When many people begin parkour, they look at specific techniques and try and learn them. This is what I did, this is what most people do, this is how I have taught up until now.
Now when someone comes out to train and asks which technique we are going to learn first, my response will be:
none.
Picture by Kiell of Parkour Generations
Amateurs practice until they get it right, pros practice until they can’t get it wrong.
I see thread after thread after thread on parkour forums say that they could do some move or technique or combination one day. Then they come back the next day or a few days later and can’t do it. They are baffled and frustrated, and I completely understand.
Everyone goes through this until they learn the secret to overcome it. It’s not mental discipline, it’s not visualization, it’s not having eaten healthy that day, and it’s not how tired you are. All of these things have an effect sure, but there is one thing that is the difference between nailing it once, and nailing for good.
Repitition.
Well, after making a commitment to getting back to training, it has been a week. This all started about a month ago when I realized that after not really training at all (minus the periodic gymnastics) had made me weak and unsure in my body. I had made renewed commitments to training before but I had always fell back into other work.
The thing with me is, all my training areas are at least a 10 minute drive away. And on top of school, I am starting a couple businesses. So it is really easy to think that I don’t have time to go out and train because there is this pile of work on my desk. When in reality it is just time management.
I’m not a big fan of David Belle fanboyism. He’s a man which brought an amazing discipline to us, but sometimes the worships is a bit much as parkour has largely evolved by the community and not necessarily by David Belle.
In addition, many people contribute many of the philosophical aspects of parkour to Sebastien Foucan (see Jump London). But I believe the latest interview with David Belle by APK really speaks to the philosophy of parkour in a way many, including David Belle, have yet to express so succinctly.
Twitter: @adamkuebler