While at school during a free period, I was helping B do her Biology coursework and looking up training schedules and methods. I found a really useful website. I was going to copy it all in here but then you wouldn't get the handy animations.
So here's the link: http://www.parkour.co.za/training/
I also found this following article:
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PK Basics - Warm Ups
By Demon (UK)
One should always warm up before doing anything physically demanding like PK. Warming up should be taken seriously, as doing so will greatly reduce your risk for injury. People often wonder what the best way to warm up before PK or other exercise is. Some of you may think you know, but keep reading and you may be surprised.
Important Facts to Know About a Proper Warm Up
Stretching is by far the most important part of a warm up. The main types of stretching are (list and explanations are very simplified):
Static - Holding a stretch (splits, touching toes, etc.) for time.
Dynamic - Repeated gentle stretching motions (high knees, lunges, butt kicks, etc.).
Active - Holding a stretch using only your muscles (holding a kick over your head).
Ballistic - Forcing a stretch and tearing muscles by bouncing.
Isometric/PNF - Stretching a muscle, releasing, and going further.
Important Things to Remember
Do not overdo static stretching before any physical activity. Overdoing this can cause:
Mild fatigue
Decreased coordination
Decreased agility
Decreased quickness
Decreased strength
Performing active and isometric stretches before physical activity can result in these negative effects too.
Always do dynamic stretching before physical activity. This improves:
Coordination
Stability
Body awareness
Balance
Agility and quickness
Warm Up Routine
Warming up is literally the process of warming up. A proper warm-up should raise your body temperature by a couple degrees Celsius and is divided into three phases:
General warm-up
Stretching
Sport-specific activity
It is important that you perform the general warm-up before you stretch. It's not a good idea to attempt to stretch before your muscles are warm.
Warming up can do more than just loosen stiff muscles; when done properly, it actually improves performance.
General Warm-up
The general warm-up is divided into two parts:
1. Joint rotations
The general warm-up should begin with joint-rotations. This facilitates joint motion by lubricating the entire joint with synovial fluid. Such lubrication permits your joints to function more easily when called upon to participate in your athletic activity. You should perform slow circular movements, both clockwise and counter-clockwise, until the joint seems to move smoothly. The following joints should be included in this part of the warm up:
Fingers and Knuckles
Wrists
Elbows
Shoulders
Neck
Trunk
Hips
Knees
Ankles
2. Aeroic activity
After completing the joint rotations, you should engage in a few minutes of aerobic activity such as jogging, jumping rope, or another similar activity. The purpose of this is to raise your core body temperature and get your blood flowing. Increased blood flow in the muscles improves muscle performance and flexibility and reduces the likelihood of injury.
Warm-up Stretching
The stretching phase of your warm-up should consist of two parts:
1. Static stretching
Once the general warm-up has been completed, the muscles are warmer and more elastic. Immediately following your general warm-up, you should engage in brief static stretching. Try to stretch all muscles for about 10 sec., but the following are the most important for PK:
Back
Trunk
Wrists
Triceps
Chest
Buttocks
Groin
Quadriceps
Calves
Shins
Hamstrings
Some good static stretches for these various muscles may be found in most books about stretching. Basic stretches for these muscles are generally widely known and will suffice for this phase of the warm-up.
2. Dynamic stretching
Once you have performed your static stretches, you should engage in some light dynamic stretching such as:
High Knees - 15 yds.
Butt Kicks - 15 yds.
Kareoke - 15 yds.
Lunges - 10 yds.
Power Skips - 10 yds.
Front to back and Side to Side Leg and Arm Swings - (10 "there and backs" per appendage per exercise)
Remember that this type of stretching is the most important for warming up. Take the time and effort to make sure these stretches are done with good form and are achieving the full range of motion. Generally one "there and back" for exercises such as the high knees will be enough, but you should do as many sets as it takes to reach your maximum range of motion in any given direction. However, be careful not to work your muscles to the point of fatigue.
Some people are surprised to find that dynamic stretching has a place in the warm-up. But think about it, you are warming up for a workout that is going to involve a lot of dynamic activity. It makes sense that you should perform dynamic exercises to increase your dynamic flexibility.
Sport Specific Activity
The last phase of a warm up should consist of the same movements that will be used during the athletic event but at a reduced intensity. Such sport specific activity is beneficial because it improves coordination, balance, strength, and response time, and reduces the risk of injury. Useful movements to perform for PK may include a few sets of a few reps of:
PK rolls
Broad Jumps
Jogging Long Jumps
Vertical Jumps
Basic Vaults
Recap:
Joint rotations.
A few minutes of aerobic activity.
Brief static stretching.
Dynamic stretching.
PK specific movements.
There you have it! You now know the truth behind warming up and the keys to doing it right. Performing this warm up should take no more than 10-20 min. and is definitely worth the time so that you don't get an injury that could have been easily prevented!
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Yes, it was a long article. But it was useful, was it not?
Also, is having specialist parkour clothing defeating the naturalness of it, and marketing a sport for profit? Is that wrong?
Check out: http://www.urbanfreeflow.com/online_store/
