Ever be awestruck by the skill and agility displayed in parkour videos? Parkour is a discipline that requires a lot of mental focus and physical training to navigate through obstacles efficiently and smoothly. This guide will explore the world of parkour and show you why they are so amazing.

What is Parkour?

Parkour is a form of physical training that requires you to move through obstacles quickly and efficiently. Parkour is performed outdoors in urban areas. Participants use their bodies to climb, jump and vault over walls, railings and other structures.

Parkour was originally developed in Paris’ suburbs in the 1990s. Since then, it has grown in popularity all over the world with dedicated practitioners pushing the limits. Parkour is characterized by its emphasis on movement efficiency, individual creativity, and athletes constantly looking for new ways to move through their environment.

Basic Parkour Moves

Although parkour is an individual practice, there are some fundamental moves that can be used by all practitioners. We’ll be covering the most basic moves in parkour and giving tips on how to master them.

The Jump

Parkour’s most important move is the jump. It allows practitioners to overcome obstacles and bridge gaps that would otherwise be impossible. When jumping, there are a few key principles to remember:

• Focus your attention on your target and visualize yourself clearing the way
• You can use your arms to create momentum and propel you upward
• To absorb the impact of the landing, bend your legs.

The Vault

A vault is a move where a practitioner uses their hands and arms to clear an obstacle such as a wall or railing. There are many types of vaults.

• Speed vault
• Lazy vault
• Kong vault
• Dive vault
• Thief vault

Each vault is different, so practitioners need to be aware of the differences. However, practitioners should keep their weight centered and keep their body low to ground in order to maintain balance and stability.

The Wall Climb

Wall climbing is a technique in which a practitioner uses their upper body strength and climbs up a wall or other vertical surface. Here are some key tips to help you succeed in wall climbing:

• Engage your core, and keep your body close the wall.
• Push against the wall with your feet to generate upward momentum
• Grab onto small edges and ledges with your hands and pull yourself up using your hands

The Precision Jump

A precision jump is a move where a practitioner jumps from one surface to another with very little time. Practitioners must pay attention to:

• Visualize their landing spot and trajectory
• To absorb the impact, they should bend their knees upon landing.
• Ensure stability and balance throughout the jump

The Roll

Parkour practitioners use the roll to absorb the impact from a jump or fall and prevent injury. Practitioners should follow these steps to master a roll.

• Start by crouching down on the ground and then rolling your back onto the surface.
• Keep your momentum going and keep rolling forward, tucking your head and keeping your knees slightly bent.
• To return to a standing position, extend your legs at the end.

Intermediate Parkour Moves

Once they have mastered the basics of parkour, they can move on to more difficult and complex maneuvers. Below are some intermediate parkour moves.

The Wall Spin

Wall spin is a move where a practitioner jumps onto the wall and spins around to return to their feet. Here are some key tips to execute a successful wall spin:

• A running start can help you generate momentum
• Pushing against the wall with your feet to create a rotational force
• Place your feet shoulder-width apart, and keep your center of gravity low.

The Cat Leap

A cat leap is a move where a practitioner jumps from one side to the other, sometimes with a gap between. Practitioners should:

• Visualize their landing spot and trajectory
• You must generate enough momentum to close the gap
• Roll or absorb the impact of landing

The Reverse Vault

A reverse vault is a move where a practitioner uses his hands to clear obstacles behind him, such as a wall and railing. Practitioners should:

• Visualize their landing spot and trajectory
• Keep their weight in check and keep their body close to the obstacle
• To generate upward momentum, push the obstacle with your hands

The Wall Flip

A wall flip is a move where a practitioner runs up and flips backwards to land on their feet. Here are some key tips to execute a successful wall flip:

• You need to generate enough speed and momentum
• Use your arms to generate upward force while you leap off the wall.
• To perform the flip, tuck your legs and rotate your body.

Advanced Parkour Moves

Intermediate parkour moves can be mastered, but advanced maneuvers can take your skills to the next step. We’ll be looking at some of the most advanced parkour moves.

The Wall Run

A wall run is a technique in which a practitioner runs up and jumps off to clear obstacles. Here are some key tips to execute a successful wall-run.

• Develop enough speed and momentum
• Use your feet to grasp the wall and generate upward force
• Timing your jump so you can clear the obstacle at top of wall

The Tic Tac

The tic tac is a move where a practitioner jumps off a wall and uses their momentum for jumping onto another wall or obstacle. Here are some key tips to execute a successful tic tac:

• Running starts can help you generate enough speed and momentum.
• Use your feet and hands to push the first wall down and generate upward force
• To clear the space between walls, tuck your legs and rotate your body.

The Front Flip

A front flip is a move where a practitioner jumps forward, and then executes a forward somersault while in midair. Here are some key tips to execute a successful front flip:

• Generating enough speed and momentum
• Use your arms to generate upward force while you jump
• To perform the flip, tuck your legs and rotate your body.

The Wall Clings

Wall cling is a move where a practitioner jumps onto a wall to cling to it vertically with their upper body strength. Here are some key tips to help you execute a wall cling successfully:

• Running starts can help you generate enough speed and momentum.
• Use your feet and hands to grasp the wall and keep your balance.
• Use your upper body strength and pull yourself up against the wall

Parkour’s Benefits

Parkour is a physically demanding discipline that can be a challenge, but it also offers many benefits beyond improved athleticism. Parkour has many key benefits, including:

Improved mental focus

Parkour requires that practitioners stay focused and maintain a high mental concentration to be able to execute moves safely. This can be translated into other areas of your life, such as academics and work.

Increased confidence

As they master more difficult parkour moves, practitioners can feel more confident in their abilities and this can be translated into other areas of life. Confidence can improve self-esteem, social relationships, and overall sense of purpose.

Better Physical Health

Parkour requires strength, endurance, balance, and a high level in physical fitness. Regular parkour training can help practitioners build muscle and improve their overall physical condition.

Greater Creativity

Parkour is a discipline that encourages creativity. Practitioners are always looking for new ways to move around their environment. This creativity can improve problem-solving skills, and lead to greater innovation in all areas of life.

Conclusion

Parkour moves are a testament of the amazing capabilities of the human mind and body. Parkour can help practitioners improve their physical and mental fitness. They can also gain creativity and confidence that can be applied to other areas of their lives. No matter if you are an expert or just starting out, there is always a new parkour move that you can learn and explore.