For sure, you have heard of Parkour and played it often in Minecraft. Parkour is a trendy and stimulating sport, for which there is a real community not just in Minecraft Parkour Servers. In this post, let’s talk not about the video games from Minecraft but the real-life Parkour sport that will require your strength, balance, and stamina. So get up from your computer station and give Parkour a try yourself, outdoors with friends.
What is Parkour?
The sport, Parkour requires the participant to move from point A to point B by crossing several obstacles such as ramps, stairs, walls, houses, and this without the help of no equipment. The goal is to reach your destination as efficiently as possible with the best economy of effort. This is why this sport is also called the art of movement.
Parkour runners also called “tracers”, combine different movements from sports such as climbing, jumping, and running. Everything is permitted as long as one only uses the strength of one’s own body. The emphasis is on flow and control of movements.
Originally, Parkour was practiced freely, outdoors, for example in the middle of town. Since then, gymnasiums specially designed to train in Parkour have sprung up. Parkour is a very demanding sport requiring strength, endurance, balance, and coordination on the part of the tracker.
Besides, Parkour is much more than a sport. Professional plotters consider it an art form, hence its name “art of displacement”. It is also a way to socialize with other people who share the same values in sport to overcome obstacles together, without the spirit of competition. The sense of community is very important in the practice of Parkour.
This particular workout was pioneered by French soldier Raymond Belle and his son David Belle in the 1980s. Various feature films, documentaries, and commercials have brought Parkour to the world’s attention since the 1990s.
Who is Parkour for?
Parkour is for anyone looking to practice a challenging sport in which they can test their limits. You must have a good basic physical condition and be interested in training in a community. Parkour requires a lot of discipline and taking responsibility, both for yourself and for the other participants. Parkour could be for you if you love adventure and have tried other sports such as weightlifting.
Learn Parkour for Beginners
Do you dream of one day becoming a traceur yourself and mastering Parkour? For beginners, this sport could be a real challenge but here are a few tips to help you join a team of Parkour participants.
- Find a Parkour group: if you can’t find a Parkour gymnasium, federation, or even associations near you, search online or on social networks for people who also want to practice this activity, who share the same interests, and the same values in sport as you. They can tell you the best routes and share their tips with you.
- Work on your strength, endurance, and agility: it is useful to know the basics of this sport before embarking on your first Parkour. Regularly work on your strength and endurance as well as your agility, for example by jogging, weight training, calisthenics, or by practicing mobility training. Balance training is also a good complement.
- Start slow and be aware of your limits: although indoor Parkour is relatively safe, don’t underestimate the risk of injury. Take your time to understand the heights, distances, and dangers, as well as to discover as you go what you are capable of.
- Warm-up: To avoid unnecessarily overloading your tendons, ligaments, joints, and muscles during Parkour training, always start with a good warm-up.
- Make sure you recover well. Parkour is demanding and solicits the whole body. Make sure you recover well by getting enough sleep, getting enough rest, and supplying your body with the right nutrients.