Headway PArkour Blog
Having trouble breaking a large jump or landing a new trick? The issue may lie deeper than just your technique. Many times we can trace the inability to execute a move to the Traceur’s fitness level. Most Traceurs are very fit, this is common knowledge; But too many traceurs neglect essential conditioning for our discipline. Today I will be revealing many of the conditioning techniques which I believe every serious Traceur should perform in order to temper our bodies into the ultimate movement machine. Bodyweight Training Bodyweight training is just what it sounds like, it is training using your own bodyweight as resistance. It sounds pretty easy, but trust me, sometimes the bodyweight workouts are harder than the actual Parkour. Bodyweight training is similar to Parkour, you use your muscles to move your unweighted body around. Doing this will develop many of the same muscles used whilst performing flows. This is why I believe that bodyweight training is an ideal Parkour workout. Just be careful not get too obsessed with any one conditioning style, you should balance your conditioning by implementing all of the conditioning techniques mentioned in this article. Stretching Stretching is an vital practice if you intend to maintain your longevity as a Traceur. Most Traceurs know to stretch a bit before training hard, but deep stretching goes far beyond this; Deep stretching entails holding the positions for much longer periods of time, usually around two minutes per stretching pose. Check out the resources at the end of this article for more info. Luckily for you time conscience Traceurs you can kill three birds with one stone by doing Yoga or Pilates, these practices reduce stress, build muscle, and increase mobility. Rolling out is another important exercise for keeping your muscles loose and strong. Use a foam roller or other similar device to relieve stress from your trigger points. I have seen a phenomenal increase in my abilities since implementing them into my exercise regime. Cardio Parkour sure does take a toll on your stamina, that is why it’s important to build it up with cardio exercises. Cardio exercises include: running, swimming, cycling, and much more. Just be sure to research each exercise before getting into it. Running for example can have negative effects on your joints if you don’t learn proper technique; Once again, check the links at the bottom for more info. Sprints are great for Parkour, doing them will develop white fast twitch muscle fibers in contrast to long distance running which will develop red slow twitch muscle fibers. Low impact activities like cycling and swimming are great if you are recovering from an injury, as they build up your cardiovascular capacity without damaging your joints. Weight Training Weight training is sometimes placed in a negative light by the Parkour community, I beg to differ. Weight training usually builds muscle, In most cases this is not what we want for Parkour. This is precisely why you should be doing strength training instead, this style of weight lifting builds strength not bulk. Focus on low reps with heavy weight, also be explosive with your lifting, but stay safe. I am not an expert on this topic so I refer you to the links tagged onto the bottom of this article. Sometimes weight training can be as simple as lifting rocks, no need to be fancy. Much of the conditioning traditionally done in gyms can be brought outside to good ole’ mother nature. L'art du déplacement
“Train for what you want” The quintessential workout for Parkour is Parkour. We are conditioning to become better suited for Parkour, yes? Then why neglect it as our primary source for conditioning? The best way to improve your kong distance is to bust out some kongs! Sure, lifting weights and doing bodyweight workouts will improve your overall strength but they will not develop the same range of motion that training Parkour will. This is not to say that we should neglect the other workout styles, as they are all beneficial in their own unique ways. We should aim to implement a healthy amount of every workout technique into our conditioning program. I highly recommend checking out American Parkour’s “Workout Of The Day” a great Parkour workout every week day! Try visiting Obsidian 1338’s page for loads of Parkour conditioning techniques that most any Traceur can work up to. Most of all, just get out and train! If you keep up a regular training plan your momentum will kick in and soon you will be in peak physical condition; I’ll meet you there! Resources Build Strength Without Bulk America Parkour Workout Of The Day You Are Your Own Gym Bodyweight Training Products How To Become Bendy Why Bodyweight Workouts Rock How To Roll Out Muscles Beginner Running Guide Beginner Cycling Guide How To Do Yoga Pilates Guide 100 Swimming Workouts Obsidian 1338 Parkour Channel
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |