#71Parkour, a Journey
By Johann Vigroux | posted on 18 February 2010 | 15 comments
2010, Parkour is known all over the world ! One of my dreams came true... We can see practitioners every where, people are more and more used to see people "jumping around". The discipline is growing quickly, so quickly, and what I am trying to do is to help passing on this art to the future generations...
In contrary to the time when I met parkour, we now have tons of different techniques, moves and jumps. We have dictionaries and tutorials for every move. We are told where to put our feet in order to do a specific move, in order to clear a specific obstacle.
I can see that sometimes the first things we teach to beginners are basic vaults, or combinations. I feel that we miss something by teaching techniques at the very beginning.
Why?
Because I believe that parkour is an invitation to meet our environment and to have some reflection. When I met it, and what moved me the most, is that parkour was a big and long journey. Our daily goal at the beginning was to discover our environment, having a new way of looking at the space. We had to go from a wall, to a lampost, trough 2 fences and over a staircase, etc... Every time we were facing new obstacles, and we had to use or find some techniques to overcome it.
Today, I feel like most of the time we show parkour techniques, moves and combinations to the beginners who wanted to learn parkour.We are telling them how to pass an obstacle, we show them where to do it. I feel that we are giving all the keys and solutions before that the practitioner even knows the obstacle. Maybe if we hadn't tell them to do a speed vault onto this wall, they would have never seen this wall as an obstacle.
And in the other way, you could ask somebody to reach some place, knowing that he will have to get over a wall, then the person will have to think about how to overcome the wall, and he may find it by himself, without you, or may need your help, but at least he would know he has to learn this or that technique... And the solution will be much more meaningful.
We are not letting them finding themselves face to face with an obstacle, looking for solutions, trying some moves, falling, missing, and then maybe succeed, or asking us for help.
My point here is to remind practitioners and teachers, that parkour is basically a long journey. In this journey we may find difficulties, obstacles that we will have to overcome. You will all have the time to learn parkour techniques anyway, so it's better for you to learn it when you know why and when you will have to use it ...Thank you for reading,
Johann
Labels: Behind the Scenes, Challenges, Experiences
#68A work in progress.
By Kiell | posted on 22 June 2009 | 3 comments
Brian, preparing before a day's shooting.
As you might recall from the last selection of photographs I posted on the main PKG site (here), there is a housing estate in London that I'd been planning to return to in better weather. Last month finally presented me with that opportunity, and I was privileged in being joined by all of the coaches as the visit was combined with team training.
A complete gallery of images is almost finished as, for me, it seems a shame to release a selection of shots that aren't quite ready. That said, I think I can easily return there many times in the future before I tire of this location, such is its potential.
A reminder of the social problems in this area of London was made clear early on in the day. The curious concrete walls where we began our training had various items of detritus scattered about. We learnt from a passing local that the residents of the tower block overlooking the walls occasionally threw things out of their windows. During the day, it was mainly fruit, eggs and other foodstuff. In the evening, it was more likely to be recently drained bottles of vodka and gin. Even TV sets had been known to make the direct journey from the twelfth floor.
My thanks to all that commented on my last blog post. Dan has kindly picked out Andy Fisher's comment as being his favourite (in spite of the typos) so a poster will be winging its way to you very shortly. Drop me a line and let me know your address. :D
I might well offer another competition next month, this time international, so watch this space. :)
A complete gallery of images is almost finished as, for me, it seems a shame to release a selection of shots that aren't quite ready. That said, I think I can easily return there many times in the future before I tire of this location, such is its potential.
A reminder of the social problems in this area of London was made clear early on in the day. The curious concrete walls where we began our training had various items of detritus scattered about. We learnt from a passing local that the residents of the tower block overlooking the walls occasionally threw things out of their windows. During the day, it was mainly fruit, eggs and other foodstuff. In the evening, it was more likely to be recently drained bottles of vodka and gin. Even TV sets had been known to make the direct journey from the twelfth floor.
