Comments on Cranky Fitness: Parkour and FreeRunning: Yikes!

I think I did freerunning by accident once when co...

2008-01-20T20:25:34.199-05:00

I think I did freerunning by accident once when coming out of the bar a 2am...

Ooh - Madonna featured this in her last concert to...

2008-01-19T13:55:29.797-05:00

Ooh - Madonna featured this in her last concert tour during the song "Jump" and it was UNREAL on stage. Here's a link to the actual music video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tB9V8MOXmWE

But so much better on stage!

These videos kind of depress me. Because when you ...

2008-01-18T19:19:21.135-05:00

These videos kind of depress me. Because when you see a gruff, manly action hero do this kind of thing you go "Hah! Nobody can pull that off!"

Then you watch some French guys run up a wall on youtube and realize it is possible; your bulky Irish-American ass is just too uncoordinated for it.

Maybe if I get buff enough I can just run through buildings instead of over them. That'd get me some youtube-cred, right?

oops, didn't realize other people said the same th...

2008-01-18T10:18:15.496-05:00

oops, didn't realize other people said the same thing :)

Interesting note on free running - if you saw Casi...

2008-01-18T10:16:50.197-05:00

Interesting note on free running - if you saw Casino Royale, the guy Bond was chasing around in Madagasgar (in the chase scene where they like, climbed on top of cranes and shot up an embassy) is played by one of the founders of free running. (I usually don't know this sort of stuff off the top of my head - I was watching the special features DVD yesterday).

Hahaha! Those kind of acrobatics go on at my house...

2008-01-18T01:20:40.763-05:00

Hahaha!
Those kind of acrobatics go on at my house all the time. GRanted it's countertops and couches, but we definitely have some crazy spidermen around here. I actually think it looks like fun but i don't think I'd ever have the guts to try it.

My boys will never. NEVER see that video.

LOL............I can relate. One day, when I was ...

2008-01-17T22:55:40.561-05:00

LOL............I can relate. One day, when I was trying to be a typical mom, I decided to rollerblade with my kids. I discovered I liked it, but when I went down a hill the wrong way, fell, and had a hard time getting up, I choose to stop.

I wasn't injured, but as you get older, you don't want to take too many chances.............:)

I remember when David Belle got some media coverag...

2008-01-17T15:44:14.370-05:00

I remember when David Belle got some media coverage when this sport was gaining recognition in its current incarnation. It's really more about self discipline than the insanity it appears to be! The Wikipedia entry describes it as a martial arts type of self defense, in that it allows one to escape quickly and efficiently (or approach something as well). The philosophy behind it is ancient; think hunting game on foot, or escaping a predator. Seeing it practiced in an urban environment is what makes people think it's nuts. I think if you saw people moving through trees or up or down a cliff side, it would seem more natural. In sports one is almost always looking for the most efficient line or most effective movement; this is the same only it's ALL about efficient line or movement. It's not a competition, except with one's self, towards improvement of skills.

If I was 40 years younger and had known about it, I would have tried it. I was a good rubber kid, and as a teen practiced the falls and shoulder rolls just for fun (playing with, ahem, squirt guns with my brothers and doing the cop "rolls"). Being able to somersault in the air and land on my feet was a good talent to have when I was showing horses over fences in competition. Not knowing how to fall could get one's neck broken.

The first thing these people learn in the sport is how to fall properly to stay safe and dissipate energy. It's wonderful to watch it and see what the human body in it's more natural expression (not as a "civilized" couch potato) can do!

Thanks everyone! No one's signing up yet, huh? I ...

2008-01-17T15:36:33.624-05:00

Thanks everyone! No one's signing up yet, huh?

I never even thought of the parents, not having crablets of my own. Man, I'd want to hide the video or take serious antianxiety drugs.

And that's cool about the Bond film--some amazing freerunning in that but I didn't know that's what it was called.

Also thanks for the French and Saunders take, it's much more my speed! (Seeing Saunders makes me so nostalgic for Ab Fab).

KLC beat me to it, I was going to mention Casino R...

