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2003
Welcome friends,
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Issue 14 Contributors: Alexandra Arefieva Chima Akenzua Alexander ‘Naruto’ Velasquez Tomasz Gudzowaty Daer Sanchez Marcela Gonçalves Mikey Cross James Baldwin Humberto ‘Beto’ Bermúdez JC ‘Sage’ Greening Lek3CT Austin DeLaVergne Will J Carman JJ Goda Andrew Morozkin François ‘fOre1’ Constant Alberto Momio Jonathan ‘JK’ Kobylanski Josefo Robledo Joanna Aska Manuel Santiago Andreas Riedmann Diego Tellez Renat ‘Ren’ Ardilanov Gomel Parkour
Font cover athlete: Ivan Savchuk Photographer: Ez www.urbanfreeflow.com UF ad athlete: Chima Akenzua www.youtube.com/chimaxeno Photographer: Ez
They say that every action causes a reaction and this month we’ve covered the USSR Freerun Challenge event in depth. Sure, it might have been a small affair compared to the likes of the World Freerun Championship or Art of Motion, but there was a real sense that things are about to blow up in Eastern Europe. Over there they have many high level athletes who want to step up onto the World stage, and it’s just a matter of time before a number of them become regulars on the larger competition circuit. Seriously, don’t be surprised if you frequently see podium places being snatched up by them. Over the last 9 years I’ve been truly blessed to have been involved in many very high profile ventures but the above event staged in Minsk, Belarus, has to be right up there with the most enjoyable of the lot. It wasn’t the most organised event by any stretch of the imagination though. In fact, it was a bit of a shambles but nobody Freerunning related was at fault here. The thing that shone through brightly was that everyone in attendance was positive minded, had mad skills and if it had come to it, they would have happily competed outside using just a park bench. Hopefully the article in this issue reflects some of that sense of fun, adventure and unity.... We’ve also got a feature on Brazilian athlete, Pedro Thomas, who’s better known for his fashion faux pas of epic proportions at the Worlds, where he competed in pink trousers! Trouser malfunction aside, he’s a highly regarded pro athlete so thankfully, there was a bit more to talk about other than his crap taste in pants. Last month we apologised for the lack of a pressure test feature and promised to redress the balance this month. Originally we planned to do a test using a weighted vest but were let down (again) by our regular contributor, so had a scramble to test out a pair of budget Asics ‘Patriot’ shoes. Thanks here go out to Chima Akenzua for dropping all plans in favour of a last minute shoot in Archway, London. JJ Goda was also at hand to step up for a shoot where we hit a bunch of London hotspots with an ‘actions speak louder than words’ vibe. All the regular stuff is in here too... Enjoy.... Ez (Editor)
JUMP MAGAZINE # 14 Copyright © The Urban Freeflow Network. All rights reserved. ‘Urban Freeflow’ and the ‘Glyph’ logo are registered trademarks of Urban Free Flow Ltd
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Oleg Makhnev (Russia) Photographer: Alexandra Arefieva
‘Patriot’ Shoes UNDERPRESSURE By Chima Akenzua
www.youtube.com/chimaxeno
The quest to find the perfect shoe for Parkour has been going on for years and all the companies out there who’ve produced PK specific shoes, have fallen at the first hurdle by overpricing them. Whether you are a pro or a noob, one thing is for sure and that’s the fact that you will go through plenty of pairs during your time in the game. So who really wants to be paying through the nose for the privilege? Well luckily, there are an abundance of budget shoes out there that do the job just fine without any PK branding or in your face propoganda, so we’re going to highlight some entry level shoes starting off with the ‘Patriot’ by Asics....
Comfort....
Being bog standard running shoes, I expected them to be comfortable and they were exactly that. Nice snug fit, plenty of cushioning without taking away the sense of touch needed and best of all, they were light. This is down to the fact that the upper material is made from a mesh material that at first glance looks like it’ll shred, but in actual fact it’s made from a tougher than usual fabric.
Score: 4 out of 5
No complaints whatsoever in this department.
Style....
Whack, whack, whack! For me, I like my shoes to have an element of style about them and my shoes of choice (before they bacame so hard to get hold of) were the K-Swiss Si-18’s, which look fresh even when you rock them with a pair of jeans. With these Patriot shoes, they come in black with silver Asics branding and look like the kind of shoes your mum would buy you for school. Definitely not feeling the looks of these but I fully appreciate that they are budget shoes so can’t complain too much as long as they are good for training. Afterall, the infamous Kalenji’s are probably the ugliest trainers on the planet but because they were both good and cheap, everyone bought them.
Score: 2 out of 5
Sorry, but I’m not feeling the look of these at all.
Grip....
Grip on any shoe is obviously important but you do need a bit of slippage. Take a look at shoes like the ones from Five Ten which use a rubber compound that makes you stick to walls and rails like glue. Most people would think that this is perfect but in fact, it’s REALLY bad and when doing things like cat leaps, you’ll find that because you lock in without any slippage, you actually risk tweaking your ankles. With the Patriot’s you get good traction but still get a bit of slip before locking in and this is a really important attribute for me.
Score: 4 out of 5 Almost perfect.
Shock Absorbency
A good shoe for training needs to have a whole bunch of elements in place and one of the most important is good shock absorbency. I’m not talking about soles that are so thick that you feel like you’re walking on the moon. I’m talking about ones that are thick enough to soften the impact of any drops but still allow you to have a sense of connectionwith the concrete. The Patriot’s have a good balance. The sole is thick and has some quality bounce, while the front part of the sole is thin enough to provide a feeling of touch/control.
Score: 5 out of 5 No complaints here.
Durability....
