Parkour WOD 14

What are we training?: Safety Rolls!

The safety roll or “parkour” roll is another essential skill that must be mastered prior to performance of any intermediate or advanced parkour movement. You should practice this rolls so that the movement is natural and instinctive. You will never know when you will need to roll out of a failed vault or precision and often you will not have time to think about rolling. This is the most important parkour movement you will learn.

How can you practice it?:

You can watch this video for a simple progression into teaching yourself to roll. Some keys to remember:

Practice on a soft surface when first starting to learn the movement.

If at ANY time the movement hurts anywhere you are doing it wrong.

Do not rush this movement, take your time and learn the skill. The parkour roll can and will (if you train long enough) save you from severe injury.

Why is this important?

Again, safety. When performing movements at full-speed or from any height you may find yourself heading towards the ground quickly and without having enough time or ability to absorb your landing appropriately. At that point you will do a roll and essentially take your momentum forward instead of into the ground, thereby distributing the force of the landing/bail across your entire body; instead of just on your legs.

We also can use the same physics to demonstrate the utility of a parkour safety roll as we did in the last Parkour WOD. By performing the roll you essentially increase the time of the landing while decreasing your change in velocity, thereby reducing the total acceleration of the fall/bail. As with the parkour landings, this decrease in acceleration lessens the total force of the fall/landing and results in less stress on your body.

The WOD:

Warm Up:

3 rounds of 10 push ups, 10 sit ups and parkour squats

etudiant

Roll Progression in the above video. Practice the movement until you are able to roll without pain and smoothly from your feet. Once you have achieved this expertise perform an additional 50 rolls.

avancee

50 safety rolls from the ground level.

25 safety rolls from a slight fall (2-4 feet in height). Make sure you jump from your take-off point and get some extra height. You will do the exact same thing as in the last Parkour WOD except at your landing you will go into your parkour roll rather than absorbing the impact with your legs. Practice the progression and take your momentum parallel to the ground instead of perpendicular.

25 safety rolls from the end of a vault (kong, speed, dash).

traceur

Same as avancee, however you should be performing the first set of 25 rolls out of a drop of at least your shoulder height. DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS UNLESS YOU HAVE COMPLETE KNOWLEDGE OF THIS MOVEMENT.

The second set of 25 should also be at the end of a vault, however you should attempt the roll with another movement after it, e.g. kong-roll-speed.

Note: These WODs are NOT for time. Learn the movement to the best of your ability.

Conditioning:
étudiant:
On the minute, for 5 minutes, sprint 100m.

avancée:
On the minute, for 7 minutes, sprint 100m.

traceur
On the minute, for 10 minutes, sprint 100m.

Parkour WOD 13

What are we training?: Precision Jumps

A precision jump is basically a broad jump where you are forcing yourself to land in a “precise” location. This is one of the most basic parkour movements and one that you will use constantly. It is the beginning progression into cranes and cat-leaps, as well as a movement that can result in significant hypertrophy of your lower body. A precision is almost identical to the Parkour Landing, except you are picking one spot and attempting to land on it.

How can you practice it?:

Simply pick a spot somewhere and jump to it. You do not have to jump to or from an elevated position; there is no need to precision something over a significant drop. You can just pick a spot 5 to 6 feet in front of you and try to land on it. When I first started training parkour I would pick cracks in concrete blocks. This may sound simplistic, but it can be quite hard to come down on the exact spot without falling forward or backwards.

The key to precisioning is to take your jump UP. You’ll want make your body into as close to a parabolic arc as possible in order to land the precision. Remember what we said in the parkour landings about pulling up your knees in front of you? Well, when you do that it is forcing your body to go up and not forward. The harder and faster you jump in a horizontal direction (i.e. if you were trying to hit a precision at close to your max jumping distance) the more difficult it will be to stick the landing. So, take your body up and try to land on your precisioning point in more of a vertical position than horizontal. Your body and the force generated by the jump should be going into the ground, not forward.

At that point it is simply a parkour landing, which you should have practiced in a prior Parkour WOD. If you have not practiced a parkour landing before, read that page and perform that WOD before moving onto precisions.

Why is this important?

