Lee parkour. History of parkour: David Belle and who are traceurs? Everything you need to know about parkour: what it is and parkour combinations for beginners

Elements:

Drop - a jump from a height, performed from a place or from a cat leap position. You can absorb the fall only with your feet, or with your feet and hands (well, or with one hand).

Spring - jumping over any obstacle without touching it. For example, flying over a railing, bush or car.

Up from down - a jump into the distance from a great height, ending with a roll.

Blind is a variation of the spring, but its peculiarity is that when pushing, the tracer does not see the landing point.

Gap - like the blind, this is a type of spring. The difference is that the obstacle to be overcome is a gap, that is, a large distance at altitude. The trick is performed both from a standing start and from a running start.

Accuracy - jumping onto a small object (for example, a railing or parapet) and then maintaining balance on it; performed from the spot. Sometimes when landing, grasping or touching an object with your hands is used, which gives greater stability.

Running accuracy - Akurashi performed with a running start.

Turn precision - turning on a narrow object by jumping and then maintaining balance on it. Can be performed both 180° and 360° degrees.

Fly roll - a jump after which the body is extended parallel to the ground, and the landing is a roll.

Two hand vault - a vault performed with two hands, the whole body or only the legs passing to the side of the hands. It can be performed both in a group and without it.

One touch is a vault performed with one arm at a right angle to the railing. In any version, but without rotation.

Monkey vault - Two hand vault option. Decoys are used extremely often when overcoming parapets or for climbing onto objects. This is a vault jump in an even group, supported by two hands. You can also carry the body between your hands, although usually you just push your hands away from the railing. To perform running decoys, you must first make a jump, then place your hands on the railing or parapet.

Monkey splits vault - a vault in which the body is in a vertical position, the support is on two hands, the legs are widely spread to the sides.

Reverse vault is a vault with a 360° rotation, with the back going over the obstacle first, the body in a vertical position. Rotation can go through either one or two hands. You can also do it both in a group and bent over.

Speed ​​vault - vault using one hand. The body is parallel to the railing (or any other obstacle).

King kong vault is a vault performed like a decoy, only it is performed over a long distance. The body should be parallel to the ground, placing the hands on the far edge of the obstacle.

King kong vault (double) - a version of king kong, only two hands touch the obstacle (usually near the beginning of the obstacle and at the end). Helps to cover longer distances.

King kong (running) - a variant of king kong, instead of one touch, you run with your hands over an obstacle (however, the body must be parallel to the ground). At the end, the hands can be placed to perform a decoy, or a push with one hand is performed from the obstacle to dismount.

King kong splits are a vault jump performed over a long distance, starting with a jump with the body stretched parallel to the ground (flying over an obstacle), followed by pushing off with the hands from the far edge of the obstacle and carrying the body over it with legs wide apart to the side.

King kong to kash - king kong going into cash (after supporting with hands, straight legs come forward and then the whole body follows them).

Cat vault - overcoming a railing or parapet while running at an angle towards it. The tracer first jumps out keeping his body parallel to the ground, then alternately places and removes his hands on the parapet or railing (as his hands pass over the obstacle).

Dash vault is a beautiful trick, performed with a running start, pushing with one leg, keeping your legs at the corner in front of you. The legs first pass over the obstacle, then the arms are placed. You can bring it to a tuck “bent over” or perform it with your legs not together, but apart (“uncrossed”).

Dash vault (360°) - a variant of the dash, when there is a strong push with your hands and a 360° turn. You need to whip with your legs, otherwise you simply won't have enough momentum to turn around.

Kash vault - monkey, after which the legs are brought forward and only then comes the dismount. The higher your legs are raised, the more beautiful the trick looks. The legs can be either together or apart.

Turn vault - a vault with a 180 turn and grabbing the railing or parapet on the other side, preferably in Cat Leap (well, on a wall without ledges you can’t do it any other way). Login can be done as from any other vault (usually, however, it is done as needed).

Turn vault (underbar) - performed only on the railing. After the turn vault, the legs pass under the obstacle and the tracer flies back to the place of the push with a whip.

Lazy vault - when running parallel or at a slight angle to an obstacle, the tracer leans on it with his near hand, raising his legs in front of him with a corner, moving the center of gravity over the obstacle in flight, changing his hand. The pushing leg can be either the one farthest from the obstacle or the one closest. For beauty, grabs, scissors or other feints may also be performed during the trick.

Thief vault - lazy vault used when covering long distances. To perform, you need to push off strongly from the obstacle with your hands.

