There is a point when your workouts start to feel stale and your gains begin to plateau. That’s when you can change your workouts by adding more elements into your fitness regimen or mix it up. A thrilling change can be switching to parkour, say practitioners.
Parkour involves running, jumping and flipping your way through the environment around you, a lot like an action hero but in real life. With parkour, you’ll be using your body in new and exciting ways, turning everyday objects into obstacles. The best part is that you don’t need fancy equipment or expensive gym memberships to get started. Just a pair of sneakers and a sense of adventure is all it takes. It focuses on efficient and graceful movement, emphasising on speed, precision, and fluidity.
“Parkour is movement in a path,” says Rajesh, an outdoor parkour coach from Chennai. “Moving from one place to another with obstacles in the path. The basic idea is to cross the obstacles and move to the other place safely and quickly. It is mostly about moving your body from point A to point B.”
How parkour encourages creativity
Parkour encourages practitioners to approach obstacles in a unique way. They are taught to find creative ways to move efficiently through their environment, using their surroundings to create new challenges.
“When I used to go to a park or go out, I did not look at a wall and think about how to cross it,” says Arya Vatsa, 32, an avid parkour practitioner from Delhi. “But the moment I started doing parkour, I started thinking how I could cross this wall or whatever was there. And I would think of different things like, how I can walk or cross the stairs creatively.”
Whether it’s jumping over a bench, vaulting over a rail or scaling a wall, parkour allows individuals to express themselves through movement. It requires a lot of improvisation. Practitioners need to adapt to new environments and challenges, which requires quick thinking and creative problem-solving skills.
Explore with parkour
Parkour can be practised anywhere, from urban environments to natural landscapes. It promotes a mindset of exploration and experimentation.
“Parkour is not just about physical capability, it is also about breaking that mental barrier,” says Vatsa. “I could easily jump 6 feet from point A to point B on the ground but when it came to a slight elevation, it was a different game altogether. It is also a safe movement-based practice. It is the training of both the mind and body.”
The real parkour
“Social media only shows what is trending. People see it and think that is what parkour is. They think it is very dangerous,” says Rajesh. “It is only a physical activity. Inactivity causes a lot of health complications. So, it is very important to move your body, which is what you do with parkour.”
Contrary to what’s shown in viral videos, dangerous stunts and locations are avoided.
“I don’t recommend or teach rooftop parkour to my students,” says Rajesh. “Many people see the videos on social media, get inspired by it, and come to my class thinking they will be jumping buildings. But I clearly tell them what parkour is before the class starts. I will be teaching it based on strength only. It is about keeping the body strong and being disciplined. The movements come after that. Your body should be strong enough to take the impact of the movement or jump.”
Rajesh explains the gradual progression of parkour. “For instance, you can only do flipping with the strength that you have built,” he says. “Based on that, you can push yourself to the next level. Parkour is not just jumping and flipping. You first need to start working out. Strength and conditioning are the most important things in parkour.”
Precautions and safety measures
Parkour can be done safely with the right precautions. Practitioners are taught to be mindful of their surroundings, assess risks and take proper safety measures to avoid injury. Proper training and technique are also essential to master parkour safely. Beginners are always encouraged to learn under the guidance of experienced trainers.
“Our mind always warns us when we feel we are in danger. Any parkour practitioner will tell you that if you have doubts before doing a jump from a huge height, one should not do it,” says Vatsa.
Rajesh adds, “There is no age limit to parkour. Everyone from 7-year-old kids to 80-year-olds do it. It is important to move your body and be physically active.”
Takeaways
- Parkour focuses on efficient and graceful movement, emphasising on speed, precision and fluidity.
- Parkour practitioners are taught to find creative solutions to move efficiently through their environment, using their surroundings to create new challenges and movements.
- They are taught to be mindful of their surroundings, assess risks and take proper safety measures to avoid injury.