Progression. The precision is a basic parkour movement that will make you stronger is the basis for what I’ll call the PCC Progression. Say you want to get from point A to point B, with point A being a standing block and point B being a wall about 7 feet away. If your goal is to get to the top of the wall, the most efficient movement is a precision. Let’s say that you cannot precision that distance, or want to attempt it but do not want to fall and break your skull. The next most efficient way to get to point B is a “crane“. This movement, while requiring substantial leg strength, reduces the length of the total movement by virtue of leaving the back foot down to trap against the wall. Now, let’s say that you can’t crane or precision to point B, you can then do a cat-leap which allows you to reduce the distance of the jump even further by bringing your hands into the equation.

As you can see, the movements follow a simple progression, however they can also be used as fail safes. If you feel the need to bail out of a precision you can go into a crane, and if find the distance to great to precision or crane, you can bail into a cat-leap. This parkour stuff is pretty neat. rce of the fall/landing and results in less stress on your body.

The WOD:

Warm Up:

3 rounds of 10 push ups, 10 sit ups and parkour squats

All levels:

Precision Ladder

If you do not feel comfortable with the movement or want extra practice then perform this on flat and even ground. If you want to get more advanced with the movement then attempt to precision to a curb, box or other object. Remember, when precisioning anywhere ALWAYS make sure your destination is stable and safe. Don’t jump on something that can’t hold your weight.

Note: These WODs are NOT for time. Learn the movement to the best of your ability. The precision does not count if you did not stick your landing!

Conditioning:

As quickly as possible (while still sticking your landing!), perform the following:

etudiant
5 rounds of:

50m sprint
5 push ups
5 precision jumps

avancee
5 rounds of:

100m sprint
10 push ups
10 precision jumps

traceur
5 rounds of:

100m sprint
25 push ups
15 precision jumps

Parkour WOD 12

What are we training?: Cranes

According to the Parkour Wiki (which is an amazing resource for beginning practictioners, a crane is:

The Crane is a technique for progressing onto high objects which which are taller than you are. Cranes also serve as an accurate way to land onto of an obstacle from a running jump, precision technique, or vault. The landing of a crane involves the practitioner landing with his or her leg on top of the object, with the toe of the other foot perpendicularly touching the side of that object. There are some variations to the crane, though rather than personal taste, each variation is used for a different speeds and environments.

How can you practice it?:

To start practicing the crane for the first time, find an obstacle that you can comfortably jump onto with both feet. Now is not the time to impress your friends with your 36-inch standing jump (that comes later). Jump to the top of the obstacle using both feet a couple of times to familiarize yourself with the height. Once you have done that, take a couple of steps back and prepare yourself for your first crane!

You’ll want to decide which foot you’ll be using to land on the top of the obstacle. In most cases you’ll use your dominant foot. If you’re not sure which foot is dominant, you can try with both feet to see which leg feels more comfortable. You’ll want to step about 2 to 3 feet away from the obstacle prior to starting the movement.

If you’re landing with your right foot, you’ll start the movement by taking two steps, leading with your right foot and followed by your left. Instead of taking a third step with your right foot, you’re going to throw your right knee up in front of you, while also taking off with your left foot. Throwing the knee up is what gives you height in the movement. Ideally, you should be far enough away from the obstacle at your take-off point to allow you to land comfortably on top of it. As with most parkour movements, you should take your momentum UP, not horizontal to the ground.

As you land, you’re going to keep that back leg semi-straight (there should be a slight bend at the knee) while using the ball of your back foot (left in this instance) to trap against the side of the obstacle. This is super important as by trapping your foot against the side of the obstacle it will keep your back knee and shin from hitting the obstacle.

Once you have landed in this position, you then use your forward leg (the leg on top of the obstacle) to lift yourself up. It is very similar to a single leg squat.

The crane is one of the most fluid movements in parkour. If you do it right, you should almost feel as if you are floating to the top of the obstacle. You should not be landing with a lot of force when performing a crane. As always, attempt to have “ninja feet” and land as quietly as possible.

When you start learning to crane, or if you are trying to crane something that is at a challenging height, there is nothing wrong with using your hands to help you get to the top of the obstacle.

Why is this important?

The crane is an important movement because it allows you to scale taller obstacles than you could with a precision jump. It can also be more efficient than a cat leap when running towards an obstacle that is taller than you waist but less tall than your shoulders. Further, it is a very fluid movement that will help you with your “flow” when performing multiple movements in succession.

