can't explain it well.
Meow.
[img]http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2203/2285385980_74b88eacba.jpg?v=1203743238[/img]
[b]Underbar:[/b]
If you happen to be on a bar, you can just swing off the bar across a gap.
This can also be useful when you don't want to go over what you can go through.
[img]http://www.remgeo.com/Portfolio/Parkour_Underbar.jpg[/img]
[b]Wallrun:[/b]
By far this and the next technique will be the hardest to explain. Basically, all you do is approach a wall and jump at it, and plant you CLOSER foot on the wall, turn so you're looking down the wall. Then. plant your other foot on the wall as quickly as you can. After that whip your other foot in front of your most recently planted one, turn your body away from the wall. Once you feel your momentum start to shift into your farthest leg push off, you should get mad distance or height, depends how you launch. As always, end it with a roll.
When a vault just isn't good enough.
[img]http://www.kiell.com/waterloo0503/ez_wall_run.jpg[/img]
[b]Wall Jump:[/b]
You need to be able to scale walls to an extent to do this, or have completed an arm jump. Once you scale the wall to about 80% of your maximum, push off with one of your hands so you turn around kind of. Just like the wallrun, push off and do a roll. I don't find this useful very much, it's incredibly difficult for me, that's probably why.
I suppose this photo can help you understand it.
[img]http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2008/10/12/sports/12parkour.190.jpg[/img]
[b][u]Parkour Associations and Teams[/u][/b]
If you live in America and are looking for a Parkour Team, then visit.
[url]http://www.americanparkour.com/[/url] Main website
[url]http://www.americanparkour.com/compo...mf/Itemid,159/[/url] Forums
Special Thanks to Peppermint Jack for informing me this.
The thread is almost complete, still needs more info and sources and brushing up. Keep your eyes peeled.
I love parkour. Nice thread.
parkour is fucking awesome. nice thread.
Decent thread.
Thanks, it's gonna be updated tomorrow after school with in-depth information on the techniques, and a new section on Parkour leagues and groups, good night Facepunch.
I would like to try this, but I never have the time.
Basically, how to be a fucking bad ass ninja!
I got into Parkour and Freerunning, hopefully I can become quite skilled.
I wish I could do this, but I can't jump for shit. I'd love to be able to.
Parkour is like the martial-arts version of flight, right? Well somebody should start teaching a combination of the two: fight and flight. Use your environment to escape, and if your faced with a situation in which you must fight use your environment to aid you there, too.
[QUOTE=sltungle;13936917]Parkour is like the martial-arts version of flight, right? Well somebody should start teaching a combination of the two: fight and flight. Use your environment to escape, and if your faced with a situation in which you must fight use your environment to aid you there, too.[/QUOTE]
humans can't fly without planes
[QUOTE=christarp;13936945]humans can't fly without planes[/QUOTE]
*sigh*
Flight as in the fight-or-flight response. Flight meaning 'flee'.
I'm interested in parkour, but I suck at it.
Well for me it's like:
Wow I so want to get good at this. *few days later* ... man i can't be fucked.
I'm good at this, but i don't have any equipment or place to train.
I'd love to be able to do this, as so with anyone else. Sadly I don't have the time.
I've done a bit of Parkour when I was at the gym doing Tricking. Unfortuatenly I haven't done any tricking in months.
Fortunately I'll probably start again soon :D
[QUOTE=christarp;13936945]humans can't fly without planes[/QUOTE]
helicopters
I saw this French movie with parkour... it was not bad.
I love Parkour.
I do it sometimes with friends when I'm bored.
I wish my knees didn't suck or i would do this.
Some of the information here is a bit off.
Like when you land you don't land on your toes, but the balls of your feet as to maximise the amount of force is put into your muscles instead of your bones.
Also, most experienced traceurs will say that gloves are generally a bad thing because you lose the feeling of actual contact with the wall and it generally isn't as effective. So unless you have a condition in your hands where you need to where gloves(Which I actually do if it gets too cold...), then I reccommend training without gloves, sometimes it's also good to train barefoot on the occaision.
This thread is very well done. You should ask wind8ws to rename this megathread.
Holy crap, this thread makes it all seem easy and accessible and not elitish and snobby at all.
[QUOTE=HubmaN;13939039]Holy crap, this thread makes it all seem easy and accessible and not elitish and snobby at all.[/QUOTE]
snobby and elitish? What?
[QUOTE=HubmaN;13939039]Holy crap, this thread makes it all seem easy and accessible and not elitish and snobby at all.[/QUOTE]
What made you think that?
Anyone who's parading around saying they kick ass at it is really missing the point and can't really be called a traceur.
[QUOTE=Faren;13938910]Some of the information here is a bit off.
Like when you land you don't land on your toes, but the balls of your feet as to maximise the amount of force is put into your muscles instead of your bones.
Also, most experienced traceurs will say that gloves are generally a bad thing because you lose the feeling of actual contact with the wall and it generally isn't as effective. So unless you have a condition in your hands where you need to where gloves(Which I actually do if it gets too cold...), then I reccommend training without gloves, sometimes it's also good to train barefoot on the occaision.[/QUOTE]
I train with gloves right now because it's cold out and I don't want frostbite, also they help protect your hands from getting torn at times.
A couple people in my year are really good at free running and parkour, they do backflips off walls and climb up walls twice their height. It's cool shit
Quality thread right here.
Check back in a couple minutes, i'm getting pics and videos of how to do those techniques so people can understand them better.
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