Lazy vault (360) - after lazy, pushing with one hand and making a swinging movement with the other, turn your body 360 degrees. Rotation can occur either along the longitudinal axis, extended parallel to the ground, or in a vertical position.

Tic-Tac vault (parallel) - Can be used when the railing runs parallel to the wall, not very far from it. The tracer, placing his hand on the railing, pushes away from the wall, using its strength to fly over the railing, performing a one hand vault.

Tic-tac vault (perpendicular) - Can be used when the railing is adjacent to a wall (or other obstacle from which you can push off). It is from this wall that tick-tock is performed. There are three main variants of this trick: a) Running parallel to the railing, a hand is placed on it with a simultaneous push from another obstacle, the force of the push is used to fly over the railing, performing a one hand vault. b) Running onto the railing, tic-tac is performed, then a hand is placed, and a one hand vault is performed. c) Running onto the railing, a parallel carry (speed vault) is performed, at the same time a tic-tac is performed.

Barrel vault - Arabian somersault over a railing or parapet, supported by one arm. Legs are straight.

Gate vault - performed as follows: the tracer rolls over the fence on his stomach and, holding the top of the fence with one hand and leaning on it with the other, throws his legs over to the other side, turning his body behind his legs in flight to remain facing the direction of movement. Can also be performed on railings.

Overturn - Modified Gate Vault. Rolling over an obstacle with support on your stomach and then grabbing the obstacle with both hands, throwing up your legs and turning over your head with your hands.

Pop vault - When overcoming a high obstacle with a running start, a wall pop is performed, then after taking off from the kick, either a monkey or two hand vault is performed.

Walltouch spin - If the railing is located a short distance from the wall, then when running straight towards it, making a one hand vault or two hand vault, you can jump over the railing, then rest your foot on the wall, push and, leaning on one hand, fly back.

Palm spin - A vault jump with a 360° rotation through one or two hands and landing on the point from which the element began. Usually performed with two hands. In this case, the hands are placed at your side, crossing, and as a rule, one hand is placed before the jump, the second after. With this embodiment, most of the support falls on one hand, while the other hand performs the twist. When performing an element through one hand, the rotation is set by the swing of the second hand and/or body. An option is possible when the support is on one hand, the twist is set by the second, which is removed immediately after the twist is completed.

Palm spin (pop) - Palm spin on high obstacles, performed after a run-up and a kick off the wall (wallpop).

Palm spin (reverse) - Palm spin performed towards the back (relative to the hand placed on the obstacle). First, one hand is placed on the edge, and a jump is made while rotating around this hand. Usually after this there is a twist with the second hand away from the obstacle.

Rail flip - The name says it all: a flip over your head on a railing, supported by two hands.

Underbar - Overcoming a railing or any opening by flying under it, carrying first your legs and then your whole body. Can be performed from a running start, from a standstill, or after a wallpop or tic-tac (as in “13th District”).

Underbar (360) - Flying under a railing or into any hole, holding the top edge with your hands, first carrying your head, then your legs and turning your body 360° in flight. Can be performed after tic-tac or wallpop.

Drop in - After taking a vertical handstand on a parapet or railing, the tracer begins to fall forward, assumes a tuck and thanks to this gets to his feet.

Roll - Roll is one of the most important elements in parkour. This is a roll primarily over the shoulder to reduce the load on the legs when landing. Used by tracers all over the world after landing from a great height, or to maintain movement speed.

Cat leap - Jump onto a wall with your hands grasping its edge with the feet of your bent legs resting in front of you on the wall. Used when jumping onto higher walls, or when jumping over a distance slightly greater than what the tracer can jump over. Cat Leap also refers to the position of hanging on your hands on the wall, with the feet of your bent legs resting on it.

Cat to cat - A jump with a 180 degree turn from a cat leap to a cat leap, between two walls or obstacles that can be reached in a cat leap.

Corner - Jump from cat leap to cat leap at a corner with a 270° turn.

Dismount - Jump or dismount from a cat leap position with a 180° or 540° turn.

360° wall hop - Jump with a 360° rotation and then enter a cat leap.

360° wall hop (pop) - Push your foot away from the wall, followed by a 360° turn and entering the cat leap position.

Wallpop - A running push from a wall performed to gain additional height. A two-push option is possible if there are protrusions on the wall.

Tic-tac (one-two) - A push from one obstacle to overcome another or gain height. For example, a push from a wall to fly over a railing or a push from a tree to increase flight range and/or change trajectory. The push usually comes from the surface, located on the side of the tracer.

Double tic-tac - Pushing first from one obstacle, then from another, to overcome a third.

