Thinking Over the Box: A Lesson in Parkour
Thinking Over The Box: A Lesson in Parkour
Mark Nycz
The beginner parkour course is 10 weeks long and it is taken slowly, with safety being at the forefront. Movements are taught on the ground at first then gradually transitioning to basic aerobic movements like front flips, a staple in Parkour.
When it comes to fitness some people like to think outside the box but Illinois Central College student Taylor Washburn prefers to think over the box with parkour. Often referred to as “the art of movement”, parkour combines the agility of gymnastics and the discipline of martial arts that utilizes whole body movements from point A to B. With a background in gymnastics, martial arts and even rock climbing, the urge to try parkour was too much for Washburn when he came across it online. After months of jumping from rooftops and trying to replicate what he saw on YouTube, Washburn decided to pursue certification in training others in this unique sport. After pushing his body to the limits, Washburn is now is now certified and passing that knowledge on to the Peoria area.
“It was pretty intense,” says Washburn as he describes the certification course, hosted by Apex Movement. “When went through there, basically level one course.”
The certification program helped him refine his skills and how to work within a group setting to offer the course to multiple people at a time. His training also prepared him to deal with individuals of all fitness levels who are interested in the sport. Washburn stated, “There’s a lot to do with biomechanics, teaching how does your body interact with the environment around you, how do those forces impact your body and how to minimize the damage from those.”
The first round of classes have already begun in his studio in downtown Peoria. “It’s going really well, everyone’s learning really well.” he says, “I’m excited for each coming week now because everyone is learning so quickly.”
The beginner parkour course is 10 weeks long and it is taken slowly, with safety being at the forefront. Movements are taught on the ground at first then gradually transitioning to basic aerobic movements like front flips, a staple in Parkour. The classes progress in difficulty based on the progress made by participants. Much like a baby, one must learn to crawl before he can jump. With that train of thought, the first things learned are quadrupedal movements, or QM, that involve crawling around in all different directions. From here students learn the core technique known simply as “parkour roles” that aid in the safety of landing. More advanced drills focus on balance and jumping, including walking on rails. Final classes focus on movements such as volts and jumping from rail to rail along with combination movements.
“As a coach (or an instructor) you’re never done learning, you always learn more from teaching and that’s awesome.” said Washburn.
As with any sport, parkour has its fair share of risk. Unlike sports such as football, the use of protection from padding or helmets limits the user’s ability to maneuver. One way to help insure safety during parkour is learning the proper ways to fall and roll to minimize injuries. These two techniques are a core focus and are heavily focused on in beginning sessions.
“With the safety that we do, before learn how to jump, before learn how to run, before we learn how to do anything more than ground level, you learn how to roll, learn how to fall.”
This ninja like sport has gathered new momentum recently with the prevalence of user posted videos on YouTube and a recent James Bond film using professional parkour experts performing stunts. In reality, Parkour has been seen as early as the 1920’s in films like the classic The Mark of Zorro. Actor Douglas Fairbanks uses parkour style moves to out maneuver his pursuers and adding flair to the movements of Zorro that fans of the movie have come to love.
The new media love affair with parkour has spread it popularity on a global level sometimes in the unlikeliest of places. In the war torn cities of Baghdad and Gaza, youth, tired of gunshots and explosions have turned their attention to parkour, giving themselves an outlet from the chaos that surrounds them. While extreme in nature, parkour is far more than a fad for “adrenaline junkies”, there is an art and physicality to it that stretches cultural barriers and provides men and women alike with a unique and fun way to stay fit.