As I said before, the upper part of the shoe has implemented the use of a mesh material which doesn’t look like it’ll hold up. However, the mesh is made from a tough plastic type of fabric which can take a bit of a battering. All said and done, these are budget shoes so you shouldn’t put too much hope into them lasting forever.
Score: 4 out of 5
Tough enough for a bit of a battering but don’t take liberties.
Weight
Because of the mesh material used, these shoes are super lightweight. Can’t say any more than that
Score: 5 out of 5 Perfect.
Overall....
The Patriot shoes cost just £26 (GB pounds) to buy and can be found a bit cheaper if you shop about. Considering the low price and how well they stood up to everything I put them through, I’d definitely recommend them. The main flaw for me was the styling, which is plain whack in my opinion. If they had looked a bit better in the style dept, I’d have probably scored them 0.5 higher.
Overall Score: 4 out of 5
Don’t believe the in your face propoganda of any company that tries to sell you ‘Parkour shoes’. They are all overpriced at the end of the day and won’t last any longer than a regular pair of running shoes.
Carlo ‘Karl FOW’ Peraza (Venezuela) www.twitter.com/Familyofthewind Photographer: Alexander ‘Naruto’ Velasquez
PEDRO
THOMAS Interview by Ez
Pedro first made an impression when he put himself forward to represent Brazil in the 2009 World Freerun Championships. His submitted reel showed a strong level of Parkour but in it he also demonstrated a range of flips and creative movements that were perfectly suited to the competition format, so we invited him on board and flew him over to London to join the international line-up. When he came over, he brought with him a pair of pink trousers to perform in that have built a profile of their very own. We caught up with Pedro after a training session to find out what he’s about and what was going through his mind when he thought he’d be able to rep his country in such a flamboyant way? Thanks for taking the time to talk to us Pedro. Can you please introduce yourself.... Pedro: My full name is Pedro Thomas Cury da Fonseca, I’m currently 19 years old and I’m from Brazil. I’ve been training for 5 years now. Do you remember where you first saw Parkour? Pedro: It was on internet somewhere <laughs>. What impact did it have on you? Pedro: I was really impressed and thought it was amazing that people where physically able to do all that. It was how I dreamed of being able to move. What steps did you take to start training? Pedro: I tried to climb up onto the wall of my house and did not succeed <laughs>. It was incredibly hard. Were you a complete noob or did you step up with a background in any other sport that helped you? Pedro: Yeah, but I wasn’t a noob on internet games <laughs>. I used to play all that shit day after day. Looking back, it was totally unhealthy. Believe it or not but I used to be fat and after 2 years of training I lost about 17kg in weight!! Seriously? Damn! I could never imagine you as anything other than somebody who’s physically fit. Props to you for that then. How long did it take for you to see an improvement in your game from all the training? Pedro: At the end of the first year of Parkour training, I was a completely different person than before.
At what point did you start to really train seriously? Pedro: I’ve always trained seriously right from the very beginning, but only realised what I was really doing after about 3 years. Sounds like a similar story to most people out there. If you were given the opportunity to set up your perfect training environment, what kind of things would it include? Pedro: I love my current training spots which consist of trees and a little bit of concrete. I would love to train on rails more because there aren’t many where I live. I’m always training in different ways so the perfect environment is one that allows for variety. Do you train alone or as part of a group? Pedro: I always used to train alone. Only since last year I’ve started to train more with other people.
What do you love most about Parkour? Pedro: That it’s a powerful tool to understand and evolve in life. But it’s up to us as individuals to learn and use it properly. What do you not like about Parkour? Pedro: There are many things I don’t like in Parkour, or in its use I’d say. But I will quote only one for now. The hierarchy position claiming that people are only walking by the masses or following the way of society. Living costumed obstacles, instead of the real deal, as we belong to an orderly place. I do not mean that this quote belongs to Parkour, but I have seen so far many people acting this way. Erm...I didn’t understand any of that but nevermind <laughs>. Do you differentiate between Parkour and Freerunning or is it just movement to you? Pedro: It’s all just movement and artistic expression. Each person with their own goal. Are you personally into the flip side of things? Pedro: Yeah, flips have helped me a lot with body awareness and conditioning. These days I don’t really work on them as much as I used to. We know that you’ve travelled a fair bit. What’s been the best location for Parkour and why? Pedro: Mexico city and Belo Horizonte (Brazil). Both
Profile shot taken in Mexico City Photographer: Tomasz Gudzowaty www.gudzowaty.com
Posing on top of a rooftop in Mexico during the Gudzowaty shoot Photographer: Daer Sanchez www.urbanrunners.net
Dropping in to begin his run at the World Freerun Championships where he represented Brazil in PINK trousers! Photographer: Claudiu Voicu
cities have great atmosphere, spots and amazing people that also train. Where in the World would you most like to visit to train at? Pedro: Rio de Janeiro sounds amazing but for now I think I’d rather head to Cambridge (UK) and learn with the guys there. Tell us a bit about your experiences at the 2009 World Championships… Pedro: Man it all happened so fast that it’s hard to tell you what I felt <laughs>. My dream since I was a little kid was to go to London and this wish grew stronger after I joined the Parkour scene. In hindsight I must say I wasn’t really ready to take on such a huge challenge but I joined for the experience to share back home with my Brazilian friends. I will resume: my flight arrived late so I didn’t train in the structures during the rehearsal sessions and didn’t even have time to properly plan a run. I had to improvise and I’d just had lunch before I ran in the first group. I wasn’t even warmed up properly or anything. There were about 3 weeks where I wasn’t training properly because I was really worried about the whole trip. Check my man rolling out the lame excuses <laughs>. Pedro: Fuck you Ez <laughs>! It was a really fun experience and was lovely to meet lots of athletes that I admired.
