Exercises for Parkour Training

Parkour has recently had a surge of popularity in the United States, so I thought it would be appropriate to give you a rundown of some things that you can do to stay in shape for it, and maximize your ability. Obviously, Parkour is not something that you can be a master at without some physical ability. The more in shape you are, the more that you will be able to accomplish.

For a full description and background of Parkour you can read my article here: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1075693/parkour_and_free_running.html?cat=50

Parkour is the most physically demanding activity that one will ever find. It requires intense ability in strength, endurance, speed, reflexes, balance, and coordination. So, training your body for success in this discipline is no easy task. Parkour is not for the weak of will and spirit. Such an intense discipline requires intense physical training.

It is extremely important to push yourself in training. Take a regular exercise routine and double it. Set goals that seem slightly unrealistic and then meet them. Devote at least 3 hours a day to training. Try to rotate your focus each day. Mondays, work on strength. Tuesdays, work on endurance. Wednesdays, work on speed. Thursdays, work on reflexes. Fridays, work on balance. Saturdays, work on coordination. On Sundays, really test yourself and put it all together in some all day Parkour action.

For strength training, all the classics are perfect. Push-ups, sit-ups, bench presses, bicep curls, squats, etc. If you have a local gym nearby, then this will all be a lot easier for you.

For endurance training, you will focus on aerobic workouts. Sprinting , bicycling, long-distance jogging, etc. are all acceptable workouts. For this, all you really need is a pair of running shoes, which you will need for Parkour anyway, so you should be good to go.

To improve your speed, you should focus mainly on the following exercises: high knee kicks, glute kicks, resisted running and high speed sprints. These exercises stretch and strengthen leg muscles to improve your speed.

Reflex training is where you get to be creative. There are three aspects of reflexes: Reaction time, response time, and movement speed. Reaction time is the interval between the stimulus and the beginning of the response, or simply put, how fast you realize that you should respond. Response time is the time it takes to choose an appropriate response to the initiation of the actual movement. Movement speed is, of course, how fast you perform the chosen movement/response.

Here are some ways to improve your reflexes. Running through the woods is an invaluable training method. You have to dodge trees, deal with uneven footing and avoid other natural obstacles. If you have a few friends play a round or two of dodgeball every week. It is quite simple, fun, and builds your reflex time quite well.

Now, we move to balance and coordination. Simply, fill up a balloon, move to a cluttered room and, using only your feet, attempt to keep it in the air for as long as you can. It may sound silly, but it improves balance, coordination, AND helps build reflexes as well. Also, try standing on one foot, lean forward and touch the ground, if you fall over start again. Alternate feet after each touch.

All of these techniques can be utilized even if you are not at all interested in Parkour. If you want to bring yourself to peak physical condition, then all of these exercises are infinitely useful. Good luck with your training!