Wallrun - Run along a vertical wall. It can be done both with the aim of covering a certain distance, and with the aim of gaining height. It is also possible to run through a corner or through two corners.

Wallrun (360°) - Differs from Wallrun in that it simultaneously rotates 360° along the longitudinal axis. In this case, most often only 2 steps are taken.

Hand balance - Balancing on an edge or railing in some kind of handstand.

Cat pass - Passing an obstacle on your hands.

Double tap - Pop vault option. It is performed with an additional push or jerk with the hands on the upper edge of the wall in order to reach and grab the railing that is on the wall.

Olle flip - Roll over an obstacle without touching it with your hands or feet.

Five Point Slide - Slide along the railing at the fifth point.

Acrobatic tricks:

(Frontflip) - A forward somersault where the twist is done by swinging your arms from behind your head. Performed from a place or running (push with two legs).

(Front flip down) - A forward somersault, when first a jump is made with a jerk of the arms upward, then a twist is set by swinging the arms from top to bottom. Used primarily when performing somersaults over an obstacle, such as a railing or bush. It is usually performed with a running start.

(Front flip back) - A forward somersault in which the swing occurs with the arms behind the back. Legs are tucked together, hands are not grasped. Gives a very high twist rate, which makes it easier to land on straight legs when performing a somersault on a plane. Performed from a running start.

(Frontflip curve) - Forward somersault with straight legs. The tighter the legs are pressed to the chest, the higher the speed of the twist. It is usually performed with a hand grip on the hips, but other options are also possible (for example, with your arms spread wide, if the stretch allows you to keep your legs close to your chest, or with your legs spread slightly to the sides). It is usually done from a height, from a place or a run (push with two legs).

(Frontflip blansh) - Forward somersault, without tuck with a straight body. performed from a height, with a running start (push with two legs).

(Frontflip curve 180°) - A forward somersault while bending over, with a 180° twist during the extension. Usually done from a height, with a running start (push with both legs).

(Frontflip wave) - A forward somersault, when the twist is done by swinging the leg and/or arms behind oneself, followed by a tuck. Performed with a running start (push with one leg).

(Frontflip wave blansh) - A forward somersault when the spin comes with a swing of the leg. Performed without taking a tuck, with a running start (push with one leg).

(Frontflip wave sag) - A forward somersault with a body bend. Performed with a running start (push with one leg).

(Superman) (gymnasts call it a “long forward somersault”) - A forward somersault, after the jump the body is extended parallel to the ground, the tuck comes to the end. It is usually performed from a height, with a running start, and can be used to overcome obstacles.

(Superman curve) - Superman in a bended tuck. Performed in the same way as a regular superman.

(Backflip) - Backflip in a tuck. When jumping from a height, your back may lean back.

(Backflip curve) - A backflip performed in a tucked position. Performed from a height.

(Backflip sag) - Backflip, without tuck, with a back arch. Performed from a height.

(Backflip blansh) - Backflip without tuck, with a straight body. The twist is set by waving your hands. Performed from a height.

(Backflip wave) - A backflip in which the twist is set by the swing of the leg.

(Backflip screw) - Backflip with rotation around the longitudinal axis, in a tuck. The screw can vary widely.

(Backflip blansh screw) - Backflip with rotation around the longitudinal axis, body straight. The screw is either 180° or 360°. Few parkourists do more.

(Angel drop) - A bending back somersault performed from the Cat leap position.

(Overbah) - When jumping forward, a backflip is performed. It is done in a group, from a place or a run. From high.

(Overbah sag) - Overbah performed without tuck, with a back arch. From a place and from a height.

(Overbah reverse) - Forward somersault when jumping back. Done from above.

(Lemming) - Overbach, in which the twist is done with a swing of the leg. Performed from a running start. Typically from a height, but can also be performed on a plane

Corks-cru - Overbach with propeller. With or without a group.

Strekosat - Flying back somersault from a running start, in a plane perpendicular to the run line.

(Flywheel) - Sideways rotation, through the head, body in a vertical plane. Performed from a running start.

(Arabflip) - Sideways rotation, in a vertical plane, in a tuck.

(Arabflip throw over) - Arabian somersault, in which the back is horizontal and the legs are thrown over themselves. Performed in a tuck or bent position. In parkour, both jumping from a height and overcoming obstacles can be used.

(Mysty) - Arabian somersault, after which the tracer becomes facing the opposite direction of movement. Achieved by pressing the head to the shoulder. In gymnastics it is considered a gross mistake.

(Dacascos) - Sideways rotation (as in an Arabian somersault) in a plane perpendicular to the take-off plane.