Talking of trousers, in some of your videos you can be seen wearing massively baggy bottoms. What’s the deal there? Pedro: I have always liked baggy trousers from hip hop culture. Loads of people have asked where they can get a pair. Where did you get them and what’s the brand name? Pedro: There’s no brand, I bought them at Camden market in London. They’re from Nepal or something. Going back to travelling, Nick from Apex told me that when you visited Moreton, UK, they took you on an Assassin’s Creed rooftop mission at night time. Tell us a bit about that experience. Pedro: It was my first real mission, man. I enjoyed myself so much that night. We had so much fun doing that. We looked for the highest building and tried to climb to the top without being seen. We actually got seen <laughs> but it was fine because we succeeded in running away and kept playing around for a bit more. If that was in Brazil, we would have been shot for sure <laughs>!
“IF THAT WAS IN BRAZIL WE’D HAVE BEEN SHOT FOR SURE!”
Was it scary competing in front of 7,000 people? Pedro: I was just focused on doing what I’d do in a normal training day, so I closed myself off from any outside intervention. It was all fine after that. Is it something you look back on as being a positive experience? Pedro: Or course it is, I’d definitely do it all again.
What’s your overall opinion of competition? Pedro: Well, humans are naturally competitive. Competition is evident even in Parkour videos or in group training sessions. It is also needed to happen as the discipline is still growing and solidifying, it is a positive experience and will lead to a future but for those who choose to compete, we need to keep it healthy and to compete wisely. One thing that’s been bothering me for some time is why the fuck did you choose to perform in pink trousers at the Worlds?! I mean, PINK trousers. That’s criminal! Pedro: <Laughs> Oh shit, I honestly don’t even remember why I was wearing those. If I only knew...
You’ve also visited France during our Session Internationale event in 2010. What was it like to visit the birth place? Pedro: It was great bro, I shared a room with Kie Willis and James Kingston at the F1 hotel in Lisses. I met so many people at the event and I was feeling more like chilling, but everyone there was playing around and it was great. After that event we hung around in Lisses for a few days for some extra training. Did you enjoy hitting some of the more famous spots like the Dame Du Lac? Pedro: Yeah, a lot. I first went to Lisses back in 2009 after the World Championships. I spent my 18th birthday meeting the Dame Du Lac <laughs>. It became a very special place and I could appreciate it more the second time around. However, we got banned from the spot by the French police. Yeah, I heard about the horror stories where people got sprayed with CS gas. Ok, how do you rate the European way of moving and is it different to what you see in Brazil? Pedro: Parkour is much older in Europe and I like to have this reference. What bothers me is that Brazil has a completely different architecture and people go out to copy more than self-express. We have a lot to be explored here and I simply love it. Tell us more about the scene there and the training environments where you live...
The natural environment presents just as many opportunities to create movment as the urban jungle Photographer: Marcela Gonรงalves
Pedro: I have a few really good friends and I love to be training with them, but most people are from other cities. The scene here is growing in its rhythm and it is different from Europe. Soon though, the Brazilian scene will be much more popular, I’m sure of that. The spots are incredible here but there isn’t much here like standard jumps. They’re either more like simple jumps or crazy ones. That’s why the scene grows slowly, with only a few overlaps. How many practitioners and teams are there? Pedro: I have no idea bro, I think that most don’t last too long. Do you have support from the local authorities? If yes, are there any plans to build a dedicated Parkour facility? Pedro: There’s none yet but we can train almost anywhere outside, it’s very peaceful with no problems from authorities. Which city in Brazil has the biggest scene then? Pedro: Maybe São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, or maybe Belo Horizonte and the surrounding areas. I’m really not sure to be honest. You don’t know much do you? Ok, for the scenes that you are familiar with, is the vibe friendly or is it competitive? Pedro: <laughs>It is both. Most people are pretty friendly with others, but some don’t have any respect at all.
Chima and Daer. In mid-air, Chima was supposed to open up his arms and so he did. But he hit me and I was knocked a little bit off my axis. As a result my roll was a bit crooked and the landing area was too small for the three of us. Plus the take off was from about six metres up, so it was a close call. You’re far too modest. I’ve been on the same rooftop for another job and the drop is very high up. You’re very lucky. Ok, so what are your goals with Parkour? Pedro: I have always trained just for the love of it. Do you supplement your Parkour training with anything else? Pedro: Nope, but sometimes I play with my slack-line. How about eating, do you follow a healthy diet? Pedro: Yeah most of the time I eat healthy but from time to time I’m fine to eat some not so healthy stuff I like. Favourite shoes for Parkour? Pedro: My favourite shoes are Feiyues.
“MY OWN TRAINING HAS CHANGED A LOT THIS YEAR”
How about your neighbouring South American countries, do you communicate with others outside of Brazil? Pedro: I don’t personally know anyone from other places around other than Mexico. A group from Rio de Janeiro called Voltz staged an event in Chile once and I was told that the vibe there was awesome. Tell us about your Mexico experience hooking up with Daer Sanchez and Chima Akenzua. Pedro: It was probably the best professional Parkour experience of my life. It was my first proper PK job, was really hard to shoot and pushed me a lot but I’m really proud of what was produced. Mexico as a country, was absolutely incredible, the spots there are amazing and the guys from the Urban Runners family will never be forgotten. I really want to get back there and meet everyone again.
In a previous interview with Chima, he said that during a roof jump on the Gudzowaty shoot, you nearly rolled off the scaffolding area to your death. Tell us about that. Pedro: <laughs> It was fine, the jump was done by me,
Worst shoes you’ve used to train in and why? Pedro: There’s none I can think of. I got an old pair from my dad which were basic Mizuno running shoes. I wore the same pair for 3 years and a half, and then changed to Feiyues when I travelled to London. I still use the same green pair. I have tried the new Kalenji and the Kswiss Si-18, but they don’t fit me properly at all.
