This is just me training earlier on today:
The idea of this really was just to show how I train during a normal training session. Nothing extravagant or new for the camera here. Just simple stuff. Hope you enjoy it :]
Sunday, 21 October 2007
Tuesday, 28 August 2007
Me and Parkour...
Why do I train Parkour?
I've been asking myself a lot recently - Why do I train Parkour? Well, there isn't one set answer as to why I train Parkour. Firstly because my reasons always seem to change. Secondly because there is so much I get from Parkour - there are so many reasons to train.
Now I understand that many people train Parkour for different reasons. There are people who just train Parkour for the thrill and may move onto another 'hobby' in a couple of years time. And I know that there are others who train Parkour in hope of much more. For example, Blane has told me that he doesn't want to regret not seeing/doing things when he is older because of 'barriers' placed in his way unless I am very much mistaken.
My reasons are different to his. I train Parkour for fun. I am sure there are a lot of other people who train for these reasons but don't want to say it. The greatest part of Parkour is the sense of achievement you get from a hard weekend of training or a set goal that has been accomplished. Is this not fun? I'm not going to pretend that Parkour 'is my life'. I don't like it when I hear other people saying that. For me, there is a lifestyle that comes with training Parkour and taking the discipline seriously. However, I believe that there is more to life than Parkour.
Parkour is a great thing because it can give you the motivation and confidence to complete other tasks in everyday life. I believe that Parkour is a huge chunk of me, but not me entirely. It has changed me an incredible amount. The main changes in myself have been psychological and emotional. These changes have helped me to achieve things I would never have achieved before. This is why Parkour is such a huge part of me.
In life, I believe that we should try/do/accomplish/see/meet as many different kinds of things/people/places as possible. We are only here for a lifetime and have an infinite amount of things to see and do! If a person devotes his/her life to Parkour completely, they are not living their life to the fullest. However, this is just my opinion. There are things in life I haven't done/had yet. I believe that Parkour is something that has stopped me from doing these things.
I hope this has explained why I don't believe 'Parkour is me'. There is so much more in life and I hope people can realise that. Have fun with it, train hard, stay out of trouble, let it improve yourself as a person but don't let it take over your life - you're only here for a short time.
What do I want in life?
While this is a Parkour blog, I feel that this is a good place to talk about what I want in life.
There are many things I'd like to see and do. Mostly, I would like to visit a 3rd world country and spend time there helping other, more unfortunate people. I hope to do this in between college and university. (I'd better start planning really). I have been thinking about it quite a lot and have decided I would like to spend 6 months in a poorer country doing voluntary work, and 6 months travelling. I would like very much to visit New Zealand and Japan especially. This is likely to be something I would do on my own. There is so much more for me to see than Leicester!
When I have finished University, I would like to complete the 'Marathon Des Sables'. A race across the Sahara Desert over a time period of 6 days. I saw this on Newsround (haha) about a year ago and decided I needed to do this. That is a long term goal though. In 2008 I hope to do some charity events - If anyone has any original ideas let me know!
Just so you all know, I got into the college I hoped for and am doing Sport and PE and Biology in hope of doing Sports Science at Loughborough University. I have wanted to pursue a career in sport my entire life so I'm really looking forward to starting college next week.
Now you all know where I am at with Parkour and life, I'm gonna end my ramble here.
Have fun everyone x
I've been asking myself a lot recently - Why do I train Parkour? Well, there isn't one set answer as to why I train Parkour. Firstly because my reasons always seem to change. Secondly because there is so much I get from Parkour - there are so many reasons to train.
Now I understand that many people train Parkour for different reasons. There are people who just train Parkour for the thrill and may move onto another 'hobby' in a couple of years time. And I know that there are others who train Parkour in hope of much more. For example, Blane has told me that he doesn't want to regret not seeing/doing things when he is older because of 'barriers' placed in his way unless I am very much mistaken.
My reasons are different to his. I train Parkour for fun. I am sure there are a lot of other people who train for these reasons but don't want to say it. The greatest part of Parkour is the sense of achievement you get from a hard weekend of training or a set goal that has been accomplished. Is this not fun? I'm not going to pretend that Parkour 'is my life'. I don't like it when I hear other people saying that. For me, there is a lifestyle that comes with training Parkour and taking the discipline seriously. However, I believe that there is more to life than Parkour.
Parkour is a great thing because it can give you the motivation and confidence to complete other tasks in everyday life. I believe that Parkour is a huge chunk of me, but not me entirely. It has changed me an incredible amount. The main changes in myself have been psychological and emotional. These changes have helped me to achieve things I would never have achieved before. This is why Parkour is such a huge part of me.
In life, I believe that we should try/do/accomplish/see/meet as many different kinds of things/people/places as possible. We are only here for a lifetime and have an infinite amount of things to see and do! If a person devotes his/her life to Parkour completely, they are not living their life to the fullest. However, this is just my opinion. There are things in life I haven't done/had yet. I believe that Parkour is something that has stopped me from doing these things.