My thanks to all that commented on my last blog post. Dan has kindly picked out Andy Fisher's comment as being his favourite (in spite of the typos) so a poster will be winging its way to you very shortly. Drop me a line and let me know your address. :D
I might well offer another competition next month, this time international, so watch this space. :)
Labels: Behind the Scenes
#59RETOUR VERS LE FUTUR (BACK TO THE FUTURE)
By Forrest | posted on 3 June 2009 | 1 comments
« PREMIERE... »
Depuis février 2005, j’enchaîne les démos et séminaires. Nous sommes maintenant en avril 2005, on vient de me demander d’ouvrir la première académie de parkour à Erith. Cette ville se situe à 30 minutes en train de la station Waterloo Est. Les dires étaient les suivant:” Forrest, j’aimerais monter la première académie de Parkour ici (uk), la seule personne que je connaisse, qualifiée et compétente pour s’en occuper, c’est toi. Est ce que cela t’intéresserait?” Ma réponse fût simple: ”Pourquoi pas ça peut être cool mais à une condition; je ne veux personne derrière moi pour me dire ce que j’ai à faire, je structure les séances comme je l’entends.”Un sourir et une poignée de main et le deal est fait: «Merci Ez pour l’opportunité».
Nous sommes le jeudi 18 mai 2005, il est 18h, 8 personnes sont présentent pour ce premier cours.” 2 heures à tenir me dis je, c’est parti! La première académie de parkour sur le territoire Anglais est officiellement lancée. Le nombre de participants ne cessait d’augmenter d’une semaine à l’autre. Après 2 mois et démi, 32 personnes étaient là, enchaînant les exercises, tranpirant et souriant.” J’aime cette ambiance ”.
En octobre de la même année, après une des classes, le gardien du gymnase qui était aussi prof de gymnastique me dit qu’il est désolé mais qu’il va falloir que j’arrête mes activités ici. Il prétexte un problème d’assurance. “Bref...!”Je n’insiste pas ...Chanceux, un gymnase dans l’ouest de Londres; “Moberly Sport centre” nous donna la possibilité de continuer cette aventure.
Vu le succés de ce cours, il était clair que j’avais besoin de quelqu’un pour m’assister. La seule personne qui me venais à l’esprit et qui je pensais avoir les meilleures qualités pour ce rôle était Dan Edwardes. Si j’étais si sur de mon choix, c’est parce que plusieurs semaines auparavant, il m’avait demandé s’il pouvait s’entrainer avec moi pour accroître ses aptitudes physiques et techniques. Nous avons passé énormement de temps ensemble (tous les jours pendant des heures). J’ai appris à le connaître et à découvrir son potentiel. Mon choix n’était pas de l’avis de tout le monde mais moi j’en étais sûr… Même s’il a fallut que je me batte et que j’insiste pour que cela se fasse, en Décembre 2005, pour la première séance à Moberly, Dan et moi avons pris un malin plaisir à structurer et conduire cette classe pour ces 34 nouvelles têtes.
Durant cette même période, après avoir entendu parlé de l’académie, différents organismes semblaient vouloir introduire ce format dans les écoles. Saint Augustin, le mardi après midi de 15h45 à 17h15 et QK le jeudi après midi à la même heure, elles fûrent les premières écoles à essayer et à approuver notre tandem ici à Londres. Nous étions là pour seulement 5 semaines :) Je les remercient vivement de la confiance qu’ils nous ont porté et de nous aider encore aujourd’hui à nous permettre de faire avancer notre (Parkour Generations) programme éducatif. Je dois avouer que je suis particulièrement fière de voir que tous ces efforts sont encore aujourd’hui récompensés. Chaque annee de plus en plus d’intitutions sont intéressées.
”Il y a toujours une PREMIERE... dans une histoire, MAIS c’est toujours mieux de ce l’entendre dire par ce qui l’on vécue”
« FIRST... »
Since February 2005, I had been involved in parkour performances and workshops. It is now April 2005, I have just been asked to open the first Parkour Academy at Erith, which is about 30 minutes away from Waterloo East Station. These were the words: “ Forrest, I would like to open the first Parkour Academy here in England, the only person that I know who is qualified and capable to take care of it, is you. Would you be interested?” My answer was simple: “Why not, it can be fun but I have one condition; I don’t want anybody behind me telling me what I have to do. I will structure and lead the sessions the way I want.” A smile, a shaking hand and the deal was done. “Thanks Ez for the opportunity”.