Outside of training, what are your interests? Pedro: Spiritual knowledge, healing and well-being. What kind of music do you listen to? Pedro: Hip Hop and rap music, some acoustic and guitar work, chilled electronic beats/melodies and a bit of dubstep. Do you edit your own videos? Pedro: Yeah I make them myself, I love the whole editing process. When can we expect to see some new video material from you? Pedro: Hmmm I’m not sure? My own training has changed a lot this year and I’m still dealing with this change. Maybe soon I will be posting simple videos. How important do you think Youtube has been in spreading the word about our discipline? Pedro: The word about our discipline isn’t found in any media. We do only learn and grow within training.
A moment of reflection Photographer: Marcela Gonรงalves
Mid-flight in Mexico Photographer: Tomasz Gudzowaty www.gudzowaty.com
I swear to God, if you step into my sanctuary uninvited, I will shoot you between the eyes Photographer: Marcela Gonรงalves
Erm....you’ve gone and lost me again. Don’t worry. Have you suffered any injuries? Pedro: Yes, my first injury was in December 2010. I broke the ligament connecting my clavicle to my shoulder. I stayed away from training for almost 2 months but its fine now, although a bit sensitive. Do you ever teach? Pedro: Sure, I share with whoever wants to learn from me. If you were training and you saw a beginner doing something that was beyond their experience level, what would you do? Pedro: I would always come and chat a bit to understand better what is going on. Nowadays I understand more about necessity and maybe I would just let them learn from their personal experiences. Who am I to judge someones will. Do you think that some people need to find their ‘way’ on their own? Pedro: Yeah I think we should all look for ourselves mainly. It leads me to a quote by Carl Jung. “Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.” What has been the most enjoyable experience for you in Parkour? Pedro: Quite simply experiences that took me to a place where I made some good friends. What’s been the least enjoyable experience? Pedro: I think being out of training through injury. It makes me feel weak.
days I try not to picture anything anymore. Instead I try to carefully listen to my heart and then go when I’m ready. Do you suffer from fear? Pedro: Yeah a lot. Fears have been the hardest nightmare in my life. I try to understand my time and not to idealize things that would get me very frustrated. When the time comes, I do my best to move forward. What would you say is the strongest part of your game? Pedro: Love is the answer. What is the area you’d most like to improve? Pedro: My spirituality. Do you ever train in a gym or are you strictly an outdoors person? Pedro: I used to train in a gym but here in Brazil we don’t have open sessions. We need to do classes and thats very restrictive. Parkour is also banned in the gym here because of some fools, so it’s been a long time since I’ve attended any indoor sessions.
“Who looks inside, dreams. Who looks outside, awakes”
If you could pass down any information to beginners now, what would it be? Pedro: Follow your heart, learn to listen to it. Do you think that you’ll still be training in another 5 or 10 years time? Pedro: I expect so, I don’t see why I would not be. What effect would a serious injury have? Imagine that you were told by a doctor that your clavicle injury was so bad that you would never be able to train again…. Pedro: I think we all have what we need in this life. This won’t happen to me because I don’t need to live this situation. I know I am here to help people. Ok let’s forget about the notion of injuries in favour of being in the moment. When you’re preparing to do something ambitious like a big jump, what goes through your mind? Pedro: I would always imagine myself doing it. These
Which is most important to you…..Technique, flow, speed or power? Pedro: I’d say technique. Then you can work and improve on any area you want. Who in Brazil inspires you most? Pedro: This is one hell of a hard question. There isn’t just one, all my good friends inspire me a lot.
Who in the Worldwide scene inspires you most? Pedro: I haven’t met him yet but I really like Phil Doyle. There’s something about him that makes me feel very inspired. My girlfriend Marcela is the biggest inspiration in my life though. How about international scenes. Which country in your opinion is killing it right now? Pedro: I’m torn between Russia and England. Brazil has so much potential too but we still need more experience. Any people you want to give a shout out to in the World? Pedro: Yeah man, it’s for Phil Doyle. I’m coming for ya, bitch <laughs>! Seriously, a big shout to everyone out there....Follow your hearts! Thanks for your time Pedro. Pedro: No problem, you’re welcome. Pedro’s Youtube channel can be found at: www.youtube.com/pdrthms
David Jones (USA) www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_119027504839442 Photographer: Mikey Cross
Runners Knee: by James Baldwin M.Ost D.O. Psoas major lliacus Piriformis
Tensor fasciae latae
Adductor brevis Adductor longus Pectineus lliotibial tract
Gracilis
Adductor magnus
ITB: A tight band of tissue running down the outside of the thigh, Femur: The large, long bone in the thigh, Knee Flexion: The movement occurring at the knee during such movements as kicking a ball or squatting, Knee Extension: The movement occurring at the knee when standing upright or ‘locking’ the knee joints, Lateral Epicondyle of the knee: A bony protrusion on the outer surface of the femur at its furthest end.