Internal lateral - A jump from a height with a sideways rotation, in a plane perpendicular to the edge of the obstacle from which the jump is made, in the direction opposite to the direction of the run (with the head towards the edge).

(Segun Fai) - Randat without arms. Can be done with a screw. Done with a running start.

(Bedouinflip; butterfly) - Rotation in a horizontal plane, the body parallel to the ground. The legs usually go one after the other, swinging above the head. Options: rotation can take place not in a horizontal plane, but at an angle - this is a variant from capuyero. Also, the legs may not move out of the plane of rotation. Often performed in tau-lu programs in wushu.

(B-twist) (jan-tui in wu-shu) - Rotation of an elongated body around a longitudinal axis in a horizontal plane. The approach is like a Bedouin approach, only instead of swinging your legs there is a rotation.

(Screw) - A running jump is made forward, the body is extended parallel to the ground, and rotation occurs around the longitudinal axis. Belle did it (after that he entered the Cat leap right away).

(Wallflip) - Backflip with a wall kick. Alternatively: after 2, 3 or 4 steps along the wall.

(Wallflip screw) - wallflip with rotation around the longitudinal axis, 180° or 360°.

(Arabian wallflip) - Arabian somersault, after one, two or three steps up the wall.

(Trinity flip) - Bedouin somersault off the wall.

(Wallscrew) - Front screw after pushing off with both feet from the wall.

(Wallflip front) - A forward somersault after pushing off a wall or after taking two steps up a wall.

(Tic-tac frontflip) - After kicking off the wall from the side (tic-tac), a front flip is performed. Done with a running start.

(Frontflip Handpop) - When running towards a wall at an angle, perform a normal forward somersault, with a hand push from the wall, which changes the trajectory and gives additional height.

(Wallpalm) - A trick in which the tracer runs up to a wall, jumps out, places two hands on the wall, and rotates through them in a plane parallel to the wall. As a rule, one hand sets the twist, the other provides support (although there is little support there).

(Wallpalm pop) - Side flip after one or two steps along the wall, in a plane parallel to the wall.

(Wallpalm reverse) - From a running start, place your hand on the wall, throw your straight legs to the side with rotation through your hand (in a plane parallel to the wall), then twist with the second hand. A rare trick.

(Ozi flip) - Forward somersault with a grab for a pole or tree

Parkour is a modern, versatile discipline: you have to overcome the obstacles of urban space, jump over railings, climb walls without any equipment, jump without safety nets from one building to another. The name comes from the French parkour (“route, distance”).

People who are interested in parkour are called tracers (from the English trace - “path, route”). The main goal of a tracer is to follow a certain route, to get from point A to point B in the most efficient way possible.

Parkourist. Photo: RIA Novosti / Mikhail Mordasov

Is this a sport or not?

In a number of UK schools, parkour elements have been introduced into physical education classes. Also in the United Kingdom, parkour is recognized as a sporting discipline. However, this is rather an exception: in the vast majority of countries, parkour is not recognized as an official sport.

Where did parkour come from?

• David Bell

The founder and leader of the world parkour movement is David Bell. He was born on April 29, 1973 in a small town in northern France.

David Bell. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org / Eleazar Castillo

His father Raymond Belle was a fireman and an active practitioner of the so-called "Method Natural" movement founded by Georges Hébert before the First World War. It included the development of three areas in a person: willpower, moral qualities and physical strength. The new discipline included running, jumping, rock climbing, self-defense, lifting and throwing objects, balancing act, swimming and much more.

David tried to follow the example of his father. He also participated in athletics, gymnastics, and martial arts. Over time, this childhood hobby grew into the creation of a new discipline: parkour.

• "Yamakashi"

With friends, David Belle created the Yamakashi team in 1987, considered the first parkour team in the world. The name is borrowed from the African language Lingala and translates as “strong body.” For many years the guys trained in the city of Lisse. In the process, a new discipline was formed with its own elements, rules and philosophy.

Soon the Yamakasi team became very popular and was invited to take part in the tour of the world famous musical Notre-Dame de Paris. David Belle and his friend Sebastian Foucan refused, the rest of the team went on tour with the artists.

The popularity of parkour began to grow rapidly when films such as "Yamakashi: The New Samurai" and "Yamakashi 2: Children of the Wind" featuring team members were released, as well as after the release of the films "District 13", "District 13" : Ultimatum" and "District 13: Brick Mansions", in which David Belle himself starred.