It is 6 pm, Thursday 18th of May 2005, 8 people attend the first class. Two hours, I said to myself, let’s go! The first Parkour Academy in England is officially launched. The number of people constantly increased week after week. After 2,5 months, 32 people were in attendance, working out hard, sweating and smiling. “I love this atmosphere...”
In October, after one of the classes, the guardian of the gym who was a gym coach as well, came to me and said that he is sorry but I will have to stop running the sessions here. His reasons were apparently insurance issue. ”Alright...”I do not insist... Luckily, a gym located in west London “Moberly Sport Centre” gave us the opportunity to carry on the adventure.
Due to the success and increased numbers of practitioners, it was obvious that I would need somebody to assist me. The only person with the best skills for this role I could think of was Dan Edwardes. I was very certain about this choice because several weeks ago he asked me to train with him to improve his physical and technical skills. We spent a lot of time together (few hours every day) and I learned to know more about him and his potential. Not everybody was happy with my choice, but I was very certain... Even though, I had to fight for it, in December 2005 at the first parkour class in Moberly, Dan and I enjoyed together structuring and leading it in front 34 new practitioners.
At the same period, after hearing about the Parkour Academy, some organisations wanted to introduce and set up a similar format in schools. St Augustin, on Tuesdays 3.45 to 5.15pm and QK on Thursdays at the same time were the first schools to accept and implement parkour classes in London. We were supposed to run the sessions for only 5 weeks :) I would like to thank them very much for trusting us and for still helping us out today with pushing forward our (Parkour Generations) educational program. I’m particularly proud to see that all those efforts are still awarded today. Every year more and more schools are interested...
“There is always a FIRST...in the story, BUT it’s always good to hear about it from the people who lived it and were part of it”
Depuis février 2005, j’enchaîne les démos et séminaires. Nous sommes maintenant en avril 2005, on vient de me demander d’ouvrir la première académie de parkour à Erith. Cette ville se situe à 30 minutes en train de la station Waterloo Est. Les dires étaient les suivant:” Forrest, j’aimerais monter la première académie de Parkour ici (uk), la seule personne que je connaisse, qualifiée et compétente pour s’en occuper, c’est toi. Est ce que cela t’intéresserait?” Ma réponse fût simple: ”Pourquoi pas ça peut être cool mais à une condition; je ne veux personne derrière moi pour me dire ce que j’ai à faire, je structure les séances comme je l’entends.”Un sourir et une poignée de main et le deal est fait: «Merci Ez pour l’opportunité».
Nous sommes le jeudi 18 mai 2005, il est 18h, 8 personnes sont présentent pour ce premier cours.” 2 heures à tenir me dis je, c’est parti! La première académie de parkour sur le territoire Anglais est officiellement lancée. Le nombre de participants ne cessait d’augmenter d’une semaine à l’autre. Après 2 mois et démi, 32 personnes étaient là, enchaînant les exercises, tranpirant et souriant.” J’aime cette ambiance ”.
En octobre de la même année, après une des classes, le gardien du gymnase qui était aussi prof de gymnastique me dit qu’il est désolé mais qu’il va falloir que j’arrête mes activités ici. Il prétexte un problème d’assurance. “Bref...!”Je n’insiste pas ...Chanceux, un gymnase dans l’ouest de Londres; “Moberly Sport centre” nous donna la possibilité de continuer cette aventure.