Spring has sprung and the sunshine is here at last; more hours of daylight and warmer weather means more time to train. Unfortunately this also means a big jump (no pun intended) in training intensity and it is at this time you will be at your most vulnerable to injury or even re-injury. Injury is an accepted part of any sport, but with one as high impact as Freerunning it should to some extent be expected. It is understandable that most of us become frustrated and disappointed in these circumstances, especially when those precious hours of sunlight are ticking by. Despite this, maintaining a sensible attitude towards injury will make a big difference to recovery. This month we will be looking at Runners Knee, what it is and how to adapt your training to maximise your results. Ok, so I do understand that distance running is not always at the top of everybody’s training programme; none the less, Runner’s knee is an important stop on our tour of knee injuries. Despite the name, any activity with repeated movements of knee flexion and knee extension can result in this condition – running just happens to be the most common one. Precisions, most vaults and cat leaps are amongst some of the techniques which could lead to or aggravate this condition. Runner’s knee is widely acknowledged as the most common cause of outer knee pain in athletes. Also termed Iliotibial Band Friction Syndrome (ITBFS), the traditional theory suggests that it occurs when the Iliotibial Band (ITB) rubs against the lateral epicondyle of the femur (a small bony lump on the outside of the thigh used for ligament attachment). The resulting friction produces an area of painful inflammation and fluid swelling beneath the ITB. Typically pain starts gradually without any trauma or apparent joint injury. Commonly it begins as a diffuse pain around the knee and thigh; slowly becoming more localised to the front and outer surfaces of the knee joint as the condition progresses. Pain is commonly experienced during particular activities, such as running; either immediately or after several minutes of exercise. The knee joint
may also be tender to heavy touch. Symptoms often begin due to a change in training habits, such as an increase in the amount of exercise, or increased high impact activities. If you continue to exercise when these early symptoms start then it will only worsen, eventually pain may be experienced in all activities including walking and even sitting. There may also be some swelling on the outside of the knee; as well as crepitus (a creaking or gristly sound) on knee movements. Treating Runnerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Knee is relatively easy. Follow these simple steps to aid your recovery: 1) Halt any Aggravating Exercises Any long distance should be halted immediately and should not be resumed until pain and local tenderness have subsided. It may be possible to continue some long distance running, providing you are able to exercise for a period of time (e.g.: 20 minutes) without knee pain occurring; then it is acceptable to train within this pain free zone. Do Not Train Through The Pain! The condition will only worsen. 2) Change your Exercise Programme Should you wish to continue long distance running, several factors should be addressed: Ensure you run on opposite sides of the road, rather than just one; switch road sides several times during a single run, Avoid running on irregular surfaces or running downhill, Avoid training or running long distances without building up over a period of time, Shortening your stride when running, thus running more slowly or increasing your stride will also help to avoid aggravating the knee, 3) Always Ice Quite simple: Ice. Apply before and after exercise to the affected area. Also apply once daily even if not training; a 10 minute application is adequate. Ensure any ice packs are wrapped in a thin tea towel, 4) Stretching A stretching programme is quite important, both for recovery and prevention of future
injury. In this case you should focus on stretches to the Hip Flexors, Gastrocnemius/ Soleus and Iliotibial Band (ITB). To save space we canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t put any examples in this article, but check those muscle groups out on any search engine and you should get some good examples, The main point to remember with stretches is to always stretch to the first point of tension, keep them slow and hold for a good 20-30 seconds, 5) Strengthening Once pain has subsided then strengthening exercises should be conducted to protect against future injury. The main movement requiring strengthening is hip abduction, the key muscle being gluteus medius. This helps with hip stabilisation and removes some of the strain from the ITB; again check online for some good examples, Strengthening both the quadriceps and hamstring muscles is also considered beneficial, This condition should be treated with some respect, should you ignore the advice it can easily persist, becoming a source of irritation and weakness and undermine your hard work and training. However, with some key alterations in training and a little cutting back the resolution can be a relatively swift 4 to 6 weeks. Always remember, if you have any concerns to contact your G.P.
James Baldwin graduated with distinction from the British College of Osteopathic Medicine. He works from his Epsom and Fetcham practises in Surrey, for more information regarding treatments be sure to check out: www.baldwin-osteopathy.co.uk
Michael Navarro assisted by Rayo Rocha (Mexico) www.facebook.com/pages/Rarezas-Parkour-Free-Running/104130149663810 Photographer: Humberto ‘Beto’ Bermúdez www.hbc31.com
Philosopher’s Landing III
The World Transformed By JC ‘Sage’ Greening
A
ll hail the all-powerful and awe-inducing Mother Earth! To describe the natural world with maternal characteristics seems quite fitting, especially in today’s times. There is no need to be a politician or tree hugger to recognize the environment’s importance; just like all of us came from our mothers, we all are under the influence of Mother Nature. This mother has extreme power, one which can be quite cruel to her children, as our brothers and sisters in Japan have recently experienced. And as we come together to show our worldwide Parkour and Freerunning support towards Japan, we all must realize that Mother Nature’s destructive power could have easily shown itself in any of our home countries. But, just like a human mother, the natural environment has a caring and nurturing side to her. To those who venture outside into the heart of our Mother Earth, she caresses our cares away and sings a lullaby to silence the stress of this human, false world. No one knows this mother’s love better than those who move through the natural world by means of Parkour and Freerunning. Traceurs are exposed to every element, tortured by rain and snow, submerged into every season, and surrounded by dirt and concrete. We have the scars to showcase our mother’s discipline and the smiles to demonstrate her wondrous love. Parkour removes the scales from our blind eyes and helps us to see the environment as a teacher, a friend, a mother. But, how do Parkour and Freerunning increase one’s appreciation and love for the natural world? Let’s take a look at what the Urban Freeflow community suggested may be the reasons why traceurs make good sons and daughters of
Mother Earth. No Equipment Necessary Parkour and Freerunning only require what Mother Nature gave us – human bodies and the environment itself. The human body’s limitations are endless, as well as the environment’s, as athletes in the Urban Freeflow community continually prove time and time again. There is no need to add helmets, pads, and uniforms to the body in order to make it perform better. Traceurs lack demands for bats, sticks, gloves, and balls; the body is all that is needed to play the perfect game of Parkour. Freerunners do not require bicycles, boards, or anything else with wheels to move through the limitless landscape. The physical body provides all that is needed. Without the interference of external objects, the traceur can directly connect with the natural world. As the Freerunner places her hands to perform a kong vault, she directly touches the environment. When she lands the kong and falls into a roll, the Freerunner’s entire body meshes with the natural ground. Mother Earth and the Freerunner communicate through a constant pushing and pulling of energy, which becomes a conversational language between the traceur and nature. The traceur interacts with Mother Nature through direct sensory experience, and though this may cause sprained ankles and concrete burns at times, it also produces a greater appreciation and love for the natural environment. Furthermore, since traceurs require no additional equipment, the resources of Mother Nature do not have to be transformed into manmade products. The game of Parkour only requires Mother Earth’s natural resources in their original form. No Stadium Required Football requires huge buildings and a dedicated field in order for a game to take place. Baseball demands diamonds of land. Basketball must have a wooden
