Exploring urban space in new ways has long been a popular activity amongst outdoor adventurers. But for those more interested in fitness, the emergence of “Parkour” and “Free Running” provides a whole new way of training and exercising. By removing the traditional boundaries of outdoor athletics and replacing them with the streets and alleyways of the city, these activities have provided an interesting and exciting way for anyone to keep fit and healthy. Let’s take a look at what Parkour and Free Running are, and the different ways they have changed the way people view physical fitness in the urban environment.
1. An Urban Adventure: The Basics of Parkour and Free Running
Are you ready for an urban adventure? Parkour and Free Running are thrilling activities to explore the cityscape around you!
What is Parkour and Free Running? Both activities often involve flips, twists, and other acrobatic movements on surfaces such as buildings, railings, walls, and benches. Parkour’s main objective is to move quickly and efficiently, using your environment to complete a course or obstacle. Free Running on the other hand, involves the freedom to create stunts while running with the use of the environment.
The Essentials If you’re interested in taking the leap to do Parkour or Free Running, here are some things you’ll need:
- Running Shoes with Good Grip
- Flight Suits/Compression Clothing with knees and elbows pads
- Crash Mats/Safety Zones
- Spotters
Safety Tips Whether your’re a beginner or a pro, safety should always be your number one priority when doing Parkour/Free Running. Avoid unknown buildings or structures that look weak or decayed. Before attempting any type of move or trick, make sure you have a spotter and a crash pad.
Where to Get Started? While Parkour and Free Running can be done almost anywhere, finding an open grass area or an empty parking lot with plenty of space to run, jump, and flip is ideal. You’ll also want to choose a place where you have access to structures and objects to practice on. If you are in an urban area, look for spots such as abandoned buildings, parks, hills, or areas made for skateboarding for a good place to start.
2. Exploring the Benefits of Urban Fitness
Urban fitness is becoming one of the most popular ways for people to stay fit in today’s busy lives. From dancing in the streets to running through the parks, there are countless benefits to exploring your city for exercise opportunities. Here’s a look at some of the ways urban fitness can be advantageous.
- It’s Fun: Urban fitness can be more enjoyable than a traditional trip to the gym. From running through parks and trails, to biking along the waterfront, exercising outdoors is great for the body and the soul.
- It’s Cost-Effective: You don’t have to shell out for a gym membership or expensive fitness equipment. In most cases, exploring your city for fitness opportunities is completely free, all you need is a good pair of shoes.
- It’s Adaptable: Whether you like hiking, running, skating, biking or some other form of physical activity, there’s likely somewhere to do it in the city. There are plenty of creative ways to keep fit, all you have to do is get out there and explore.
- It’s Community-Oriented: One of the best benefits of urban fitness is the sense of community that comes along with it. Many cities have organized running clubs, dance troupes, biking groups, and more, making it a great way to meet other people who share your interests.
- It’s Convenient: Whether you live in an urban area or just visiting, hitting the pavement in your own neighborhood or a nearby city is a great way to exercise and explore.
Urban fitness can be a great way to keep in shape and see the sights. What are you waiting for? Put on your shoes and get out there and explore!
3. Pushing the Limits of Fun and Flexibility
Staying inside your comfort zone creates a safe feeling, but it also means that you won’t be able to experience anything new. So, if you want to push the limits of fun and flexibility, you’ll need to step out of your safe zone and let go of your inhibitions. Below are some tips to help you do just that:
- Let go of your routine. Venture out of your familiar routine and explore experiences that you are curious about. Open yourself up to trying new things and having unique experiences.
- Take a risk. Step outside of your boundaries and take a risk, or two. Go skydiving, bungee jumping or something that excites you. Not only will you be having fun, you will also be flexing your fear threshold and testing your limits.
- Broaden your creative horizons. Don’t be scared to express yourself through art. Pick up painting, singing or writing. Creativity allows for more flexibility and brings forth the fun side of life.
- Learn a new language. Trying to learn a new language is always a fun and flexible activity. Not only will you be able to practice a new language, you can also open yourself up to a whole new culture full of experiences.
- Be spontaneous. Allow yourself to be spontaneous and find yourself in unexpected places. Planning things out can be fun, but don’t let that keep you from doing something out of the ordinary.
These tips can help you to achieve a different perspective that enables flexible thinking and fun activities. Breaking our comfortable habits allows us to see the world from a different angle and explore further than we thought was possible. The other side of our comfort zone can be full of surprises and can open doors to new possibilities. Step out of your comfort zone and push the limits of fun and flexibility!
4. Guiding You Along the Journey of Parkour and Free Running
Practically all beginners benefit from the help of a qualified instructor as they attempt to master the skills and principles of parkour and free running. Thankfully, there is an abundance of resources and guidance available to those just starting out on their journey.
- Start off at a public gym and introduce yourself to the coach and other members of parkour/free running community, building your confidence engaging with the group.
- Study instructional videos and tutorials on the basics, such as rolling, vaulting, wall climbing, and jumping. These form the core of the activity.
- Get motivated and inspired by leading practitioners of parkour. You can challenge yourself by looking up their progressive stunts and working step-by-step to replicate them.
- Seek out those in your area who have extensive experience in parkour/free running. Experienced practitioners can provide pointers and guidance, helping you to progress your skills faster.
Start Small and Focus on Form. When challenged with a larger, more complex obstacle, focusing on the small, achievable steps will assist with mental clarity and overcoming the obstacles quickly. Starting with one simple move, such as a roll or vault, and perfecting it is a vital foundation.
Once you’ve built expertise in one move, you can challenge yourself further by attempting trickier variations of it. Visualize yourself doing it, practice diligently, and you will be soon be executing with confidence.
Exploring a variety of parkour gyms helps to stay excited and motivated. Discovering new obstacles and environments introduces a greater element of challenge and will keep you excited about progress.
By focusing on developing your skills bit by bit, your journey can become a rewarding experience that strengthens your body, mental and spiritual content.
Urban exploration—and in this case, the exploration of one’s own movement—is an exciting way to move through the city, and can open up the potential of your own body. Parkour and free running are just two of the many ways we can explore the world around us; they offer a great opportunity to challenge yourself with thrilling new movements and to discover that the city is your playground.
