My reason for doing Parkour

(This post is unrelated to the Transition Year Module, Mr. 'L', please ignore this in terms of grading)

Although there are probably many thousand of reasons that people will come up with for doing Parkour in the first place. My reason is quite simple.
The reason I love Parkour is that it has no boundaries. The only limit is that of your imagination and the progression of your physical ability. When I started off Parkour back in the mid summer of '09 I was scrawny, weak and didn't see much point in getting out and working my muscles till I am sore and burning. Now its different.
As I was slowly introduced to the possibilities of Parkour I hopped on the first chance I got. I started to get a feeling of achievement every time I did a technique right, and over time I started to string together different moves and felt a true sense of freedom. I got stronger, faster, more efficient. It worked for me.
With more popular sports like Soccer, or even BMX/Skateboarding, our confined to there respective locations, i.e. soccer; pitches, BMX/Skateboarding; skate parks. Parkour you can do anywhere and everywhere. It is adapting to your environment and physically over-coming anything. Any obstacles, any enviorment, any challenge.

Parkour Video

Parkour Video

This is a video from Traceurs in Dublin meeting their northern counter-parts in Belfast.

Basic Techniques

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Precision;


This is an extremely easy technique to explain and even easier to preform.


A precision is jumping from point A to point B, regardless of height/distance between. It can be done by any means of speed. i.e Running/jogging/etc.

The Techniques difficulty depends on how much demand for distance, angle of landing and height.



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Lazy Vault/Speed Vault;



A lazy vault is a quick turn vault used on objects/obstacles such as walls, rails and, in general, anything with less than a metre in width and higher than your waist.


It is done by running/walking/jogging parallel to the object you wish to vault. You proceed to put your inside hand furthest away from you on the object's outside point, then swinging your hips forward and to the side whilst bringing your legs in and landing.

The Second variation of this move is called a Speed Vault. Its is basically the same move but instead of running parallel to said obstacle you run straight on.





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Kong;




A kong is a diving movement over any object that's like to a platform. It can be done on platforms/low walls/rails/benches, etc.

It is used to over-come anything, alike or similar to any of the things listed above.



It may seem like you bring your arms through the object but you actually don't. While running towards the wall you place your hands on the wall and push upwards so you can land on your feet. Your feet don't pass through your arms at all. It seems like they do.

Basic Explantion

How Parkour is
affected by Geography

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Parkour is very obviously effected by geography/its enviorment.

The definition of Parkour states;

'Parkour is a physical activity in which a traceur/traceuse,the male/female practitioners of Parkour, traverses their environment as quickly and efficiently as possible. In lay-mans terms; Getting from A (Your starting point) to B (Your destination) through an alternate route,as quickly and efficiently as possible. i.e Expelling minimal energy over maximum distance with only the use of your body.' (Although this is a repost, it remains valid)

As this is as perfect explanation as you can get I'll quote some sections for you.

'...transverse their enviorment...', i.e get across what ever geographical obstacles in their path.

'...Expelling minimal energy over maximum distance...', meaning that Parkour is extremely 'eco-friendly' because the only energy you use is that of what you consume.

Being that Parkour is affiliated with teens and young adults from 15-21, most people would consider it dangerous. In training sessions, that us Traceurs call Jams, they/we hit spots that are in the open, although this isnt our primary factor that we aim for. Any 'out of the ordinary' behaviour, i.e jumping from pole to pole/over benches/onto ledges, is met with hostility. People will come up to you and express their oppinions, although uneducated. They will say its 'illegal' or 'tresspassing'. Illegal? No, not until the city or county counsil out-law it then you can say that. Tresspassing? ...In public property? The only time I can be taken off the property legaly, without my right to sue them on grounds of assault, is by the hands of the true owner of the property or by the Gardai.

While on most of the planet parkour is fine and still legal, in some places in England and America the activity known as 'Parkour' is banned and utterly illegal, all because of biased oppinions on the younger generation, claiming they are being rebellious and risking their lives.

Your pre-judgements aside, Parkour can be and is one of the greatest excerises of the body and mind. It will take extreme stamina, bravery, strenght and flexibility that people will go to multiple classes to achieve.

All of this is within grasp. But only if you have the will and dedication to it.

Background and Explanation.





Parkour is a 'sport' founded in Lisse, France, by a group named Yamakasi and also by David Belle who took inspiration by his father, Raymond Belle, and the writings of George Herbert. Parkour is often nicknamed 'Free-running', but this is wrong, as free-running is a different practice altogether, although is shares some similarities. As David Belle said;
'Parkour is a physical activity in which a traceur/traceuse, the practitioners of Parkour, traverses their environment as quickly and efficiently as possible. In lay-mans terms; Getting from A (Your starting point) to B (Your destination) through an alternate route, as quickly and efficiently as possible, i.e. Expelling minimal energy over maximum distance with only the use of your body. Parkour is as much mental as it is physical and with the practice of Parkour, both will develop to no end. '
Although physical proformance in Parkour is important, it is not the most important. In anything you do, the best thing is that you enjoy it.
In addition to that; your enviorment is open to interpretation, it requires a certain amount of creativity. None the less you will still need strenght, agility and, most importantly, commitment.

Credit to Artist; Kate Turner

Introduction

Good day.
My name is Sean, and as I prefer to be referred as, Sticky.
In this blog I'll show you, at the cost of your time and attention, how Geography relates to the 'Art of Movement', more commonly known as Parkour.
Parkour is a name given to an individual transversing the Enviorment around him/her as quickly and efficiently as possible. It is often mistakened as its more public cousin; 'Free-Running', however they are not the same.

Over the coming weeks I'll be working on this blog for my Transition Year Module.
I look forward to seeing your responses.