The WOD:

Warm Up:

3 rounds of 10 push ups, 10 sit ups and parkour squats

etudiant

Pick an obstacle that you are able to jump to with both legs. Step back and practice the crane.

Perform 15 repetitions with each leg.

avancee

You should be familiar with the movement and be able to perform it efficiently and correctly.

Pick an obstacle that you can NOT jump to with both legs, but that you can safely crane.

Perform 20 repetitions with each leg.

traceur

You should be VERY familiar with the movement and be able to perform it perfectly and multiple different heights.

Perform 20 repetitions each leg. The height of the obstacle should be challenging.

Note: These WODs are NOT for time. Learn the movement to the best of your ability. The crane does not count if you did not stick your landing!

etudiant
On the minute, and for 10 minutes, perform the following:

2 push ups
5 sit ups
7 squats

avancee
On the minute, and for 15 minutes, perform the following:

4 push ups
7 sit ups
9 squats

traceur
On the minute, and for 20 minutes, perform the following:

5 push ups
8 sit ups
13 squats

Parkor WOD 12

What are we training?: Quadrupedal Movement

Quadrupedal Movement (QM) is a functional movement that can be used to navigate over difficult terrain and/or thin and long obstacles. The purpose of QM is to maintain stability and balance in your movement. Bipedal movement, while efficient, is not necessarily the best method when navigating certain environments. For instance, if you had to walk along a thin ledge with a large drop on both sides, it would be better for you to have four points of contact (as well as a lower center of gravity) than two.

How can you practice it?:

Forward QM
Get down on your hands and knees, placing your hands directly underneath your chest as if you were going to start doing push ups. Keep your knees directly underneath your hips. If you have done yoga before, this is very similar to a table-top position. Then lift your knees off the ground. You should be fully supporting yourself on your hands and feet. The weight should be balanced. You should not be top or bottom heavy. Now that you are in the start position, you can begin your movement. Pick an arm that you are going to start with. You are going to move forward using that arm AND the opposite leg. You should move these appendages at the same time. KEY NOTE: When moving your leg, do not move your knee more than 3-5 inches past your hip. Keep your torso elongated and your head slightly up. Then move your other arm and opposite leg. Continue going forward.

If you find yourself moving the same-side arm and leg, reset the start position and begin from the top.

Backward QM
This is the EXACT same movement as the forward QM, except you are going backward. This is exponentially more difficult than forward QM, but you can make it easier by not extending your foot too far back behind you. Your knees should still only move about 3-5 inches past your hips.

Why is this important?

This is a functional movement that will improve your proprioception (your sense of your body position) and functional strength. It has real-world applications and is something that ZombieFit uses in its conditioning WODs.

The WOD:

Warm Up:

3 rounds of 10 push ups, 10 sit ups and parkour squats

etudiant
50M forward QM
50M backwards QM

avancee
100M forward QM
100M backward QM

traceur
150M forward QM
100M backward QM

Note: *Remember, this is NOT a conditioning WOD. Take your time and think about the movement. Master it and make it perfect. If it doesn’t feel right or if something hurts, you are likely doing it incorrectly.

Conditioning WOD:

For time, complete the following:

etudiant
3 rounds for time of:

25M forward or backwards QM
25 air squats
25 jumpings jacks

avancee
4 rounds for time of:

25M forward or backwards QM
25 air squats
25 push ups

traceur
5 rounds for time of:

25M forward or backwards QM
25 air squats
25 push ups

Want to thank all those that came out to Thursday’s class! I had an amazing time and thought y’all kicked complete ass during that difficult conditioning! Keep up the great work guys and ladies.

Parkor WOD 11

What are we training?: Kong Vaults

A kong vault is one of the most important (and fun!) movements you will do in parkour. The reason it is so important is that this movement is used to connect to other movements in a variety of ways, such as a kong-to-precision (a vault to a precise landing) or a kong-to-cat (a vault to a cat leap). Further, because of the mechanism of the movement you are able to surmount a large variety of obstacles. You can vault long, short, tall and low objects with this movement.