Parkour is a natural method of training the human body, with the goal of covering a certain distance as quickly as possible, overcoming obstacles along the way. This “art of movement” does not require any additional equipment: all that is needed is a human body. Parkour requires skill, perseverance, willpower, and discipline, but the result is worth it.

Steps

Part 1

Equipment

1. Buy a pair of good running shoes. They should have a good sole with shock absorption - no skate or football sneakers. They should also be light and flexible; Their main role is not protection, but soft contact with the ground. These could be Nike Air Pegasus, Adidas Nova, K Swiss Ariake or Montrail Masai.

   • You also need a good sockliner in your sneakers to cushion your cat-lips. And, of course, no matter what kind of sneakers you wear, if they don’t fit, don’t wear them. The shoe must stay firmly on your foot, otherwise you risk injury when you land.
   • Don't chase the brand. You'll be training outside, so your sneakers will quickly become dirty. Don't waste money on the appearance of your sneakers.

2. Dress comfortably. Clothes should not restrict your movements, and you should feel light and mobile in them. Make sure you don't get caught in it while moving and it won't get in your way.

   • For example, climbing pants - they give you freedom of movement, are reliable, fit well, and do not get in the way. We recommend choosing Gramicci, Prana Stretch Zion Pants, North Face, or Arborwear. Dickies are also good, they provide good mobility. Jeans are not recommended as they are too stiff and restrict movement. If you have your favorite pants, wear them.
   • Pants don't have to be fashionable, but they do have to absorb sweat. These are sold in various sports stores. Also wear long-sleeved T-shirts to avoid unnecessary scratches during training.
     • To avoid being hot, wear cotton items.

3. Don't buy gloves. You might think your delicate palms need protection from dirty surfaces, but don't be tempted. Don't deprive yourself of the ability to feel contact - after all, you need to know what makes a particular surface good or bad. You might get a little scratched, but you'll gain experience.

   • In the first few weeks, you'll get some bumps and bruises. Soon, you will get used to the load and adapt to the surface.

4. Find a friend. Your friend will not only motivate you, but will also be able to show you things that never even occurred to you, encouraging you to develop even more.

   • You can also find a parkour trainer. An experienced person will be very helpful during your training - and will help you avoid injury. If there aren't many tracers in your area, do some research - there are different parkour communities that are always welcoming new members. Find them.

5. Find places to exercise. Find places in the concrete jungle that are similar to the track, but less dangerous than the Great Wall of China. Once you've found one, find another. You need a variety of challenges to help you develop well.

   • Before going on concrete, practice on grass first. It is easier to remove grass stains than to recover from a fracture.
   • Do not enter private property. The police will not tell you “Dear tracer! How did you learn to jump cat-lips like that? Could you show off your calf muscles?” If the police contact you, be polite and leave the area. Many will understand that you are training, and there will be no problems.

   Part 2

   Physical training

   Aerobic training. You'll be running, jumping, and tumbling a lot, so priority number one is to prepare your lungs. Use treadmills, swim and box. As a result, when you hit the obstacle course, you won't have to worry about running out of steam very quickly.

   • Parkour even has a place for activities such as yoga and lacrosse. If it helps you, do it.

6. Strength training. Once you've prepared your lungs, it's time to pay attention to your muscles. You don't need to do any heavy lifting because moving your car while going through a track takes a lot longer than just jumping over it. So you won't need it. However, you will have to deal with your own body weight. Do push-ups, pull-ups, squats, and leg training as this is the main source of your strength for parkour.

   • It may seem that daily training will quickly lead you to the ideal, but your body needs rest. Do muscle-building exercises every other day (twice a day, at low intensity) to give your muscles time to rest. This will be of great benefit later.

7. Do more. If you have overcome a certain level and are consistently doing 3 sets a day, repeating each exercise 15 times, great. Now do more. Don't stop there. Next week, do 10% more than this week. This will strengthen your spirit and your motivation.

   • Do additional exercises, or switch them around. Variety is the key to developing different muscle groups. If you only swim, take up rugby. One day do squats, the other day do leg pumping exercises. Your ability to focus will only increase.

   Part 3

   Movement training

   Take your time. It will be bad if you hurt yourself. Don't take a leap you think you could possibly take. Your anxiety will be able to get the better of you and your jump. Even if you think you won't be damaged, there is damage that may take a certain amount of time to become apparent. You need to learn to find balance and not overload your body to avoid injury.

   • Determine your level. How far and high do you jump? How fast can you do a somersault? You will understand where to start and where to develop. You will also gain a clearer understanding of your body's capabilities.

