Saturday 29 December 2007

Random thoughts at this precise time.

Where I am and where I am going.
For the last three weeks I have stopped doing conditioning routines and my focus has been purely on techniques. Although it is very important to do conditioning when starting off in parkour to have the strength, I am content with my strength at the present, but I want my technique up to match my strength level.

This week my jump distance has went up, and so has my mood and confidence. Therefore I am going to continue to train this way for the time being.

The weather and general environment has been excellent recently with lots of wind, rain and darkness falls in Glasgow about 3:30pm, so most my training is at night. Am I being sarcastic... Nope! I have been training the past few weeks in cold, dark and wet conditions and for the first time in the wetness I have been doing Parkour and not body weight strength conditioning.

Today for example I popped up the blind and looked out the window, and smiled. At one time I would have been annoyed and frustrated seeing rain and wetness, but today I just grinned. It was wet after a crazy down pour of rain and today was a Saturday Jam session in Glasgow. Despite the cold and wetness, I managed to do my biggest precision to date, as well as vaults, jumps, cats, cranes and balancing/walking on the wet rails.

I am finding training in the wet is heightening my senses and sharpening up my technique, as I do not want to slip and fall. I have to be very precise in my movement. Even in this very short time i feel I am adapting faster than I usually would, and my mind strength has improved, with higher concentration levels, faster instinct and an even more positive attitude to myself and to others.

I am becoming addicted to training in the wet now, due to the highly focussed mentality, almost like meditation at certain points. After training at Rottenrow I went back to the west end and drilled 51 wall climbs and 100 precisions all on my precision limit, plus one extra precision for you lot who where not there... A productive day!

If I can handle Parkour in the wet, then surely it will improve me when it becomes dry and I will feel even more confident as well as competent.

I still have a long long way to go, but i feel happy and can see and feel my current progression.

My new years resolution??
My new years resolution will be the same as last years one... "Not to have a resolution"... I am already doing what I need to do because it is relevant in my progression at this precise time in my Parkour journey.

Zeno

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Very interesting to read. I wish I could share the same views as you, but untill I can gather enough money to buy a new pair of shoes, I refuse to train in the wet in these Ariakes. I have already slipped quite a few times in these, due to wetness, and I don't feel I would be able to progress, and try more challenging things without utter fear of getting hurt.

Traceur Redd said...

I tried pk in the wet once and ended up with a bit of a twisted ankle which was not pleasant. That acted as a deterent for me but your thoughts have given me a bit of confidence and I have decided ill have another go. Ill just have to be extra careful. Well done.

Chris 'Blane' Rowat said...

some_random - train without shoes on until you get new ones, you will have to adjust HOW you train but your feet have great grip in the wet. :-)

I love training in the rain and it's great to hear you agree Zeno.

Somebody recently sent me a message saying they hate the weather right now because it limits what they can do but they soon changed their mind when I pointed out that there is actually a lot more to do!

Bad conditions give you a great opportunity because it makes the simplest things very difficult. It's an opportunity to test your ability and gives you hundreds of new challenges regardless of your level.

Once people realise this the mindset usually changes and they go out and train in the rain. ;-)

Keep up the great work Zeno and I wish you a highly progressive 2008 - don't worry about stopping the conditioning for a while, sometimes you feel the need to just run with something and if purely technical training is what you need right now, that's exactly what you should be doing.

-Blane

TraceurZeno said...

Some_Random: I actually find my Ariake's ok now in the rain, I feel I have adapted with them, same applied to the louder landing I initially had, but now I can be quite quiet with them.

Traceur Redd: You are right you have to be extra careful, but if you go with the thought, "it is like learning parkour all over again, and start slow, then progress steady". You will be suprised at how fast you adapt and how it benefits your Parkour as a while.

Blane: Thanks for you support buddy and deepening my determination.

I really appreciate all your views guys!

Zeno