I hope this has explained why I don't believe 'Parkour is me'. There is so much more in life and I hope people can realise that. Have fun with it, train hard, stay out of trouble, let it improve yourself as a person but don't let it take over your life - you're only here for a short time.
What do I want in life?
While this is a Parkour blog, I feel that this is a good place to talk about what I want in life.
There are many things I'd like to see and do. Mostly, I would like to visit a 3rd world country and spend time there helping other, more unfortunate people. I hope to do this in between college and university. (I'd better start planning really). I have been thinking about it quite a lot and have decided I would like to spend 6 months in a poorer country doing voluntary work, and 6 months travelling. I would like very much to visit New Zealand and Japan especially. This is likely to be something I would do on my own. There is so much more for me to see than Leicester!
When I have finished University, I would like to complete the 'Marathon Des Sables'. A race across the Sahara Desert over a time period of 6 days. I saw this on Newsround (haha) about a year ago and decided I needed to do this. That is a long term goal though. In 2008 I hope to do some charity events - If anyone has any original ideas let me know!
Just so you all know, I got into the college I hoped for and am doing Sport and PE and Biology in hope of doing Sports Science at Loughborough University. I have wanted to pursue a career in sport my entire life so I'm really looking forward to starting college next week.
Now you all know where I am at with Parkour and life, I'm gonna end my ramble here.
Have fun everyone x
Monday, 16 July 2007
New video and current training update
Here is a training video of me, Alex and Wing:
Unfortunately, I took a pretty harsh bail yesterday resulting in a sprained wrist and swollen ankle. I was looking at a big running armjump taking off from a bollard and going to a wall (Wing does it towards the end of the video). As I run up I made a poor error of losing concentration and stepping on the end of the bollard so that only my heel was on it.
I strained my ankle on the wall and put my hands out to protect my head. This made me jar my wrist though. None are serious injuries but it limits my training a lot for the next few days/week or two.
Play safe people.
Callum x
Unfortunately, I took a pretty harsh bail yesterday resulting in a sprained wrist and swollen ankle. I was looking at a big running armjump taking off from a bollard and going to a wall (Wing does it towards the end of the video). As I run up I made a poor error of losing concentration and stepping on the end of the bollard so that only my heel was on it.
I strained my ankle on the wall and put my hands out to protect my head. This made me jar my wrist though. None are serious injuries but it limits my training a lot for the next few days/week or two.
Play safe people.
Callum x
Tuesday, 19 June 2007
Long time no post
Hey guys. Just a quick update saying where I am at right now. I stopped with the handstands for a bit because my wrist was bad. It is now much better and I am beginning to start them up again slowly and strengthening it daily with the use of a 1kg dumbell.
Here is a little video, not to be taken to seriously, from today. It features me and Wing having a really fun time at Knighton Park.
Enjoy.
Here is a little video, not to be taken to seriously, from today. It features me and Wing having a really fun time at Knighton Park.
Enjoy.
Sunday, 20 May 2007
Training update
This is just an update saying where I am at with some things. Firstly, I'll talk about my planche (muscle-up kind). I managed to get either 10 or 11 getting the dip of both arms simultaneously yesterday. I wasn't counting and just going until failure. Joe told me he counted and said it was either 10 or 11.
Next time I try planche until failure, I am not going to focus on getting my arms together. I am just going to see how many times I can get from a hang to my waist. I have been focusing the last few months on getting muscle-ups with my arms together consistently so that my muscles would build equally on either side. But after watching Alex get 20 muscle ups and Blane get 21 muscle ups, I am going to see how well I can do, just trying to get on top of the bar. I don't expect to get more than 15.
My handstands are now starting to improve quite quickly. I am starting to hold them for around 10-15 seconds on quite a regular basis. They still need a lot of work, but I am happy with the rate they have so far improved. I am also getting much closer to nailing a tuck planche-handstand. I hope to get this by mid-June. It will be difficult, but the goal-setting will push me harder.
I will post again soon, showing clips of progress.
Peace!
Next time I try planche until failure, I am not going to focus on getting my arms together. I am just going to see how many times I can get from a hang to my waist. I have been focusing the last few months on getting muscle-ups with my arms together consistently so that my muscles would build equally on either side. But after watching Alex get 20 muscle ups and Blane get 21 muscle ups, I am going to see how well I can do, just trying to get on top of the bar. I don't expect to get more than 15.
My handstands are now starting to improve quite quickly. I am starting to hold them for around 10-15 seconds on quite a regular basis. They still need a lot of work, but I am happy with the rate they have so far improved. I am also getting much closer to nailing a tuck planche-handstand. I hope to get this by mid-June. It will be difficult, but the goal-setting will push me harder.
I will post again soon, showing clips of progress.
Peace!
Sunday, 13 May 2007
Parkour Seminar in London
Todays Parkour Seminar was really good.