Vu le succés de ce cours, il était clair que j’avais besoin de quelqu’un pour m’assister. La seule personne qui me venais à l’esprit et qui je pensais avoir les meilleures qualités pour ce rôle était Dan Edwardes. Si j’étais si sur de mon choix, c’est parce que plusieurs semaines auparavant, il m’avait demandé s’il pouvait s’entrainer avec moi pour accroître ses aptitudes physiques et techniques. Nous avons passé énormement de temps ensemble (tous les jours pendant des heures). J’ai appris à le connaître et à découvrir son potentiel. Mon choix n’était pas de l’avis de tout le monde mais moi j’en étais sûr… Même s’il a fallut que je me batte et que j’insiste pour que cela se fasse, en Décembre 2005, pour la première séance à Moberly, Dan et moi avons pris un malin plaisir à structurer et conduire cette classe pour ces 34 nouvelles têtes.
Durant cette même période, après avoir entendu parlé de l’académie, différents organismes semblaient vouloir introduire ce format dans les écoles. Saint Augustin, le mardi après midi de 15h45 à 17h15 et QK le jeudi après midi à la même heure, elles fûrent les premières écoles à essayer et à approuver notre tandem ici à Londres. Nous étions là pour seulement 5 semaines :) Je les remercient vivement de la confiance qu’ils nous ont porté et de nous aider encore aujourd’hui à nous permettre de faire avancer notre (Parkour Generations) programme éducatif. Je dois avouer que je suis particulièrement fière de voir que tous ces efforts sont encore aujourd’hui récompensés. Chaque annee de plus en plus d’intitutions sont intéressées.
”Il y a toujours une PREMIERE... dans une histoire, MAIS c’est toujours mieux de ce l’entendre dire par ce qui l’on vécue”
« FIRST... »
Since February 2005, I had been involved in parkour performances and workshops. It is now April 2005, I have just been asked to open the first Parkour Academy at Erith, which is about 30 minutes away from Waterloo East Station. These were the words: “ Forrest, I would like to open the first Parkour Academy here in England, the only person that I know who is qualified and capable to take care of it, is you. Would you be interested?” My answer was simple: “Why not, it can be fun but I have one condition; I don’t want anybody behind me telling me what I have to do. I will structure and lead the sessions the way I want.” A smile, a shaking hand and the deal was done. “Thanks Ez for the opportunity”.
It is 6 pm, Thursday 18th of May 2005, 8 people attend the first class. Two hours, I said to myself, let’s go! The first Parkour Academy in England is officially launched. The number of people constantly increased week after week. After 2,5 months, 32 people were in attendance, working out hard, sweating and smiling. “I love this atmosphere...”
In October, after one of the classes, the guardian of the gym who was a gym coach as well, came to me and said that he is sorry but I will have to stop running the sessions here. His reasons were apparently insurance issue. ”Alright...”I do not insist... Luckily, a gym located in west London “Moberly Sport Centre” gave us the opportunity to carry on the adventure.
Due to the success and increased numbers of practitioners, it was obvious that I would need somebody to assist me. The only person with the best skills for this role I could think of was Dan Edwardes. I was very certain about this choice because several weeks ago he asked me to train with him to improve his physical and technical skills. We spent a lot of time together (few hours every day) and I learned to know more about him and his potential. Not everybody was happy with my choice, but I was very certain... Even though, I had to fight for it, in December 2005 at the first parkour class in Moberly, Dan and I enjoyed together structuring and leading it in front 34 new practitioners.
At the same period, after hearing about the Parkour Academy, some organisations wanted to introduce and set up a similar format in schools. St Augustin, on Tuesdays 3.45 to 5.15pm and QK on Thursdays at the same time were the first schools to accept and implement parkour classes in London. We were supposed to run the sessions for only 5 weeks :) I would like to thank them very much for trusting us and for still helping us out today with pushing forward our (Parkour Generations) educational program. I’m particularly proud to see that all those efforts are still awarded today. Every year more and more schools are interested...
“There is always a FIRST...in the story, BUT it’s always good to hear about it from the people who lived it and were part of it”
Labels: Behind the Scenes, Training
#58Connections: Coaching Parkour
By Dan | posted on 1 June 2009 | 5 comments
We teach. Lots. As Parkour Generations we run several classes every single day of the week, all year long, both in the UK and internationally – recently we have held seminars in Spain, Italy, Portugal, USA, France, with more coming up in Denmark, France, Italy again, and requests for the same in Turkey, Kazakhstan, Chile… the list goes on. The coaching we do ranges from private one-to-one tuition to the regular London Parkour Academy classes to weekly sessions for schools in the UK to corporate workshops and special event seminars. It’s non-stop.