floor with three-point designated lines. In fact, most sports necessitate separate spaces from the natural world. But, these pre-defined fields of play only confine and constrain traceurs. The entire world is the playground for Freerunners. Deserts, islands, mountains, coastlines, and frigid lands all serve as unique opportunities to explore the boundaries of Parkour. But, Parkour does something very unusual, unseen in almost all facets of human life: Parkour makes the unnatural natural once again. Concrete cities are often seen as examples of humanity’s stand against Mother Nature, as though we humans can create and civilize the savage natural world. Humans transform Earth’s natural resources and attempt to make something better out of them, making untamed mountains of rock into neatly organized skyscrapers of concrete. However, the traceur transforms this concrete city back into a natural landscape. Instead of being rats in a walled maze, the Freerunner breaks out of the mold. He makes bricked walls into climbable rock slabs and metal bridges into fallen logs over the river. Concrete, metal, glass, and plastic become the same obstacles as trees, rocks, water, and dirt. The architect and city engineer join forces with the farmer and geologist. The traceur has progressed past the vision of almost all other humans. Instead of separating and breaking the world into pieces, the traceur unifies the entire world and makes everything the natural environment in which to move through and enjoy. Preservatives Are Good One cannot enjoy this unified environment unless it is preserved, however. And traceurs recognize the need to preserve the natural world their sport has created. In the United States, several Parkour groups have sponsored “Leave No Trace” events, which the traceurs volunteer their time to pick up
trash in common areas of play. Furthermore, responsible Freerunners test rails, landing spots, and other elements of the environment to ensure safety for both the athletes and the environment. YouTube is filled with videos of wannabe traceurs falling through roofs and breaking pieces of the world because they failed to recognize the need to preserve the environment. Mature traceurs know that in order to continue to move through the world, traceurs must have as little impact on it as possible. This preservative mindset will ensure that hot spots like Lisses will be around for future generations of traceurs. Finally, traceurs take preservation one step further, and once again seem to do the impossible: traceurs turn trash into fortune. Ghettos and abandoned industrial parks serve as urban dumpsites to many, eye sores to community members and waste of resources to the financial-savvy. But, to Freerunners these forgotten places serve as modern training grounds. Traceurs recycle the run-down buildings into outdoor gymnasiums, adding the paintbrush of beautiful movement to the dull ghettos. Thus, not only do Freerunners preserve their environment, but they also have the vision to transform the old and worn-down into the new and useful. Perception Of Possibility As the traceur begins to explore all opportunities available in every possible landscape, the traceur starts to perceive the environment in a different light. Every novice Freerunner can describe this new view of the world. The traceur starts to see possible movement everywhere, as though the floodgates have been lifted and what once was a boring, constraining environment of pathways and walls is now unlimited possibility as far as the eye can see. Everyday landscapes become fresh and exciting as the traceur explores every nook and cranny of the world. Mental
images of the self moving through the world haunt the Freerunner as he travels in the car, walks to class, and stares out the window of his office. The Freerunner has been blessed with an original vision of the environment, one that directly places him into the natural world at all times, physically and mentally. Parkour’s sensory experience with Mother Nature actually causes a physical change in sight and a remapping of the brain, one that is deeper and richer. This new vision is called Infinite Potentiality Perspective, and is quite unique to Parkour. Where most see the world as limited and debilitating, traceurs unfold the natural landscape to expose endless meaning and possibility to what exists. Thus, not only do Freerunners envision one unified landscape that must be preserved, but also see potential in the natural world unseen by the non-blessed. For traceurs, the environment is richer, deeper, and more meaningful, full of possibility and limitless interaction. This new environment immerses the human back into the natural landscape, instead of drawing a border line between human and everything else. Again, the world becomes a unified landscape that includes everything and everyone. The traceur has successfully re-entered the original and natural world, which allows a view of the world unseen by most modern homo sapiens. Parkour and Freerunning change practitioners’ physical bodies in several ways, from flabby to toned and from constrained to free. But, Parkour’s ability to actually remap the brain and change sensory experience makes the sport very powerful and important. Though many initially do not contemplate how a sport could change one’s view of the world, Parkour and Freerunning do exactly that and more. Traceurs see a unified world of endless possibility, one that deserves to be both preserved and used to its
fullest potential. Parkour tells its practitioners that it is not the world that needs to be changed and adapted, but rather humans themselves need to be modified. Athletes need to enter the everyday world instead of creating separate fields of play. By doing so, traceurs encounter the environment in a more meaningful way because they become part of the landscape. Parkour takes us on this unique path into the environment; a path, which once taken, exposes a whole new world of clarity and happiness. But, does this powerful path of Parkour make it more than a sport? Should Freerunning be defined as an art or lifestyle instead of a sport? I would love to hear your opinions and thoughts, so please take a few moments to let me know how you feel. Parkour is important to us all, and we should understand why it is important to us. By defining our philosophy of Parkour, we not only understand ourselves better, but we can also teach those new to Freerunning with more effectiveness. Until next month…keep training and shine on! Suggested Further Readings: Martin Heidegger – The Question Concerning Technology James Carse – Finite and Infinite Games. JC “Sage” Greening can be reached via email at: greening.5@wright.edu or Facebook at: www.facebook.com/jcgreening
Alek Antonov (Bulgaria) www.youtube.com/COMARto Photographer: Lek3CT
www.youtube.com/ozfromak
Mat ‘Spark’ Taylor (England) www.urbanrevolution.net Photographer: Will J Carman www.carmanography.tumblr.com
Release positive f Russian need the
Still Alive (Germany)
Despite only having one working eye, Dominik â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Dodoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Arend from Kassel, Germ proves that if you get your head down and work hard, almost anything is poss Inspirational stuff. Camera by Carlos Meyer. Production by CMeyerFilms. www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpCKL0sBlt4
Love Is Parkour (Russia)
ed by the guys at Parkour City, this video does a great job of stirring up some feelings for anyone who’s tapped into the scene. The fact that the talking is in n matters little. However, there are English subtitles for those who of you who em. If they don’t play right away, simply click on the ‘CC’ button in the bottom right hand corner of the video player. www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLCXw9uFF88&
many, sible.