2008-01-17T15:35:10.648-05:00

KLC beat me to it, I was going to mention Casino Royale. There's a fun French movie also called District 13 which is just one big long Parkour scene. It's absolutely incredible - people jumping across roofs, up the sides of buildings, and so on. It has the same actor who played the French side-kick bad guy in the 4th Die Hard movie.

I think there's a kid in my neighborhood who's trying to train for parkour. I'd always drive by his front yard and think he was acting very strangely, bounding up and down his steps in one leap and such, until a long while later I realized he was probably doing parkour.

I can jump a couple inches off the floor. Maybe a foot, if I really try. I can't imagine how they actually do what they do...

The bomber Bond chases through the construction zo...

2008-01-17T14:30:23.731-05:00

The bomber Bond chases through the construction zone in Casino Royale was one of the first free runners in Britain and the movie makers incorporated that into the stunt work. "Made of rubber" is a pretty good description, though my first thought seeing the movie was "grasshopper-human mutant!"

So...everyone wants to be a ninja now...Damnit, th...

2008-01-17T14:03:37.855-05:00

So...everyone wants to be a ninja now...Damnit, they beat me to it...

I think the show "Jackass" must have been inspired...

2008-01-17T13:56:51.550-05:00

I think the show "Jackass" must have been inspired by someone doing this crazy stuff...the show just chose to capture all the f-ups and became successful because of that. We are a sick people that enjoy watching others get hurt... we are even sicker to hurt ourselves to gain fame!!! I like my feet on the ground thankyouverymuch

You _must_ check out the Dawn French - Jennifer Sa...

2008-01-17T13:43:21.784-05:00

You _must_ check out the Dawn French - Jennifer Saunders parody of freerunning! Says it all.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBLNwIqSdrI

I just kept thinking .. "those poor parents." As a...

2008-01-17T13:27:26.253-05:00

I just kept thinking .. "those poor parents." As amazing as they are, I'd be sick if my sons took some of those risks.

It looks like fun! If I hadn't gotten old and fat,...

2008-01-17T12:51:50.514-05:00

It looks like fun! If I hadn't gotten old and fat, or if I hadn't given up dance and gymnastics as a kid, I would consider trying it. I think you have to be fit before you start it though.

Hey! We used to do that in gym class! Oh...um......

2008-01-17T12:48:27.582-05:00

Hey! We used to do that in gym class! Oh...um..., I guess I am still reeling from yesterday's post!

I found a bunch of free running videos while searc...

2008-01-17T12:46:27.045-05:00

I found a bunch of free running videos while searching youtube for running a number of months ago. I probably watched the various videos for an hour or two. It looks really cool but you have to be in incredible shape to perform some of those moves.

If Jillian from The Biggest Loser were a parkour i...

2008-01-17T11:37:06.389-05:00

If Jillian from The Biggest Loser were a parkour instructor, I wonder what her casualty rate would be then? Seriously, that looks awesome but also a death sentence. How do you LEARN that without dying trying?

Well, I have to say I'd be too chicken to try it, ...

2008-01-17T11:35:41.419-05:00

Well, I have to say I'd be too chicken to try it, but it looks like a hell of a lot of fun! (Maybe if I could have nets under me to start off . . . LOL)

Do these people get insurance first?(Of course not...

2008-01-17T11:28:46.284-05:00

Do these people get insurance first?
(Of course not. What a silly thought.) I wish I had their energy.

Oy. In spite of already knowing I wouldn't do good...

2008-01-17T11:08:23.927-05:00

Oy. In spite of already knowing I wouldn't do good jumping from one building to another, I still somewhat feel like trying, on a quieter scale to start with. It sure looks like fun!

....Ouch...and the Bag Lady didn't even have to wa...

2008-01-17T10:45:44.865-05:00

....Ouch...and the Bag Lady didn't even have to watch. Your description was enough to tell her it wouldn't be for her.

Are they hiding springs up their bums?

2008-01-17T10:29:43.818-05:00

Are they hiding springs up their bums?

It looks like the wish fulfillment of a childhood ...

2008-01-17T10:21:50.048-05:00

It looks like the wish fulfillment of a childhood fantasy to become Spiderman. But I guess anyone who could do could also have a lucrative career as a stunt man!