8. Perfect your landing. There is a basic way to land that applies to all jumps. Its principles are also applied in the advanced landing method (with a roll). Thus, it is very important to master this technique first. Here are four key aspects to remember:

   • 1) When landing, your feet should be shoulder-width apart.
   • 2) Land on your toes only. This is the only way your body can distribute the load evenly. If you land on your heels, your body will take a hard hit and put more stress on your joints.
   • 3) Do not bend your legs less than 90 degrees. By bending your legs less than 90 degrees, you put too much stress on your knee joints and slow yourself down.
   • 4) After landing, lean forward, allowing your arms to absorb some of the load. By doing this, you will be able to avoid bending your legs less than 90 degrees and will be able to continue running. Use this technique only for jumping from low heights.

9. Roll over the shoulder. This move is one of the most important in your arsenal. The shoulder roll is essentially an over-the-shoulder roll that goes diagonally across the back. It is very important because it reduces the load after landing, converting the downward motion into forward motion so you can continue running.

   • If you are doing a roll with your right hand, you will need to place it on the ground a little to the left and keep your head close to your chest. Next, roll over your right shoulder and then stand up on your feet. The roll is done diagonally to avoid harm to the back and spine.

10. Practice vaults. This will allow you to overcome obstacles easily and quickly. This type of jump maintains your speed while jumping so you can move further.

    • Find the railing. As you approach it, place both hands on it and cross your legs over the right side. Once your feet are level with the railing, remove your right hand for comfort and cross your legs. You should be able to land on the other side of the railing with ease. If you find it difficult to balance, find a railing of a different height.
      • Once you have mastered this movement, practice it on your left side.

11. Practice forays. How else are you going to climb the wall? The same muscles that are used in pull-ups are also used in wall hangings and climbs. Find a stable wall and practice.

    • When doing pull-ups, try to lift your body higher. Reach the point where your elbows are in line with the horizontal bar. Then, pull yourself up even higher so that your chest is above the horizontal bar. Strive to fully perform the foray by standing on your hands on the horizontal bar. During the outing, you can help yourself by jerking your legs.
    • Reduce time. Once you've mastered the basics, start doing the same movements faster. Can you beat your record?
    • You'll need a friend for this. Select a route with point A and point B. Then, one by one, or simultaneously, go through the route. Who will complete it faster? This will allow you to hone your technique to tackle the course faster and more efficiently.
    • Never start a workout without warming up. This is mandatory for any kind of exercise - your muscles must warm up and warm up before loading.
    • At first, practice on a soft surface, such as grass. Concrete does not forgive mistakes.
    • Dress in such a way that you are not afraid of tearing or getting your item dirty. For really hard surfaces, it's best to invest in some kind of hand brace.
    • Believe in yourself. Doubt leads to injury.
    • Take a bottle of water with you. During extreme heat, you will be glad to have a sip of water.

    Warnings

    • You must be physically fit before starting parkour. You can't ignore it. Take the time to see the results.
    • You can't walk until you can crawl. Start practicing simple things. Parkour is not about looking cool. Hone every move to perfection to be a pro.
    • You will still get some kind of injury. This is reality and you need to be confident in every jump you take.

How a French firefighter helped his son become the inventor of an unusual sports discipline, who can do parkour and why it is not just a sport, but a worldview, said a tracer, coach and school director "Parkour perception" Pavel Ageenko.

Dear fathers, who did not climb garages, construction sites, trees and concrete fences as a child - raise your hand. Yeah, there aren't any. Well, is it any wonder that our children also love this activity? The fact that they call it the strange word “parkour” should not scare us. After all, someone calls floor washing “cleaning” - and nothing, the essence of the process does not change.

However, if everything were so simple and the main “trick” of parkour was just an extravagant name, probably schools and special courses teaching this art of climbing and jumping would not be opened one after another in different cities of Russia. They don’t open courses on picking apples from someone else’s orchard (“apple fetching”), although this activity has also always been popular among children.

This means there is something special about parkour. We just need to figure it out What. For this purpose, it is quite logical to go to one of the schools where parkour is taught.

If you arrive at the Mendeleevskaya metro station at the right time, find in the crowd some young man in wide sweatpants, a sweatshirt and a backpack, easily flying up five steps of a flight of stairs and jumping over the railing, and follow him, then you will come straight to school “Parkour perception” (“Perception of the world through parkour”).

Well, there, lovers of the art of overcoming obstacles, among whom there are boys and girls, boys and girls, men and women, begin a three-part training session: warm-up, strength exercises for all muscle groups and practicing elements on apparatus.

— Pavel, what brought you to parkour?