Cat To Cat (Lambeth Bridge, London) Photographer: Ez
JJ Goda www.youtube.com/risingtideproduction Kong(England) To Precision (Lambeth Palace Road, London) Photographer: Ez www.urbanfreeflow.com Photographer: Ez
180 Cat To Crane (Off Lambeth Road, London) Photographer: Ez
Running Precision (Junkies Jungle, Off Lambeth High Street, London) Photographer: Ez
Precision (Shell Centre, London) Photographer: Ez
Precision (St Thomasâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Hospital, London) Photographer: Ez
Tic Tac To Cat (Lambeth Palace Road, London) Photographer: Ez
Running Cat Leap (Tramps Kitchen, Waterloo Bridge, London) Photographer: Ez
‘We Multiply’ by Andrew Morozkin (Russia)
B
Louis Davion (France) Photographer: François ‘fOre1’ Constant www.fore1.com
BAIL MARY WHAT HAPPENS WHEN NOOBS TRY TO CHALLENGE THE EFFECTS OF GRAVITY
YOUTUBE IS PACKED WITH GREAT PK/FR VIDS AND A LOT OF THEM THESE DAYS ARE COMING OUT OF RUSSIA. HERE IN THIS EDIT THOUGH, WE GET TO SEE THAT THEY ALSO HAVE THEIR FAIR SHARE OF TARDS WHO LIKE TO MUNCH ON CONCRETE JUST AS MUCH AS THE NEXT PERSON....
www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTRPLQ8xIa0&
Victor Camargo (Venezuela) Photographer: Alberto Momio
“Wherever you go, go with all your heart.”
‘Driven By Urban Freeflow’ Designer: Jonathan ‘JK’ Kobylanski www.thejkproject.com/
Svyatoslav Odnolitok (Russia) Photographer: Josefo Robledo www.flickr.com/photos/joseforobledo
SVYATOSLAV ODNOLITOK Introduce yourself.... My name is Svyatoslav Odnolitok, but I have many nicknames around the World like `Svyato`, `Slavik`, `Slav` and `Ruso`, (it means ‘Russian’ in Spanish). I was born in Pevek, Russia, then lived in Kiev, Ukraine, up until I was 11 years old. Then my family moved to Buenos Aires, Argentina, where I lived for 9 years. I’m currently based in Distrito Feral, Mexico. I’m aged 21 years old now. How did you get into Parkour? It was summer 2006 when I first saw some videos from Oleg Vorslav of the Dvinsk Clan. Some months later I was jumping a few chairs with my friends and taking pictures. l think everyone has done this <laughs>. But then finally I understood it was the thing I was always were looking for, like you know.. there are no rules, and nobody was saying which is the correct way to do it, so I was feeling free. This was a big attraction for me. But for sure my 1st 2 years, were just playing and jumping with my friends. I think I started to feel it properly maybe in 2008. This is when I started to feel as though Parkour was my life and every day I just wanted go outside and train. Who are your inspirations of Parkour? Well my biggest inspiration is Daniel Ilabaca. But also my own people are my inspiration. They are the `Baires Family` from Argentina. Actually I have so many people who inspire me every day from around the World. So maybe one day I can write a whole page with all those names <laughs>. Right now my inspirations are Phil Doyle, Max Runham and UR Family. Maybe this sounds funny, but my Mum, Dad and my Sister always inspire me in everything I do too, so yeah, thats it. What do you love of Parkour? Freedom, that’s what I love most about Parkour. I can express myself, being free, because no one will judge me about how good or bad I am. And it doesn’t matter if you are 15, 20 or 30 years old because when you are practicing Parkour, you are just a child, and it’s all about playing the game. I like the fact that you can train wherever you want and whenever you want. The Worldwide community is so great and full of strong friendships. Oh, I love this! Also you are in to Freerunning? Yes, its all about movement. So I think Freerunning is cool too. I love it.
Andres ‘An3’ Lucio (Mexico) www.urbanrunners.net Photographer: Joanna Aska www.flickr.com/photos/an3_media/5552307192
Wid Eriksen (Mexico) www.urbanrunners.net Photographer: Manuel Santiago www.flickr.com/photos/che251
EXPERT LONDON BASED PARKOUR AND FREERUNNING
TUITION MONDAY AND FRIDAY 8PM ADULT BEGINNER CLASS SATURDAY 11am Women Beginner Class SUNDAY 11am Under 16 KIDS Class SUNDAY 1pm ADULT Beginner Class PRIVATE TUITION AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST ALL CLASSES LED BY HEAD COACH
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More info: www.urbanfreeflow.com/uf-classes Contact: classes@urbanfreeflow.com
Markus Walzel (Austria) www.aff-stp.at Photographer: Andreas Riedmann
Leandro Pousa (Spain) www.youtube.com/sonnermedia Photographer: Diego Tellez
WATCH THE TRAILER www.kickstarter.com/projects/708343589/people-in-motion
At the opening ceremony to catch the dancers doing their thing. Erm.....excuse me Miss but your buttons seem to have come undone. Photographer: Ez
I have to give credit where itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s due. These guys were dope! This pic is right at the end where the dancers freestyled together and everyone in the arena went abso Photographer: Ez
olutely nuts.
