Parkour?

Not yet. I had started a training schedule to get into shape before starting it (please, just call it free-running), but then I started rehearsals for this play and now I work practically 14 hours a day. Once this show strikes, I'm going to go on a week long vacation, I think a camping trip in Maine. Once I get back from that, I'll go back into training.

My friend and I had gotten to the point where we were climbing over shoulder-height walls fairly quickly and jumping into a straight run along hip-high walls.

Not to be rude or anything, but this seems kinda ... dumb to me.

Were you just really bored or is this something you're actually getting into?

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Original post by zer0wolf Not to be rude or anything, but this seems kinda ... dumb to me. Were you just really bored or is this something you're actually getting into?

just think of it as a way to stay in shape that is a little more exciting than regular running. That's why I was originally doing it, I can't stand normal running, it's just so freaking boring.

Video of Parkour

I have loved this stuff for a long time. To bad I 1) don't get in shape to do it and 2) live in an area where I can.

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Original post by zer0wolf Not to be rude or anything, but this seems kinda ... dumb to me.

IMHO Parkour is the most awesome means of physical exercise / extreme sport humanly possible.

Google Video Demonstration
Google Video Interview


Certainly not dumb...

This does look quite fun, and I'm in France so...I'd just be rather worried about my knees, they seem to fall from awfuly high and even if they absorb some of the shock isn't it a bit high impact?

zer0wolf:
well, i was kinda bored, but not this much. If you look at exercises in general, there's such ultra boring things as running on threadmill, which i really don't understand.

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Original post by Dmytry zer0wolf: well, i was kinda bored, but not this much. If you look at exercises in general, there's such ultra boring things as running on threadmill, which i really don't understand.

Oh, god, I would rather perform DIY lyposuction.

I suppose looking at it as a source of exercise makes sense. Making working out a little more entertaining certainly isn't a bad thing. I just wouldn't do it as well, a source of actual entertainment.

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Original post by Penten This does look quite fun, and I'm in France so...I'd just be rather worried about my knees, they seem to fall from awfuly high and even if they absorb some of the shock isn't it a bit high impact?

(I have no idea what I'm talking about, pure guessing based on what I saw). Seems to me that rolling takes most of the shock out of the land and possibly makes it minimal on the knees. I've seen a lot of their videos and they seem to roll every time they take a large jump.

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Original post by necreia Quote: Original post by Penten This does look quite fun, and I'm in France so...I'd just be rather worried about my knees, they seem to fall from awfuly high and even if they absorb some of the shock isn't it a bit high impact? (I have no idea what I'm talking about, pure guessing based on what I saw). Seems to me that rolling takes most of the shock out of the land and possibly makes it minimal on the knees. I've seen a lot of their videos and they seem to roll every time they take a large jump.

The impact on the knees is still pretty high. Basically, the roll keeps them from completely shattering their legs.

Another nice documentary

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Original post by capn_midnight Quote: Original post by necreia Quote: Original post by Penten This does look quite fun, and I'm in France so...I'd just be rather worried about my knees, they seem to fall from awfuly high and even if they absorb some of the shock isn't it a bit high impact? (I have no idea what I'm talking about, pure guessing based on what I saw). Seems to me that rolling takes most of the shock out of the land and possibly makes it minimal on the knees. I've seen a lot of their videos and they seem to roll every time they take a large jump. The impact on the knees is still pretty high. Basically, the roll keeps them from completely shattering their legs.

yep, also first thing i need is train to reduce hit on the ankle. I'm not doing anything high yet, so not much damage possible.

I have a friend who practizes Le Parkour... he's a very lithe, yet strong person.

You see lots of "Air" in the videos on the internet, but in fact it's not about jumping... it's about crossing as much (urban) terrain as possible with the fewest possible number of stops and without sticking to roads, curbs or other limitations as normal runners do. You only jump from high ledges when you have to. Notably, though, "high" becomes a totally relative term after a while.

I truly wish I was that well in shape...

Harrisburg is rather interesting in this regard. There are some places with some very nice brick walls and arch ways, though they are kind of spread out so you won't be able to link them together. There is also a hiking trail that circles the city (and even goes through it in a couple of places). In one part of it is an abandoned section of railroad, with a dilapidated bridge, with a lot of old, craggy, stone walls. It's a little more akin to mountain climbing than free running, but still really freaking fun.

Actually i've simply tried running & getting over such kind of thing (which involves jumping) without stopping:

easier                                                  O------->     ______           harder                    ||             |    |      <------------                  ||-------------|    |--(farther away levels is even)      /\              |____|____________________________________/__\______ground level

(it is made from non-polished granite bricks hence good friction & edges won't shatter like concrete). It's easy to jump onto it from the left (not stopping) or stop and get onto it from the right using hands. I.e. it's not the force that is issue, but nice use of the force (and momentum) to get over it fast and nicely looking way.

This is the sickest parkour video ever made. This kid is just off his rocker.

YES! I've been doing this since highschool, in fact long before it had a name. Since it has become mainstream I've started running with Nes8bit(banned) who's interest has been peaked. In fact hes getting pretty decent at it. I'm naturally pretty good at it but I'm a little rusty because my spair time goes to my MMA training. I can jump from about 2 storys safely, climb a 15 foot wall, hurdle post office boxes and pretty much anything that is as tall as my chin. I practice on the roof of the 7 story office building I work at, walking along the edges to overcome the uneasiness of involuntary vertigo. I'm not afraid of heights but it took me about 3 months to step up and walk along the edge of the building without getting nervous or having intense anxiety. Now I can run along the edges and jump to them with confidence.

If any of you gamedevers are in the San Diego area and would like to meet up for some practice or just for fun let me know! Nes is always trying to get me to go running with him but I've been lacking motivation.

I'm still working on getting into good enough shape to make serious runs (history of bad knees in the family). It's slow going but every few months I rewatch some of the great sample vids and get re-inspired.