- I am 24 years old. I started training in 2006, before that I was involved in a number of other sports disciplines: gymnastics, karate, basketball, swimming, etc. My parents are professional athletes: my father is a master of sports in gymnastics, my mother is a biathlon. They sent me to various sports sections. But something didn’t suit me there.

I loved climbing construction sites, it was interesting to me. And in 2006, when I graduated from school, I once saw at a construction site how the guys were jumping and performing various mesmerizing elements. I asked them what they do? They explained to me that this is parkour. A few days later I watched Luc Besson’s film “Yamakashi”, where the guys also did pirouettes that inspired me. I started looking for information about parkour on the Internet, but there was very little of it then. At one of the forums I met young people, we met and started training together.

— You said that in other sports, unlike parkour, something didn’t suit you. What exactly?

— In general, parkour is not a sport. Sport is always a competition. People evaluate you. In the ideology of parkour there is no competition with anyone. You are only competing with yourself. It’s not like the media shows: “Parkour is an extreme sport where young guys who have nothing better to do jump on rooftops, putting their lives at risk.” I try to convey this to my students: parkour is a gradual, comprehensive physical development through spiritual development. Spiritual, because you overcome yourself.

— How did you become a coach?

— At one time, parkour changed my worldview. I'm trying to give people what helped me at one time. When you overcome yourself, it transfers to other types of your activities. Of the seven years that I have been doing parkour, I have been teaching for 4 years. I’ll say right away: during this time I had no severe injuries or fractures.

The birthplace of parkour is France. In the city of Lisse, in the suburbs of Paris, two people met - David Belle and Sebastien Foucan. David Böll's father was a fireman, at one time he began to develop a technique that would allow him to climb buildings and save people with increased efficiency. This could not but affect young David. As a teenager, David, together with his friend Sebastien Foucan, practiced the elements developed by his father, not yet realizing that he would become the founders of such a movement as parkour (fr. parkour, distorted from parcours, parcours du combattant– distance, obstacle course). Over time, Bell and Fukan diverged. David advocated that in parkour there should be no commerce, no competition, but only rational, effective overcoming of obstacles from point A to point B. For example, a person is having an asthma attack, you quickly run to the pharmacy to deliver him medicine. Sebastien Foucan, on the contrary, dreamed of making money and acting in films. He created his own special direction, which became known as freerunning. free running- free running). Freerunning is based on spectacular acrobatics. Freerunning competitions are held. Fans of parkour claim that freerunning is quite dangerous.

— Pavel, can everyone attend classes?

— There is an announcement about training on our school’s website. A new person comes, I look at his desire to study, I find out if there are any injuries or health problems. This affects the amount of load. There are no special criteria. I train three times a week and train with the guys on equal terms. The main thing for me is that the lesson takes place in a friendly atmosphere. When we do an exercise together and someone fails, we always support each other. We have a chant. The instructor begins: “Let’s start together!” The guys pick up: “We finished together!” We start training together and finish it together.

Pavel Ageenko in training. Photo: parkourperception.com

— Pasha, what do you think about the division of parkour into men’s, women’s and children’s?

— If we talk about girls in parkour, then everything is a little more difficult for them, due to their physiology. And when teaching, you need to communicate with children differently, more in a playful way.

— Who is the oldest parkour athlete you know?

- Parkour guy? You probably mean tracer? (Tracer - from English. tracer- a person who overcomes obstacles). At one time, a 42-year-old man came to our classes. Now we have men 36-38 years old in our group. Parkour doesn’t seem to be for everyone, but at the same time anyone can do it.

— How compatible is parkour with bad habits?

— The philosophy of parkour presupposes a healthy lifestyle. One of our mottos is: “Be strong to be useful.” Useful for yourself and others. Because all the skills that you acquired during training, you can apply in an extreme situation. But each person decides for himself what to do, what to do, what to consume. Science has proven that if you play sports and take drugs such as tobacco (nicotine is one of the first drugs among physical and psychological addictions), it is much worse for your body than if you simply smoked.

By the way, I’ll tell you a secret: I have bronchial asthma. I have been living with this diagnosis since the 5th grade; before, I couldn’t take a step without an inhaler; I took it with me everywhere. Over time, I started running. It was very difficult. I was out of breath. But training began to help, and now I can easily do without an inhaler. And I take part in 10 km races, subjecting my body to intense physical stress.

In general, if a smoking person comes to my training, I don’t tell him: “It’s bad. Do not smoke". I try to show an alternative path, to convey to people in my training the parkour that helped me.

— Would you like your children to do parkour?

— I will definitely open the world of parkour to my child. Let him decide for himself whether he needs it or not. But in general, I would just like him to play sports.

