By Ez

For the last four months I’ve been dialled into a training regime that consists of lifting heavy weights and plenty of long distance running. Now I’ve always been a good runner, so there was no real issue there but with the weights routines I’ve been doing, I’ve been lifting seriously heavy but I got to the point where the sessions were so full-on, that I began to not look forward to the blood, sweat and tears that awaited. So in an attempt to find that extra kick to help me on my way, I turned my attention to pre-work supplements. I’d heard good things about them and after a bit of research online, I settled on Jack 3D as the one I’d try first (review here). It certainly did the trick of firing me up for really hard training and I ended up doing two cycles of their gear with good results. Then I started to hear about another product called CRAZE by Driven Sports and everyone was saying that it was even better than Jack 3D. I then saw a review on the Hodge Twins Youtube channel and that was enough to prompt me into ordering some to try out.

As with Jack 3D, it’s advised to gauge your tolerancy levels by only having one scoop to start off with but I wanted to get the full effect, so dumped two scoops into a cup before a planned shoulder workout, added a bit of water, mixed it up and then downed it in one. It tasted like shit and even though it was labelled as grape flavour, I doubt it would have tasted much different if it was actually battery acid, it really was that bad. Anyways, about 20 minutes later I started to get that feeling of intense focus and it got to the point where I was so fired up that I couldn’t wait to get into the gym to start. With the increased focus came a mad feeling of energy and euphoria and I found myself blitzing through the entire session throwing heavy weights around like they were toys. In fact, for the shoulder workout I set new PB’s for presses, lateral raises and shrugs while still keeping my form 100%.

After the workout had finished, I found that the increased level of focus took hours to fade and when it did ease up and the energy levels dropped back down to normal, there were no side effects or comedowns whatsoever.

Even though I didn’t feel it to be necessary, I did try it out another time before an 8 mile run and with the increased energy levels and focus, the entire run flew by and when I’d finished, I had the feeling of needing to do more. That’ll be the first and last time I use it for anything CV related though.

Personally, I’d stick to only using it for hard weight training sessions because in the wrong hands, it could easily become addictive and you could become reliant on it for all of your training.

Would it be any good for Parkour? Hmmm, it all depends on the user. If you approach your training sensibly and are looking to really get in the zone for specific drills, the heightened focus levels could produce some top quality sessions. On the other hand, if you’ve got even a hint of maverick in you, it could end up making you feel more confident than your level can live up to, and that could easily lead to a trip to snap city. At the end of the day it’ll affect different people in different ways, so if you do intend to try it out for whatever activity you’re engaged in, make sure you read the instructions properly and only try a small dose to begin with. In case I haven’t made it clear enough, Craze is seriously potent stuff and does exactly what it says on the tub.

You have been warned!

To summarise, it increases your focus and energy levels to next level proportions but it tastes like shit. If you get past the taste issue, it’ll serve to be a supplement that powers you up beyond belief and to top it off (from my experience) it doesn’t come coupled with any comedowns like other pre-supps on the market. Will I be using Craze again? Without a shadow of a doubt.

It’s funny how life can throw you a curve-ball, and subsequently present you with another of life’s lessons and some material to write a note about also.

I’m not sure where it started, but along the way we seem to have lost our common sense.

I spied a Facebook status today of an individual (whose identity of being Jamie De Smet shall remain anonymous) who was complaining about not being able to go out and train due to knee problems.

On further investigation I found his knee was inflamed.

Had he been trying to do anything to correct this fault? No.

Had he looked up how he could correct it? No.

I also found out that he wanted to take the month off training anyway (this is where I began to facepalm).

So you have this person who’s injured himself, can’t be bothered to look up ways to help himself, doesn’t want to train for another month anyway, yet is complaining that he can’t train today even though the weather is so nice.

Does anyone understand this logic? Please help me out, my head hurts.

Regardless, (un)fortunately, I didn’t get to put my point across because he had already removed me as a Facebook ‘friend’.

*cries in corner*

I’m beginning to think (and this isn’t the first time) that some people are just simply retarded.

They’ve been shown flaws in their argument and their thinking and simply ragequit, or delete the person talking the sense to them.

Will he take my advice on board? Probably not.

Do I give a flying shit? To be honest, no. At the end of the day it’s his knee and his problem.

