Parkour is an exciting new sport that has taken the world by storm. It involves a type of racing called obstacle running where participants race each other to reach the finish line without taking their shoes off. Many critics of parkour state that it can be extremely dangerous for beginners, encourage unsafe trespassing, and even cause harm to property. However, over time, many people have actually died while trying these hazardous stunts! Is parkour dangerous?
The sport of parkour is very exciting and it allows participants to express themselves in a way that normal running or walking never will. In fact, parkour involves so much more than just jumping straight up and down walls. For example, parkour involves a very realistic type of planning, which requires planning permission and the correct building and structural specifications. It also requires a certain degree of skill and knowledge, as the skill involved makes parkour an extremely difficult and advanced skill.
In addition, while practicing parkour you are constantly challenged by the physical demands placed upon your body. As well as this, participants in parkour need to perform precise jumping and climbing exercises, all of which put strain on the joints, muscles, tendons and ligaments. Therefore, while you are practicing parkour, you are constantly working against the physical limits of your body, especially as you grow stronger and develop your skills.
Additionally, parkour groups will use various forms of conditioning and exercises in order to increase their strength, power and endurance levels. For example, a parkour group may choose to run or climb stairs, or they may wish to swim or cycle. However, no matter what parkour group does, they must work to improve their overall stamina and strength. As well as this, they must take into account any joint problems, back problems or other health conditions that they might have.
In addition to increasing their strength and power, parkour participants must also develop their endurance. Parkour really is not a sport for the fit; in fact, it demands the athlete’s body to be in the most powerful and efficient position when performing the sport. Therefore, an athlete who wants to improve their endurance will have to take extra careful consideration to their training and diet. This way, they can develop their strength and stamina, but they can also do so without harming themselves.
As well as improving their strength and endurance, parkour participants must also develop their calisthenics, or core muscles. Core muscles play an important role in balance and stability. It is this muscle group that allows the movement of the lower body and all of its muscles; therefore, developing it through exercise and parkour will greatly improve your balance and core capabilities. Some people consider core strength to be the same as abdominal strength. Whilst both are indeed vital, the abdominals are more focused upon when using parkour techniques as opposed to the calisthenics. Parkour incorporates many exercises for the core muscles and by working these muscles as part of your strength and conditioning program you can allow them to work for you during your parkour adventures.
Lastly, parkour is best practiced in its purest form – free running. Not only is this safer for your health, it will allow you to develop a better stamina whilst at the same time improving your fitness. It is also imperative that you ensure that you maintain a good diet and ensure that you are getting plenty of cardiovascular exercise. The reason why parkour is popular amongst athletes is that it improves performance, both through power and endurance. Therefore, if you want to enjoy a higher level of performance then you should make sure you are doing everything you can to maximise your abilities in parkour.
However, you do need to remember that parkour is a popular sport. If you do not adhere to safety and common sense, then you can find yourself hurt or even killed. As with all new things, you will learn the hard way, and if you are not properly trained you can find yourself breaking the law or at the very least causing an accident. If you want to get into a good workout and have fun at the same time, you should ensure you learn the rules of parkour first.