All The Small Things

I'm writing this mainly for the newer people in the Parkour scene in Leicester. As we currently don't provide classes (YET... coming soon everybody!), apart from the monthly sessions, I thought this would be useful in allowing the newer guys to take their newly learnt skills to the next level.

Parkour is so complex. There is so much to work on and working on the small things will carry over and make a difference to your whole game. This is a great thing! There is always something to work on. There is always something you can improve!

Below I will provide a number of simple things for practitioners to work on. Should you have any issues or if you want some advice, ask an LPA instructor.

Note: If you're training alone, please be careful and take care. It is recommended that you train at LPA sessions under our instructors.

Move!
A 'run' is known as a number of movements put together to form a route. Runs allow you to utilise all of your techniques and adapt them specifically to the environment in front of you. You will be coming in to techniques, or out of them, from different angles, at different heights and on different obstacles. Putting together routes is a great way of developing a number of qualities including good foot placement, spatial awareness and confidence. Also, the obvious benefit is that it will improve individual techniques as you drill them repeatedly.

Next time you train, I suggest picking a spot and then selecting a point A and a point B. Your aim should be to move from A to B - and then back again. Repeat it, perfecting your route. Your goal can be to move with speed and efficiency or you can be more creative with your route.

As well as runs, you can perform single techniques - running precision jumps, arm jumps, tic tacs etc. Use your new 'Parkour vision' to decide what you can do, but don't limit yourself, always keep your mind open and try new, different things. Your movement should not be confined to set techniques.

Balance
An improved sense of balance will improve your ability to take off, land, move along thin surfaces and it can be practised pretty much by anybody, at any time. Simple drills, such as walking up and down a rail can be made harder by jumping from rail to rail. The important thing is maintaining balance is remaining switched on in your head - knowing what you're doing will help you retain your balance.


Further drills you can practise include: vaulting onto a rail, or object thing enough to require increased balance, and holding that position without falling down or using your hands or squatting down and then standing back up again.

Although it may seem boring, simple drills such as these can be very beneficial to your Parkour - like I said, all the small things! ;) I know I can speak for everybody in LPA, and even most practitioners worldwide, when I say that a small but perfectly landed and well balanced jump is far more 'impressive' than a massive, messy jump.

Touch
It may be easy to perform a jump - but you need to ask yourself: did I land well... was it quiet... how can I improve it?

Perfect landings are hard to achieve. Even the most experienced practitioners still need to work on them - it's always an ongoing process.

It's easy to put all your power into a jump and throw yourself at it, but a lot harder to decide how much power is needed to allow you to STICK* it and how to manipulate that power as well as your foot positioning to make it a quiet landing. Although it may be aesthetically pleasing, the reasoning is mainly concerned with looking after your body. Landing properly will reduce the impact placed upon your body.

(*Stick is a term used in Parkour for landing a jump without falling backwards or forwards, as if you're stuck to the object)

I'm sure LPA instructors will have guided you in the right direction with regards to landing - but if you want some pointers, have them evaluate one of your landings so you know what to work on!

It could be anything from foot position (always landing on the balls of your feet and not your heels - this will reduce the impact as well as allow you to control your landing - and not slip off - and make it easier to jump again afterwards), power (too much power and you'll overshoot the jump, too little and you'll find yourself falling back) or volume (a quiet landing generally suggests control and a lesser impact, as opposed to a uncontrolled, high impact, loud landing).

Now you know what you need to work on, find a jump and practise! It doesn't have to be high, it doesn't have to be on a rail, nor does it have to be on a wall. You can practise your landings anywhere. Once you're more advanced and think you're ready, you should move up and challenge yourself: rails, walls etc. Repeat jumps over and over again. They don't need to be standing precision jumps, they can be running or they can be kong to precisions. Think about every movement your making, think about how much power you're using and practise.

Repetition, Repetition, Repetition...
Repeating a technique will no doubt improve your confidence with that movement. However, should you have bad habits, you will just be enforcing those bad habits. So, ask an LPA instructor to evaluate your technique, find out what you can work on, whether it be the take off, hand positioning, foot positioning, landing.

Drilling techniques in runs, as mentioned above, will greatly improve your ability to move and with time you'll develop an instinct where you will know which movement is necessary without having to stop a plan it out.

Repetition is the key. Repetition will build confidence and it will also build muscle memory. Repeat the techniques on varying obstacles and angles. Also, a fun challenge: if you have a stronger side, for example, you prefer turn vaulting to your left, try it on the weaker side!


Physical Conditioning, Nutrition and Research
Improving your strength, flexibility and fitness will improve your Parkour significantly. However, I believe this to be a subject of far too greater depth, one that requires a whole new article itself - well, more than an article, a whole new book. Generally, any form of exercise will benefit your Parkour. My favourite exercises include: sprints, squats, deadlifts, lunges, glute-ham raises, pull ups, push ups, bench press, dips - amongst many others.

Every Thursday night there is a fitness session with Dan - click here for more info! - which I recommend you go to, it will be of benefit for sure! Even if you just go once, it will give you an idea of how you can condition your body and you can then take the knowledge home and practise! I could write a training programme for you but it's far too much of an individual thing - but I'm more than happy to help you, just ask!

The saying, 'you are what you eat' is true. Filling yourself with junk won't do you any favours. Like physical conditioning, nutrition is such a large topic that I can only really talk about it in brief here - hint hint as to what my next article will be about ;) Below are a few bullet points which may help you eat better, give them a try:

• Eat a balance of carbohydrates, protein and good fat
• Carbs: pasta, brown/white rice, brown bread, potatoes, fruit
• Protein: chicken, tuna, turkey, eggs, nuts, yoghurt
• Fat: nuts, yoghurt, peanut butter, eggs
• Avoid snacking out on chocolate and other snacks
• Eat 3-5 whole, good meals a day
• Drink water regularly throughout the day
• EAT YOUR FRUIT AND VEG ;)
  

These are both topics which you can research yourself should you want more information. Here's a few topics to research: warm ups, strength training for athletes, bodyweight exercises, stretches/flexibility, sports nutrition.

Google is your library!!

Should you have any questions about this post, head over to our forum and just ask, or speak to an LPA instructor next time you train!

Hope this helps

Joe