— How do the parents of your young students feel about their passion for parkour?

— Over the past 5 years, attitudes towards parkour have changed for the better. Now they are happy to send their children to the parkour section. Often parents themselves come to classes to see how the training goes. It’s great when your child doesn’t hang out somewhere unknown and with someone unknown, but trains in the gym with normal kids.

Parkour is like physical education, only better. For example, in England, elements of parkour are taught in physical education classes to increase class attendance.

— How has your life changed with parkour?

— I admit, I used to be shy and rather unsure of myself. Since I started doing parkour, every day I overcome myself and my fear.

— So, thanks to training, fear disappears?

- By the way, no. The fear has not disappeared. Fear is a defense mechanism. He tells you: “Stop.” In parkour you should only do what you are 100% sure of. All injuries happen because you do something you're not sure of.

Confidence can be gained through numerous training sessions, during which you move from a simple exercise to a complex one. If I jump two meters, then I have to practice this jump many times in order to take the bar higher in the future. It is also important that your mind is clear when you jump. The more you stand and prepare to jump, the more likely you are to get injured.

The basic elements of parkour are taken from nature. The names of some of them speak for themselves.
- The “monkey” element (from English - monkey) is one of the most effective elements in parkour, which is used by tracers around the world. This is a jump over a railing where you push off from an obstacle and carry your body through your arms.
— The element “cat lip” (English: “cat jump”) is when you grab the edge of the wall with your fingers, your feet rest against the wall, and in this position you move along the wall. This exercise greatly strengthens the muscles of the arms, legs, back and abs.
- The “roll” element (English roll – ride) – a somersault over the shoulder, used when landing and continuing the movement. This element is needed for safety so that the joints are not subjected to heavy loads.

— Where can you practice parkour?

— The peculiarity of parkour is that in a month you will not look at the world the same way you did before. Walking down the street, you will be looking for where to work out, or how to get to work faster. I have already said that in a certain situation you can help people: run for medicine, remove a cat from a tree, and even catch up with a thief. The whole world is your training ground.

— Perhaps there should be some kind of prohibitions and restrictions?

— There are practically no prohibitions. You need to be aware of the actions you take. That is, if you, for example, jump from roof to roof, you must realize: why are you doing this, why and are you confident in yourself? It is also important to realize responsibility for your actions. You must not disrupt public order, damage other people's property or harm their health.

A parent need not worry about his child if he takes his first steps and tries something new under the supervision of an experienced coach or instructor. But in his free time, outside of group classes, the child can get injured, so the instructor’s task is also to explain what the child should and should not do on his own. Otherwise, the child’s safety already depends on himself and on his upbringing, since it is not possible to look after a person all the time.

Photo: parkourperception.com

They dream of parkour and would like to join this trend. In principle, those who want to start practicing it have only two options: start training on their own or join one of the many tracer communities.

Independent parkour classes in Moscow

Where to start doing parkour? Of course, with a comprehensive theoretical acquaintance with the history of this movement. It’s worth reading forums dedicated to parkour; perhaps the blogs of famous tracers will be useful. At this stage, you need to note for yourself what difficulties beginner parkour lovers faced and how they overcame these difficulties.

Be sure to pay attention to the terminology so that in the future you can speak the same language with your like-minded people. There are many training videos posted online for athletes of various skill levels, and many of them are truly worthy of attention.

After sufficient time has been devoted to theoretical preparation, you can begin to master the basic elements of parkour. It is most convenient to do this in parks, squares, stadiums and sports grounds. You should not attract undue attention to yourself by training right on the street, because a neophyte who does not yet have sufficient skills can not only injure himself, but also injure a person passing by.

You should definitely include exercise, jogging, or any other physical activity in your daily routine, because performing even not very complex elements of parkour is only possible for a person with a flexible and trained body.

Starting parkour in Moscow in a group: is it possible?

Many well-known parkour teams periodically hold master classes and exchange experiences with newcomers in the format of friendly meetings. Most often they take place in sports clubs and stadiums. All these events are announced on social networks, and everyone who subscribes to the Internet page of such a community will learn about such meetings in advance.

For those interested in parkour, a special training block is held. He is supervised by instructors, who then divide the neophytes into groups depending on the level of their initial physical fitness.

Subsequently, several times a week, members of each group, under the guidance of a coach, shoulder to shoulder, master more and more complex elements of parkour. This allows everyone to gradually improve their skills and find friends among other members of the parkour community. Upon completion of such a course, yesterday's beginners in parkour already have a decent average level.