Reunions

Gone for a year and what have you to prove? Progression truly shows when you haven’t trained with a group of traceurs in over a year. Strength, technique, object-awareness, and over all open-mindedness. As traceurs our goal is to constantly progress to better ourselves for whatever reason we train. Whether it be fun, to become more efficient, to protect, or a mixture of the three, I think we can all agree that our primary goal is to progress. I would like you reading this piece to put yourself back a year, or a significant amount of time and ask yourself, “Have I progressed?” If you can honestly answer yes than also ask yourself, “How much?”

I recently met up with a group of traceurs I have not had the chance to train with in over a year, at first I remembered how difficult some of their training spots were to me because I was still new to Parkour and had not built up the strength for some of their favorite areas. I was recently able to meet up with these guys a year after our previous session. We had an amazing day of training, but I noticed we had steered down different paths of movement. I watched some stunning acrobatics over flights of stairs and railings, while I was swinging through trees and pulling huge precisions. I felt flattered when a number of the guys were making comments on my stunning progression in a years’ time and asking how I did it. I posed an answer to their questions stating how dedicated I was to my movement and that I hoped it has payed off.

Progression comes with dedication, not only through technique but also through strength training. (Shae and I have an interesting, differing theory that we’re interested in testing but I will talk about in another post.) So what does it meant for someone to stop progressing? Have they given up on something they once loved, or could it be that they are not putting enough effort, and dedication to get to a further stage in their level of movement than before. Progression comes from dedication, and with that idea in mind I once again I pose the question to you,” Have you progressed and what are you doing to further progress?”

-Rand Jordan