Breaking down movement in 2013
By Eric Higgins
When learning new movements it is important to learn how to break it down step by step. Take a basic Kong for example. There is the run up, step placement, the jump, hand placement, push/pop up/forward with the arms, air travel, and landing. When I learn a new trick I find it helpful to rely on thinking of the movement in steps so that I know what I can do with the movement. Every trick consists of micro movements similar to what I listed above but are not the same every time. Here are some basic steps to consider in almost every kind of parkour movement.
- First think of how you need to run up and how your foot placement needs to be in order to preform the move.
- Second look into how any hand or foot placement needs to be within the move.
- Third, what kind of rotation (if any) you will need and which way the rotation will be.
- Fourth, what kind of travel time will there be in the air.
- Fifth, landing, which foot comes down first, or do both make contact at the came time.
Part of what I consider as well is what would change if I switch which foot I take and land on, and which direction I spin/ rotate. There are a lot of things you can change. I consider all of these and work with them. If I learn a movement where there is a spinning rotation, I will learn to spin one way and then reverse the movement to be able to spin the opposite way as well. Doing this helps me round out my skill so I have even more potential.
Another way to break down movement is to break it down into more simple moves which you might already know. A very basic example, to be put in writing from my early days of parkour, would be when I re learned a standing back-flip. I could recall learning it years before on the tramp and eventually the ground, but I never practiced, so I was quite scared to try again. I knew I could do it and I new the basic technique so I began more simply. A back-hand-spring, actually not even a back-hand-spring, when I first started I rotated around without even going completely over and straight like a real back-hand-spring. Within a few tries I was able to move from a back hand spring to a full one and then do one getting more air and eventually all the way around to land on my feet again. I was able to break it down to more simple moves for me to preform. Looking at simplifying the movement further I could take the steps beyond just the basic back-flip. On trampoline add in another quarter rotation landing on my back, another half rotation to the hands and knees, and then another quarter for a double back.
The micro movements of parkour can be broken down to many different degrees. It is up to each individual how far they do into each step or if they do it at all. I myself am a fairly technical person so this is how I naturally think. I find it useful with my experience to break down the movements because I have begun to look into more complex movements. To others it might be more in their comfort to just try the trick and build upon what they know.
This year as I exercise every week I want to also concentrate on learning more ways to move. Each week I will be picking a new trick and working on it so that by the end of the year I will be much more adapt in Parkour. Starting next month I will be releasing videos high-lighting the new moves I learn. it's going to be a great year.
Until next week
HiggiE-