And it’s a huge responsibility. I have taught in several different fields for over 15 years now, from lecturing at universities to martial arts instruction, but this is a vehicle by which to reach people like nothing I have ever seen – crossing all boundaries, be they of culture, creed, age, ethnicity, class, etc… parkour has no political agenda, and is a transformative practice truly open to all. And every one of the Parkour Generations instructors I work with brings something special and unique to the passing on of the art, over and above being excellent, dedicated teachers themselves.
So why teach? We are all happy to practice for ourselves for the rest of our lives, even were we the only ones on the planet doing it. Is it to pass on specific training methods, or see people become fitter and stronger, or to fight the cotton-wool culture much of the western world finds itself ensnared by? Or for social reasons such as combating obesity and ill-discipline?
Probably not. Although those are great by-products of learning this powerful art, I would hazard a guess that they are not the main motivator for people who wish to pass on parkour.
No, for me it is about connections. Anyone who has ever taught seriously in any field will know that the most rewarding part by far is the connection formed between you and those you share your knowledge and experience with: the joy of seeing someone benefit from something that has brought so much to your own life; the reward of watching sparks of understanding become a blazing fire within another; the bonds and friendships that arise from it all.
Life is always connection of course: nothing exists in a vacuum. We all of us are connected to everything and everyone else on all sorts of levels, physically, fundamentally, psychologically… truly no man or woman is an island. Teaching mirrors this truth – for it is far more than just a process of conveying raw information or data from one body to another: machines may communicate in that fashion, but humans are far removed from such mechanistic approaches. Were we not, all learning could be done via books or from simple audio instructions, yet it is clear that there is no substitute for live, personal contact time with a teacher.
Most sports instruction is done through modelling – which is simply watching someone skilled perform an action, and then attempting to perform the same. In fact, many studies have shown that modelling alone, with no verbal instruction, is an incredibly powerful teaching tool. Too often we attempt to think through things we are trying to learn, when the best way can be to get out of our own way and let our body instinctively carry out the task. But it still needs that model, and the better the model, the better the knowledge that is conveyed. To attempt to teach a physical practice without being able to demonstrate that practice competently would not only be lacking in all credibility, but would also likely be met with little success. Further, as no two people move exactly alike, every instance of modelling is unique to the particular individuals involved. Slight nuances in technique, posture, stride and so on that are specific to that one instructor will be taken in by the viewing student and either assimilated or used as a reference for their own attempts. Again, the individual connection at even this basic visual level is all important.
The connections we form are, of course, far more than merely the transmission of raw information from one person to another. That information does not exist independent of either the one doing the transmitting or the one receiving it; our knowledge is always coloured by our own experience, our own perspective, flavoured by the subjective nature of all things. Indeed, what is transmitted is affected by both sender and receiver each time it is transmitted, making every ‘teaching’ connection a two-way phenomenon and truly unique in and of itself.
I would suggest that it is that which makes coaching such a compelling and enjoyable experience for those of us who are drawn to it. Not just the meeting and interacting with so many individuals around a subject we are passionate about, but the quite unique and unpredictable nature of each of those connections. That is certainly what draws me back to it, time and again, and what I hope will be discovered afresh by every new generation of guide and practitioner of the discipline.
And it’s a huge responsibility. I have taught in several different fields for over 15 years now, from lecturing at universities to martial arts instruction, but this is a vehicle by which to reach people like nothing I have ever seen – crossing all boundaries, be they of culture, creed, age, ethnicity, class, etc… parkour has no political agenda, and is a transformative practice truly open to all. And every one of the Parkour Generations instructors I work with brings something special and unique to the passing on of the art, over and above being excellent, dedicated teachers themselves.