Warning:

If you are brand new to vaulting, then you should attempt to practice this in a gym area or somewhere with padding. If you have to practice it for the first time outside, please be careful and make sure you have a soft landing/padding in case you fall. Be familiar with safety rolls! It is essential you have the ability to roll out of a bad vault.

^You may have seen the above in our previous lesson for safety vaults. And this is even more true for kong vaults. This movement is more challenging than a safety vault, and can result in injury. BE CAREFUL. There may be a tendency to not commit to the vault and clip your toes on the top of the object you are attempting to go over. If you do that, you may very well end up going head first into the ground. Know your safety rolls! Do NOT attempt this on any objects higher than your waist until you have mastered the movement.

How can you practice it?:

Pick an object that you can comfortably jump on from a standing position. If you cannot jump to it from a standstill, find a lower object. Further, pick an object that is relatively thin, i.e. no more than two hand-lengths wide. Walk up to the object and stand about six inches in front of it. Place your hands on the top of the object and jump. The goal is to have your feet land in-between the space where your hands were. Perform this ten times. If you can comfortably do this, then you are ready for the next step. If you cannot perform this maneuver, find a lower object.

As always, CHECK ALL OBSTACLES or OBJECTS BEFORE JUMPING OVER OR ON THEM. Make sure to check for stability and to make sure there isn’t a 20 foot drop (or zombies!) on the other side.

As you can see with the video above, you’ll want to take a short run-up to the object before the take-off. The key here is to make sure your knees and toes clear the lip of the object. It is perfectly okay for you to just jump to the top of the object the first 5 or 20 times you perform this movement. The take-off, as you can see in the video above, is a single-leg take-off. A lot of beginners will do a double-leg “stomp” to get over the obstacle. While this may feel comfortable, you are actually killing your momentum and power by driving your legs into the ground. Attempt to take-off with a single-leg.

Take-off
Stand about a pace away from the obstacle and take a step with the leg you’ll be using during the take-off (this would be the leg you lift in the crane movement), and then take another step with your opposite foot. The next step is where you will take-off. You are driving that take-off knee in the air while pushing off the ground (during your natural stride) with the back foot.

Hand placement
As you are heading toward the obstacle you are maintaining a long torso and reaching for the center of the obstacle. Your hands should land at approximately shoulder width apart (as if you were doing a push-up) and with enough room for your legs to follow through. When your hands are on the object, your chest should be directly over them. At this time, you’ll be pushing through the obstacle to create upward momentum. This will help your body clear the object (and also prepare you for kongs-to-cats) as it creates height and distance from the object. The push with your arms and chest is quick but fluid.

Knee and leg placement
When your hands have landed on the object, you knees should have been brought up to a height that easily clears it. Use your natural stride and momentum to bring your legs up behind you. Look at the video above and notice how the vault looks natural and fluid. You’re not bunching up your legs, but just letting them follow after the body. As you go over the object and are boosted by your hand movements, the legs naturally come through and you land in your stride. Try your best not to land with both feet (unless practicing kongs-to-precisions) as it may create a hard or forceful landing.

Why is this important?

As stated above, this movement is essential to any practitioner. If you want to continue to progress and learn different and more complicated movements, you must learn this vault.

The WOD:

Warm Up:

3 rounds of 10 push ups, 10 sit ups and parkour squats

etudiant

Find an obstacle that you can easily jump on and that you feel comfortable attempting a kong vault. Do not do this over concrete if you have never done it before! Find a gymnastics gym or put down a bouldering pad to make sure you are safe!

Perform 20 kong vaults.

avancee

You should be familiar with the movement and be able to perform it efficiently and correctly.

Pick an obstacle that is close to your waist in height.

Perform 30 kong vaults.

traceur

You should be VERY familiar with the movement and be able to perform it perfectly and at multiple different heights.

Find an object that is at your waist height or higher, but has a couple of feet in width. Concentrate on your take-off and landing. Make it fluid.

Perform 30 safety vaults.

Note: *Remember, this is NOT a conditioning WOD. Take your time and think about the movement. Master it and make it perfect. If it doesn’t feel right or if something hurts, you are likely doing it incorrectly. You should flow over the top of the obstacle.

Conditioning WOD:

For time, complete the following:

All levels:

On the minute, and for ten minutes, complete the following:

Sprint 100m
10 air squats