As expected, there was a killer warm-up lead by Forrest and a killer cool-down lead by Dan. It was great to see Thomas and Seb Goudot again as well as other people.
The atmosphere was brilliant. Everybody there was serious about their training and put a lot of effort in! It's awesome that nobody was messing around and getting in the way (that much) like PK10 last year.
The day consisted of a long and tiring warm-up, conditioning drills, technical drills, and an abdominal-killing cool-down!
I'd like to say thanks to everybody that was there as it was a truly awesome day.
Check out www.parkourcoaching.com
Callum
As expected, there was a killer warm-up lead by Forrest and a killer cool-down lead by Dan. It was great to see Thomas and Seb Goudot again as well as other people.
The atmosphere was brilliant. Everybody there was serious about their training and put a lot of effort in! It's awesome that nobody was messing around and getting in the way (that much) like PK10 last year.
The day consisted of a long and tiring warm-up, conditioning drills, technical drills, and an abdominal-killing cool-down!
I'd like to say thanks to everybody that was there as it was a truly awesome day.
Check out www.parkourcoaching.com
Callum
Monday, 7 May 2007
Little Video of Handstands
Hey guys. This video is just to show where I am at with handstands at the minute. I'm obviously right at the beginning of my handstand training so I should be able to look back and laugh at this come summer time.
Also, I found a nice little spot less that 2 minutes from my doorstep. Well really, I saw it years ago but never trained there. It is a little childrens park in the middle of this newly built estate. Unfortunately, it is a hotspot for the local chavs, binge drinkers and drug addicts so I will need to be careful when training there. It seems all my local spots are becoming spots for chavs now.
I managed to scalp a cat - armjump at my old primary school yesterday too. It is one that Tim (Livewire) managed to do before his knee surgery. (Thanks for pointing it out, Tim). Also nailed a new arm to arm there.
Me, Wing and Alex are planning a follow-up to our video last year, so look out for that in the summer. It will be much better and possibly lengthier.
See you all soon guys.
Callum
Also, I found a nice little spot less that 2 minutes from my doorstep. Well really, I saw it years ago but never trained there. It is a little childrens park in the middle of this newly built estate. Unfortunately, it is a hotspot for the local chavs, binge drinkers and drug addicts so I will need to be careful when training there. It seems all my local spots are becoming spots for chavs now.
I managed to scalp a cat - armjump at my old primary school yesterday too. It is one that Tim (Livewire) managed to do before his knee surgery. (Thanks for pointing it out, Tim). Also nailed a new arm to arm there.
Me, Wing and Alex are planning a follow-up to our video last year, so look out for that in the summer. It will be much better and possibly lengthier.
See you all soon guys.
Callum
Saturday, 5 May 2007
New Blog
Hey everybody. I decided to make a new blog to note a fresh start to my training.
I have a few goals for before the Summer Holidays (which for me, starts June 25th I think). My main goal is to get straddle planche. I've been practicing my normal tucked planche over the past week and have noticed a lot of progression.
Also, I would like to get a tucked planche to handstand. I am going to keep training my planche and handstand in hope of getting this. Furthermore, I will use handstand pushups against a wall to build the strength (my handstands aren't quite balanced enough to do them freely).
I am REALLY happy with how training is going at the minute. I feel much stronger than ever before. I have planche en force much more consistently now, but it could still need work. Over the next couple of weeks I am going to attempt to get 10 muscle-ups with my arms together. I am refusing to use one arm before the other right now because I don't want to be stronger on one side.
Technically, I also feel much better. My precision jump has increased a lot. I have also been working on arm-to-arms. I nailed two new ones today. Also today, I managed to get this lengthy shimmy I have been thinking about/trying for a few months now.
I will put up a few clips over the next month or so to display progression of different things. It will mainly be conditioning clips with possibly a few techniques thrown in there too.
I hope everybody is enjoying the fine weather.
Callum.
I have a few goals for before the Summer Holidays (which for me, starts June 25th I think). My main goal is to get straddle planche. I've been practicing my normal tucked planche over the past week and have noticed a lot of progression.
Also, I would like to get a tucked planche to handstand. I am going to keep training my planche and handstand in hope of getting this. Furthermore, I will use handstand pushups against a wall to build the strength (my handstands aren't quite balanced enough to do them freely).
I am REALLY happy with how training is going at the minute. I feel much stronger than ever before. I have planche en force much more consistently now, but it could still need work. Over the next couple of weeks I am going to attempt to get 10 muscle-ups with my arms together. I am refusing to use one arm before the other right now because I don't want to be stronger on one side.
Technically, I also feel much better. My precision jump has increased a lot. I have also been working on arm-to-arms. I nailed two new ones today. Also today, I managed to get this lengthy shimmy I have been thinking about/trying for a few months now.
I will put up a few clips over the next month or so to display progression of different things. It will mainly be conditioning clips with possibly a few techniques thrown in there too.
I hope everybody is enjoying the fine weather.
Callum.
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