So why teach? We are all happy to practice for ourselves for the rest of our lives, even were we the only ones on the planet doing it. Is it to pass on specific training methods, or see people become fitter and stronger, or to fight the cotton-wool culture much of the western world finds itself ensnared by? Or for social reasons such as combating obesity and ill-discipline?
Probably not. Although those are great by-products of learning this powerful art, I would hazard a guess that they are not the main motivator for people who wish to pass on parkour.
No, for me it is about connections. Anyone who has ever taught seriously in any field will know that the most rewarding part by far is the connection formed between you and those you share your knowledge and experience with: the joy of seeing someone benefit from something that has brought so much to your own life; the reward of watching sparks of understanding become a blazing fire within another; the bonds and friendships that arise from it all.
Life is always connection of course: nothing exists in a vacuum. We all of us are connected to everything and everyone else on all sorts of levels, physically, fundamentally, psychologically… truly no man or woman is an island. Teaching mirrors this truth – for it is far more than just a process of conveying raw information or data from one body to another: machines may communicate in that fashion, but humans are far removed from such mechanistic approaches. Were we not, all learning could be done via books or from simple audio instructions, yet it is clear that there is no substitute for live, personal contact time with a teacher.
Most sports instruction is done through modelling – which is simply watching someone skilled perform an action, and then attempting to perform the same. In fact, many studies have shown that modelling alone, with no verbal instruction, is an incredibly powerful teaching tool. Too often we attempt to think through things we are trying to learn, when the best way can be to get out of our own way and let our body instinctively carry out the task. But it still needs that model, and the better the model, the better the knowledge that is conveyed. To attempt to teach a physical practice without being able to demonstrate that practice competently would not only be lacking in all credibility, but would also likely be met with little success. Further, as no two people move exactly alike, every instance of modelling is unique to the particular individuals involved. Slight nuances in technique, posture, stride and so on that are specific to that one instructor will be taken in by the viewing student and either assimilated or used as a reference for their own attempts. Again, the individual connection at even this basic visual level is all important.
The connections we form are, of course, far more than merely the transmission of raw information from one person to another. That information does not exist independent of either the one doing the transmitting or the one receiving it; our knowledge is always coloured by our own experience, our own perspective, flavoured by the subjective nature of all things. Indeed, what is transmitted is affected by both sender and receiver each time it is transmitted, making every ‘teaching’ connection a two-way phenomenon and truly unique in and of itself.
I would suggest that it is that which makes coaching such a compelling and enjoyable experience for those of us who are drawn to it. Not just the meeting and interacting with so many individuals around a subject we are passionate about, but the quite unique and unpredictable nature of each of those connections. That is certainly what draws me back to it, time and again, and what I hope will be discovered afresh by every new generation of guide and practitioner of the discipline.
Labels: Behind the Scenes, Experiences
#3424 hours
By Chris 'Blane' Rowat | posted on 15 April 2009 | 9 comments
A familiar song is interrupting my conversation with a man who has no face. I linger for a while in some middle ground between dream and reality, wondering where I am and what day it is as I fumble for the snooze key on my phone.
The following takes place between 8:00am and 9:00am.
I'm showered and contain significantly more weetabix, oats and bananas than I did one hour ago. I find myself jogging past a church, the only person in sight wearing a smile as I weave between frowning commuters towards the tube station.
The following takes place between 9:00am and 10:00am.
I'm standing near to a pub that is more often than not occupied by men who particularly enjoy the company of other men. I'm still not certain why this has become the unnofficial meeting place for those about to add yet another crimson stamp upon the Vauxhall walls, but it's something I've never felt the need to question.
The following takes place between 10:00am and 11:00am.
I've been running for a while now. Sweat trickles down my face and all I can hear is a dozen pairs of worn shoes colliding with grass and asphalt in every direction around me. We started together and we will finish together, just as we always do.
The following takes place between 11:00am and 12:00pm.
Midday is about to greet us and I wonder if I've injured the ant that I've blown way off course as I exhale out of yet another press up. I'm probably hurting more than the ant actually. I've squatted, traversed, pushed, pulled and crawled my way through the last sixty minutes and my shouts of determination have blended with those of my friends to create a symphony, a chorus of pain.