I personally know that if I had problems with my body that I would seek out professionals in that area to help. Granted, I’m not a professional when it comes to knees, I was just simply being a nosey bugger. But to be so lazy as to not type in “knee inflammation” into google is the epitome of laziness, as if this country (UK) wasn’t lazy enough as it is.

On the other hand, prevention is sometimes better than cure. I’ve taken it upon myself to research the knee, know how to strengthen it, treat it, etc, should anything happen. But seeing the amounts of injuries my Parkour brethren have endured. I’d say that’s a smart move, it shows iniative (not to toot my horn too much).

“A wise man learns by the mistakes of others, a fool by his own”

I agree and disagree with the above statement generally, but for this topic/note I wholeheartedly agree.

Which brings me to my last point, stop complaining.

I know the sorts of comments this will generate, so I’ll address them now;

1. I’m not complaining, I’m stating.

2. I simply seek a solution instead of complaining.

3. I don’t really give a shit whether you think I’m complaining or not.

4. Read number 3 again.

Do something about it. Don’t complain about your knee, take steps to sort it. Don’t complain about your current circumstances, fix them.

There are people who have it MUCH worse than you, so be grateful for what you have.

Some may think I’m coming over preachy here, but then when we have kids like this (http://i.imgur.com/5krlg.jpg) roaming the world then I think it’s fair to say to people like Mr. De Smet to suck it up, dry your eyes (mate), and get on with it.

It’s only a problem if you think it is.

By Ryan ‘Demon’ Ford
www.apexmovement.com

Application

The hang shimmy is another practical movement that is also a great conditioning exercise. It is often used to traverse along the tops of walls before finding a suitable place to climb up or dismount. In addition to building endurance, the hang shimmy is a brutal upper body and core exercise.

Preparation and Body Position

1. Hang from the side of the wall by the arms.
2. Place the legs against the wall for support.

Execution of Movement

1. In the direction desired to travel, reach 1-2 ft. along the wall with the leading hand.
2. As this leading hand re-grips the wall, move the back foot immediately followed by the front foot.
3. Place the back foot back on the wall, immediately followed by the front foot.
4. Move the back hand along the wall so that it is almost touching the front hand.

Exercise Science

● Primary Muscles Worked: Abdominals, latissimus dorsi, forearms

● Synergists: Deltoids, pectorals

Progressions

● If this movement is too difficult, you may need to work on your strength in the hanging position, most importantly, your grip strength. Practice getting into the starting hang position and just holding it. Make your first goal to hang for 10 seconds. As you get better, you should be able to hold it for 30 seconds and then 60+ seconds. At this point, try hanging by one arm to even further develop your grip strength.

● Once you have developed the strength to hold yourself up comfortably in the hang position, begin by taking small “steps” with your arms and feet. Each step should only cover a few inches. As you get better, try to cover more distance with each step until you get up to 1-2 ft..

● When the standard hang shimmy movement becomes easy, try explosively moving both hands at the same time so you are effectively “dyno-ing” laterally along the wall. Another challenge is to do the hang shimmy without using your feet.

Other Notes

● Because you are moving laterally, one side of the body will be using slightly different muscles than the other. Make sure you practice moving in both directions.

● The three main body parts to pay attention to during a hang shimmy are the fingers, the arms, and the feet/legs. In addition, full body tension should always be maintained in this position and throughout the movement. When muscles are relaxed, there is a higher chance of slipping down the wall.

● When gripping the wall, the entire fingers should be gripping the wall, not just the finger tips. Getting more of the fingers over the wall results in a stronger grip.

● The arms should always be straight while moving in a hang shimmy. Straight arms allow for more endurance and strength than bent arms. To experience this concept first hand, try hanging from a wall with bent arms. Next, try hanging from the wall with straight arms. If done correctly, you should be able to hang for a longer time with straight arms.

● To maximize the contribution of the feet and legs to your hang shimmy, the feet should constantly be applying pressure directly into the wall. This helps to take some of the strain off of the arms.

Related Exercises and Variations: Without feet/legs, straight arms, bent arms, moving both hands at once (taking lateral jumps), kipping pull up, muscle up, climb up.

Ez: “Once while training with Bam in Guidlford, he was preparing to do an ambitious precision from a rail. At the same time there were a load of cars waiting at the traffic lights and as they turned green, one of the drivers casually wound his window down and said “Wanker” before driving off. Completely nailed the moment.”

Sourav Samanta: “Once a policeman stopped me. Then he looked at me and after few minutes he said Well you’ve done nothing illegal but that doesn’t make you innocent, just get out of here.”

