Why conditioning is important!!!

Towards the end of last year i cut out a lot of the conditioning and focused primarily on my technique. Not because I find condition too hard or boring like many people think who try Parkour. I cut back on the conditioning to enable my body frame to become lighter and to really improve my technique by focusing on just doing Parkour. Yes I became leaner, yes I improved my technique and yes my jump and Parkour vision increased.

So I should be happy that most aspects of my Parkour was improving... What I did overlook was my resistance/body armour from being very strong, had now slowly decreased, and the larger jumps and drops where becoming more demanding for my body even though I did not notice at first.

During the Springtime this year, i was given a little warning from a small fall at Vauxhall in London. It was just a simple fall and I saved myself. So what's the big deal? Well I managed to injure my wrist, which took a good almost three months. I have bailed and saved myself many times before in the past, but I have been strong and resilient enough to handle it. However with my body's strength was not as strong as it should have been, therefore I picked up an injury.

Over the past months this year I have also read in online forums, videos and even seen Traceurs who neglect their conditioning in favour of doing the big jumps and drops, as they want to do the so called impressive stuff right away, only to find out their body cannot handle it. Parkour is not a race to see who can do the biggest or most dangerous obstacles. It is about improving your abilities safely and sensibly through training and helping others.

I would also like to point out that Parkour did not start out with the original French Traceurs/Yamakasi doing big jumps right away, but was born from strength training, from who could lift what, how many reps and various strength, power and edurance challenges; from which the urban obstacle cource evolved from to what we know as Parkour/ADD/Freerunning.

There are many Traceurs out there who can do the big impressive jumps in less the time it took the older or more experienced ones to do. However fail to see the short comings from dilution. I cannot express how important it is to read Blanes article "Dilution"

I will take my own path in Parkour and if it takes longer than others, then so be it! I want to be doing Parkour long term. So conditioning will be a balanced and integral to my Parkour training, and help me to be strong and resilient.

To be really good at anything takes plenty of time and repetition and does not happen quicky, and taking shortcuts will show!

Zeno

The power of a push up.

Giving Parkour the right impression to the public and the authority is very important. However the general public and authorities such as the Police, Security Guards and Neighbourhood Watch may be unaware that you are training for Parkour. And think that you are up to no good and are being a nuisance or being reckless.

So how do you educate the person watching you? How do you give a positive, respectful image to Parkour to the ones who think you are causing trouble?

A technique I do very often, such as when I see the likes of a security guard approaching is to drop to the ground and do 10 or more push ups. Why you say? Well the general person can identify with the push up, as a form of exercise, and then from that mental image are the positive connotations of strength fitness & discipline.

In a world where first impressions count, a positive impression of Parkour is important and so is the push up.

9/10 times this technique has worked for me, if I am told to move on, I look them in the eye, smile and say no problem – and move on. If you make lots of noise during your training or damage property then you cannot expect to get respect.

It is good when someone comes up to you, showing curiosity and asking nicely what you are doing - but for the ones who may judge you without a conversation, then visual communication is equally important. Show them you are strong and disciplined. That is the power of a push up.

Try it and see...

Getting Results in strength and fitness

I want to keep this post short and straight to the point!

Often I receive comments, emails and messages asking what condition routines do I do, what number of reps and sets should they should do...

To achieve good results in strength and fitness requires discipline, time and constant stimulus; along with adequate rest and good nutrition. The body when doing the same exercises, all the time will adapt fast to a particular movement and try to execute the exercise with as little energy as possible. Your body will try to become lazy. So it is very important to keep varying your routines, temperature and environments (constant stimulus & constant challenge).

Try to keep your mind and the body just out of its comfort zone. And when you finish exercising, replenish your energy levels with carbohydrates, lots of quality protein and rest.

At the end of day, to be strong and fit depends on the individual, their ability, their genetics and the variety of exercises so their training regime. We live in a society that expects fast results in anything in life. There is no secret. It takes time, a will, creative improvisation and hard work, but it is worth it!!!

Train Well

Zeno