The following takes place between 12:00pm and 1:00pm.
We're stretching, having recently done more muscle ups than any of us thought we were capable of, the arms no longer feel... well, anything. My heart is beginning its journey to a resting pace again and I look around to see tired but contented faces.
The following takes place between 1:00pm and 2:00pm.
Lunch is over and I'm upside down in a park, practicing handstands and balancing in the sun with an old friend.
The following takes place between 2:00pm and 3:00pm.
I'm on my own. Soon after a tube journey that greeted me with the usual looks of disinterest or curiosity at my dirty clothes and bleeding hands, I'm crouched on a wall trying to convince my body that it can reach the branch that teases me in the nearby tree. If I don't, there's a fair chance I'm going to get hurt since I'm high up and concrete is unforgiving at the best of times. But I will make it, I must make it. I've done a hundred jumps like this in the past, perhaps not at this height but the height is irrelevant if you make the jump. And I will make the jump.
The following takes place between 3:00pm and 5:00pm.
I'm on the last set of a series of jumps that I've been doing in quick succesion to build power in my legs. My arms are weak from a brief one-armed pullup test and I check my watch.
The following takes place between 7:00pm and 8:00pm.
I'm indoors, rotating my joints and loosening up once again along with thirty or so students. We prepare our bodies for what is to come for half an hour or so and then I position some obstacles in a half-improvised manner. As I watch the expressions of doubt turn to joy on a new practitioner's face, I realise that we never lose that feeling of pleasure in our success upon overcoming our fears. The relief on the man's face is a reflection of my own only a few hours ago as I caught the branch. Is this the most addictive part of our discipline? Is it the surpassing of our fears that brings us back time after time? I think about it a little more as the air in the room grows warmer still and the tired limbs attempt one last almighty effort.
The following takes place between 9:00pm and 10:00pm
Some of those around me might argue that the warm down would make a fairly good warm up. All at least would agree the stretching is a welcome relief. I shake hands, smile and say my goodbyes to old friends, new friends and strangers who I'm sure will grow to be friends in time. At last, the physical demands of today are over.
The following takes place all day, every day.
The Oyster card is at the bottom of my bag when the bus arrives.
The following takes place between 10:00pm and 11:00pm.
I find myself sitting down and eating. Checking emails and wishing I had more time to reply to some of them, I update my diary for the week once again before feeling the shower wash another day off my back. Blood, dirt, sweat and something unknown is dissapearing in to the dark abyss below me and I stand there a little longer than is necessary, allowing my muscles time to relax in the cool water.
The following takes place between 11:00pm and 12:00pm.
I turn off the light and try to get back to my bed without bashing my knee on something. I still haven't quite perfected the whole pitch-black navigation thing in this new room of mine but I'm getting there. I'm almost asleep before my head touches the pillow.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The following takes place between 7:00am and 8:00am.
A familiar song is interrupting my conversation with a man who has no face. I linger a while in some middle ground between my dream and reality and wonder where I am and what day it is, fumbling for the 'snooze' key on my phone...
Labels: Behind the Scenes
#31My New Toy
By Chris | posted on 9 April 2009 | 5 comments
Anyone that has seen my room will be only too aware of my growing collection of random fitness equipment. The last year and a half or so has seen me install 3 pull-up bars in my doorway; get a weight vest; buy a climbing fingerboard; get my hands on (pun intended) 3 different Captains of Crush grippers; invest in a squat rack; and obtain a new, removable pull-up bar. All excellent purchases, and all in some small way responsible for me not becoming the fat bloater my massive diet would suggest is my destiny!
But now I have a new toy. I was sufficiently excited that despite spending 5 hours out training yesterday, I still felt compelled to wander down to my local park in the dark to try them out. An hour later, my grinning, but somewhat tired, self left convinced that they could well be the best money I have ever spent in my life. I'll probably end up writing again once I've had a chance to use them for a while and see how effective they are. Suffice to say that nothing has worked my muscles like trying even simple exercise on my spanky new gymnastic rings for a LOOOONG time. Muscle ups, tuck planches, even the humble dip takes on a new edge once your muscles start to fatigue and the rings try to escape away from your body.
