The first public parkour performances debuted in the 1990s by a group of enthusiasts known as the Yamakasi. Since the World Freerunning Parkour Federation was formed in 2008, this fast-paced sport is known and admired around the world.
Do you love watching your favorite athletes jump, climb, and run effortlessly across any obstacle? Would you like to try some beginner parkour moves yourself?
Here are three parkour tricks you can try in your area.
The Safety Roll
Once you’re appropriately dressed in sneakers, comfortable pants, and a Ninja-style shirt (you can find this here), it’s time to master one of the most important parkour moves — the safety roll.
Before you even think of leaping off a tall object, you have to know how to land without injuring yourself. A safety roll releases the pressure from your joints and spine, allowing you to land safely and keep moving.
Choose a level area with soft ground. As you drop from an object (i.e., a park bench or a playground platform), land on the balls of your feet and maintain your forward momentum. Lean forward, tuck in your chin, extend your forearms, and roll diagonally across your shoulder and glute.
Roll up onto one knee and use the momentum to propel yourself forward. At no point should your head or spine touch the ground — you’ll take the impact on your shoulder, hip, and side.
Precision Jumping
Precision jumps enable you to land on small, specific areas, such as a rail or a wall ledge. This requires balance, concentration, and an awareness of your personal limitations.
Place your feet together as you stand on the edge of your take-off point. Bend your knees, swing your arms behind you, and use the motion to propel yourself into the air.
As you jump, push off the obstacle with your toes as you lean forward and swing your arms upward. Land as softly as possible on the balls of your feet, with your feet together.
Once you’ve mastered a standing precision jump, you can practice a running start to the take-off point.
The Wall Run
If you want to leap tall buildings in a single bound, you first need to master the wall run.
Run towards the wall of obstacle and take off with your jumping leg. Connect the ball of your other foot to the obstacle and propel yourself upwards, turning horizontal momentum into vertical momentum.
Push as high as you can and reach with your arms towards the top of the obstacle. Grab the ledge or the top of the obstacle and continue to climb or vault your way over it.
Try These Parkour Moves This Summer
Learning how to parkour is a fun and exhilarating experience!
Like with any new sport, however, you should make safety a priority. Practice these parkour moves with friends (never alone), and wait until you’ve masted basic parkour tricking before you tackle more advanced techniques.
Now that you’re on your way to becoming a parkour master, what’s next? Keep browsing our site for more entertaining articles like this one.