DJ Renegade was the man responsible for keeping the place charged up and with his selection of hip hop beats, he did exactly that. Photographer: Ez
Outside the venue on competition day. I never actually got
t a chance to see these guys in action, but having a team called ‘Unbelievable Parkour’ means that they’ll forever need to be on top of their game or face ridicule. Photographer: Ez
It didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t take long before the place was packed out with practitioners. Some chose to catch up and chat while others used it as an opportunity to train. Photographer: Ez
Wherever thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s action, you can be sure that the media will want a piece of it. Here Alexandr Baiturin takes time out to be interviewed for a news broadcast. Photographer: Ez
Aleksandr Gisych isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t impressed to hear that Erik Mukhametshin isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t competing. Photographer: Ez
On the left is Bobby Mileage of the Elite Force Crew from New York. Not only a really safe guy but an entrepreneur whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s moving in high places. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gearing up Photographer: Ez
p to drop his own line of exclusive Nike kicks anytime now.
This is the view of the one on one street battle in the dance comp. Such an awesome atmosphere. Photographer: Ez
DJ Renegade represents. Photographer: Ez
The area set aside for the Freerun event was packed full of practitioners wanting a slice of their own action. Photographer: Ez
One of only two vault boxes that we available to use. Photographer: Ez
Pasha Petkuns decides to use his head. Photographer: Ez
Latvia in the house! Erik ‘The Viking’ Aleynikov and Slava ‘Den1m’ Petin take time out from training. Photographer: Ez
I have to admit that I was disappointed to see mats being used. I thought these Russian guys were supposed to be tough? Pffft! Photographer: Ez
Mike, Sheva and Eddie Karyakin striking a pose. Photographer: Ez
Vlad â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Tangerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Amosov performs a running frontflip to precision. Photographer: Ez
The event MC was none other than Ramone â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Rocky Balboaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. He did a great job of keeping things running. Photographer: Ez
Erik Mukhametshin couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stop himself from performing his party trick of smelling his own fart mid-flip. Photographer: Ez
Many in the scene try, but nobody works the bars better than the Eastern Europeans. Photographer: Ez
Despite being one of the competing athletes, Slava ‘Den1m’ Petin was running around all day and jamming hard. I was worried that he’d burn himself out. Photographer: Ez
UF All Star athletes, Aleksandr ‘Shade Zlat’ Gisych, Renat ‘Ren’ Ardilanov and Ivan ‘LowKick’ Savchuk pose together before the competition begins. Photographer: Ez
There were only 2 vault boxes available to use and they were definitely put through their paces. Photographer: Ez
Shade does his bit to rep the UK. Photographer: Ez
Vitaly Chzhen quickly works the bars before the comp begins. Photographer: Ez
Taking the art of levitation to new levels. Photographer: Ez
Parkour City bossman, Evgenij Krynin, squares up for a fight. This is despite the fact that his head just got mashed by a length of scaffolding. Photographer: Ez
Belarus based judge, Denis Sapiorov, prepares his paperwork. Photographer: Ez
Pictured with the camera is Renat ‘Ren’ Ardilanov from Russia. He’s got skills to pay bills so it was disappointing that he never competed. Photographer: Ez
Group shot after all the competitors had been introduced by Ramone. Photographer: Ez
The judges from left to right - Denis Sapiorov (Belarus), Erik Mukhametshin (Russia), Eddie Karyakin (Russia) and Ez (UK) Photographer: Renat â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Renâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Ardilanov
Erik ‘The Viking’ Aleynikov uses the scaffolding during his run. Photographer: Renat ‘Ren’ Ardilanov
A rare picture of Ivan Savchuk actually running. The rest of the time he was spinning. Photographer: Gomel Parkour
Slava ‘Den1m’ Petin during his run in the final. Note that he’s barefoot! It didn’t hinder his movement at all. Photographer: Renat ‘Ren’ Ardilanov
Stas Lazdan performs a sideflip during his final run. Photographer: Renat â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Renâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Ardilanov
Vitaly Chzgen runs between obstacles. Photographer: Renat ‘Ren’ Ardilanov
Blade mid-palmflip. Photographer: Gomel Parkour
Pavel ‘Pasha’ Petkuns plans out his run. Photographer: Renat ‘Ren’ Ardilanov
Deep in thought. Aleksandr ‘Shade Zlat’ Gisych gets in the zone before his run. Photographer: Renat ‘Ren’ Ardilanov
Pavel â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Pashaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Petkuns has a unique way of moving where he never stops. Even if he lands incorrectly, he somehow adds in a roll to style it out. Photographer: Gomel Parkour
Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all over and Erik Mukhametshin is called up by Ramone to say a few words and then perform a demo run. Photographer: Gomel Parkour
Next up is Eddie Karyakin who said a few words before singing the lyrics to Abba’s ‘Waterloo’ which had everyone singing along. Photographer: Anon
I was asked to say a few words and had Mike at hand to translate for me. Photographer: Anon
A champion is crowned. Ivan ‘LowKick’ Savchuk claims a well deserved top spot. Photographer: Ez
It took a matter of seconds before Ivan was jumped and hurled up into the air to celebrate. Some highlights from the event can be seen here - www.youtube.com Photographer: Ez
m/watch?v=Q94T02eLJnc
Announcement to be ma
ade on Sat 16th April....
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