It certainly wasn't the most structured session (I was like a kid in a candy shop, trying every different thing that took his whim), but I have a satisfying dull ache across virtually every muscle from the rectus abdominis upward. Hopefully, and if I can rein in my excitement, some more intelligent training on them should produce the kind of rock-hard abs that every cover model dreams of.... cough, I mean... some good functional strength gains :P On a serious note, I'm really looking forward to seeing how incorporating some ring training into my conditioning regime improves me as an athlete.
Labels: Behind the Scenes
#06Forrest's first post.
By Kiell | posted on 24 July 2008 | 2 comments
Evening everyone. Forrest has posted a comment in response to my last submission and I thought that it really needs to get more exposure as it's something that's quite important - to him and to Parkour Generations as a team. Hopefully he won't mind me re-posting it on his behalf. If you missed it, this is what he said:
Premierement, merci a tous pour cette soiree. Je ne m'y attendais pas tout. Tout le monde etait au courant meme ma femme sauf moi. A mon arrivee, ils m'ont explique que ce soir l'equipe de PKG voulait celebrer plusieurs choses.
Je suis reste a l'hopital pendant 10 jours ou je me suis fait opere du coeur pour fixer un soufle au coeur. 1 semaine avant ca je me suis tordu le genou gauche a l'entrainement, j'ai recu le resultat de l'IRM il y a 3 semaines. Rupture totale du ligament croise anterieur. Je devrais me faire opere en novembre. J'ai repris depuis peu l'entrainement et les cours, et je me sens vraiment bien. Donc Merci encore.
Sinon c'est vrai que j'adore cette photo. Quand j'etais plus jeune, j'ai joue au foot en tant que gardien de but dans une structure professionnelle. Chaque fois que je regarde cette photo, ca me rappelle qu'au fond ce gardien a toujours ete la et sera toujours present. Ne te focalise pas sur le passe mais utilise le pour devenir plus fort dans le future.
A plus! Forrest.
***
First of all, thanks everyone for this evening. I didn't expect at all. Everybody knew about it even my wife except myself. When i arrived, they explained to me tonight PKG team wanted to celebrate few things:
I spent 10 days at the hospital where i had a heart surgery to fixe a hole on my heart. 1 week before this,i twisted my left knee during training, i received the result of my MRI scann 3 weeks ago. My anterior crutial ligament is completely torn. I should have a surgery in november.
Not long time ago i started again to train and teach , and i feel great. So thanks again.
Indeed, it's true, i love this pic. When i was younger i played football professionally as a goalkeeper. Every time i look at this pic it reminds me in deep this goalkeeper has always been there and it will be always there. Don't be focused on the past time but use it to become stronger in the future.
See you! Forrest.
Labels: Behind the Scenes
#05Celebrations
By Kiell | posted on 22 July 2008 | 2 comments
There's a few new photographs on our Flickr slideshow that you might have spotted. Usually we don't need much of an excuse to gather everyone for vast quantities of food, but on Saturday evening, 25 of us from the team met at a Thai restaurant in west London to celebrate with Thomas and Forrest for various birthdays, weddings, etc.
As well as giving Thomas a handful of prints from our recent trip to Italy, I gave Forrest a few photographs of himself taken over the last 3 or 4 years. One of them was this photo taken at Royal Oak in London, an image which I know to be one of Forrest's favourites. I've not printed it before as the quality is poor (dark, grainy, blurry) but I finally spent half an hour working on it and managed to produce something vaguely acceptable. I've
uploaded the new edit to Forrest's gallery which can be found here.One of the prints for Thomas included this photo from our recent trip to Italy. Thomas, Blane and I spent most of June driving around Italy in Thomas's 1976 Citroën 2CV. Truly an amazing journey. Blane is nearing completion on the video and I'm currently working hard on the photographs. Watch this space.
Labels: Behind the Scenes
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