Parkour Movements:
Parkour Landings
The parkour landing is one of the most important techniques in all movement. It is used to absorb impact from landing by using the various leg muscles and joints as a spring. The key elements to remember are to extend your legs (DO NOT lock out your knee joints) and point your toes to land on the balls of your feet. Use muscle control to bring yourself closer to the ground. If you need too, bring your hands down in front of you and in between your knees.
Safety Rolls
The parkour safety roll is another very important technique that should be learned early on. The safety roll is used to absorb substantial amounts of impact while landing from a vault, jump, or fall. Some key elements to remember when performing a safety roll is to avoid rolling on the spine. This is done by rolling in a diagonal line from one shoulder to the opposite hip. Remember to crouch while absorbing and to shoot forward into your roll instead of doubling over into your roll. Start slow and on soft surfaces.
Precision Jump
A precision jump is simply a broad jump from a stand-still position to another spot. That spot could be a curb, rail or ledge.
When jumping, bend at your knees and try to get full extension with your hips. This extension will be more difficult with shorter distances. When you jump, make sure you’re bring your knees up.
There are six parts to a precision jump:
When you land, make sure you’re landing on the balls of your feet. Try to land softly. The less sound you make, the less stress on your ankles and knees. After landing on the balls of your feet make sure you can absorb the impact by going into a (deep) squat position. If you can’t land in a squat position, you should work on your flexibility before trying long precision jumps! By going into a squat position, you’re taking stress off of your knees, hips and ankles.
When jumping, bend at your knees and try to get full extension with your hips. This extension will be more difficult with shorter distances. When you jump, make sure you’re bring your knees up.
There are six parts to a precision jump:
- Pick your landing spot
- Jump as high as you can
- Extend and open your hips
- Pull your knees up in front of you (don’t throw your heels behind you)
- At the height of your jump extend your legs down towards your landing position
- Land (absorb the impact).
When you land, make sure you’re landing on the balls of your feet. Try to land softly. The less sound you make, the less stress on your ankles and knees. After landing on the balls of your feet make sure you can absorb the impact by going into a (deep) squat position. If you can’t land in a squat position, you should work on your flexibility before trying long precision jumps! By going into a squat position, you’re taking stress off of your knees, hips and ankles.
Kong Vault
The kong vault is a more advanced movement that is usually used to vault longer obstacles. It involves leaping into a dive, placing your hands towards the end of the obstacle, bringing your hips up to tuck your legs, and pulling your legs through your hands. While exiting the vault, pushing off with your hands allows you to reposition yourself upright to continue your run after the vault.
Safety Vault
This is a parkour vault called the Safety Vault. It is one of the first vaults that should be taught and is a progressional step towards performing a speed vault.
Lazy Vault
The lazy vault is another basic parkour vault that can be performed at any speed. It's ideal situational use would be when you are approaching a railing or ledge from a 45 degree angle or less. The idea is to place your closest hand on the obstacle, swing your closest foot/leg up and over and allow your other foot/leg to follow. Control the direction you exit the vault in by using your back hand to push away from the obstacle after you are over and passing it.