When fitting people for a running shoe I would find a few pairs of shoes which will be good for their feet. This usual meant finding the right size and level of shoe (brands make shoes on different levels that have more cushion and sole surface area) Most importantly it meant I would find out in looking at a persons gate, that is the way they walk, to see whether they pronate or not. If they didn't I would fit them in a neutral shoe; if they did a stability shoe.
I pronate and wear a stability shoe when I run. What this means is when I take a step and roll through my gate from my heal to my toes the inside of my foot collapses slightly inward. A stability shoe will have a thicker material on the inside along the length of the shoe to provide needed stability. In turn this keeps the joints in my ankles aligned and up through my knees and even my hips so that I am not putting any unwanted pressure on my joints. Neutral only means that a person doesn't need a shoe with the stability feature and that their joints are already lined good in there gate. For distance runners having a good shoe if you pronate matters because you run in a strait line on a flat surface for a long time. Trail runner on the other hand do not need to worry as much about stability or neutral shoes because of the irregularity of the terrain they run across. In fact trail shoes will often have metal plates in the sole to add stiffness. In parkour there is more irregularity in the terrain but the concept of the technologies they have in a trail shoe would be good for parkour.
A good running shoe will cup and hold the heel, and allow room for your toes for best comfort. It will also have sufficient padding and good arch support. I have really flat feet so I require no arch support (arch support is different than pronation stability) One way around arch support is to add in a 3rd party insole which will be good for your foot and for better padding. Qualifications such as these can be found in any brand or shoe, it just matters on your feet if they are comfortable or not.
When looking for a shoe specifically for parkour you want to specificallyuu consider these things: grip, comfort, and whether you want the shoe more flexible or stiff. Grip is important because different softer rubbers will grip to more surfaces but will wear down faster. Many shoes have plastic on the bottom in the center which you do not want; plastic is slick and will cause you to slip if you are to land on a corner or a rail. Some shoes are more more flexible than others. When doing parkour you do not want something to be to big and clunky, however remember that thinner more flexible shoes may wear out faster and will not provide as good of padding.
Another thing which is good to have for parkour is respect. it is important to have respect for your body and the environment in which you play in. Parkour can be destructive to the body if you do not properly maintain strength, flexibility, and manage the pressures on ligaments and joints. See Week 3: Developing the Basics of Parkour for more. It is also important to take care of your environment and maintain it. You do not want the environment you train in to become a dump because the stuff you leave or do in that area. Respecting these places is also valuable to the owners or managers who 'allow' parkour to happen in that location. If we take care of our spaces it sends a message of respect and dignity.
Parkour down to the basics is a simple sport, but there are many things practitioners need beyond shoes. They need to know why parkour is important to them, to have respect for themselves and their environment, and to have good parkour eyes. Parkour is a sport that is developed and comes with much practice.
Until next week. Good training-