Alan Reyes: “One day while I was training some tricks, a little kid (like 5 years old) came close to me and asked me to teach him how to fly.”

Scott ‘Boo’ Wright: “I got called a twat, a dick, a monkey boy, a prick, a faggot, a fucking idiot.”

Jake Russo: This homeless guy was like, “spidey, u gonna bust your ass doin dat”

Alex Yakul Melusky: “Jew. I have no clue why?”

Jack Davy: “When someone saw me fail a precision on a rail that resulted in my balls hurting for a while, a member of the public came up to me and said you must have an iron scrotum.”

David Walker-Kierluk: “I had a 4-year-old toddle up to me once, look up with this huge smile on his face and ask, “Are you a ninja? Can I be one?” I couldn’t decide whether to laugh or give the kid a hug.

Gary Surreal Lawrence: “I’ve been called a ninja, spiderman, monkey, base jumper, freestyler… and a retard.”

David Isunza: “I got insane ashole and a gal called us ninjacide, that’s my favourite.”

Jake Wurst: “This guy rolled down his window to yell you can suck my balls.”

Stephen Holler: “I got called a circus freak whilst just maintaining a handstand.”

Jeff Pritchard: “Fag!”.

Rory Paterson: “I got called a cunt but I get called that anyway.”

Kyle Montenegro: “I was doing a precision on a a little curb and some woman going to her car looked at my friend and me and said, “damn car jacker.”

Christian Schembri: “Yesterday a big fat dude said to me ”holy christ you light and fast’.”

Mansoor Miah: “I’ve been called a fucking hooligan!”

Daniel Keo: People just walk by and go “fucking Asians. It sucks. It’s like the assume all Asians are born ninjas or something and just like running up trees.”

Ian Lyon: In 2006 two kids said to me, “are you doing urban freeflowing”.

Darryl Kensley: A ‘nob-head’ – By my Dad on the phone when I rang to tell him Id somehow not died after landing on my head at Snamproggeti House.”

Gyen Ming Angel: ‎”You’ve got bigger tits than my missus aimed at one of my friends training with his shirt off. That made our day.”

Lawrie Allen: “While I was practising Parkour with some mates a car drove past and the driver shouted out the window “Parkour is for wankers, you tossers”. Good times.”

Edward Griffin: I got called wanker, then the guy sprayed me with a water pistol from the passenger seat of a passing car.

Victor Vartolomey: One of my friends was training and he said that a man with a small kid walked by and said “look kids, it’s a fucking ninja”

Cairn Turberville: “Once apon a time my mate Callum was waiting for this guy to walk by the pathway under a cat-leap wall where he stops right under it and waits then yells JUMP YOU PUSSY!!!…. after Callum clears him, he proceeds to tell us how to survive in a desert without water… we will forever love him….

Nath Brown: “Free Jumper, Wanker, Tosspot, Useless cunt.”

James Parrish: “Tracksuit bottomed flip idiot.”

Michael Connell: “Once Training, some Chavs walked past and shouted “YOU AND YOUR MUM ARE PARKOURS!” I think they meant PARK-WHORES.”

Samuel Mónkey Thorp: “I got told by this old man that I was ‘the epitome of all that is wrong with the younger generation today’ My friends and I were shocked.”

Spencer Schlack: ‎”It’s a legit fucking monkey ninja man!”

Taylor Johnson: “I had a cyclist come yell “hardcore parkour!!!” like from the office, us version. couldn’t tell if he was mocking or flirting.”

After two years living in China, developing my views of culture and my person through learning language and making friends, the result has given me a perspective that I would like to share.

Many times in Freerunning and Parkour we tend to talk about style; The UK style, the Russian Style, the Spanish, the French…and the list goes on.  I have had the chance to experience the Chinese style, and develop my own style influenced by the every day interactions that are found living in Southwestern China.

When I first stepped off the plane to Kunming, China in the Yunnan province I had no knowledge of Chinese culture beyond its martial arts.  I could not speak a single word of Chinese beyond Ni Hao and Zai Jian.  I was a year out of college, never in my life had I even planned on traveling to China, and to sum it up in just one word–confused.

My first instinct when I settled down was to get myself lost in the city.  I wanted to see the architecture and the people.  While in the major Chinese cities like Beijing and Shanghai, the sight of foreigners (us) has become a common thing.  But, in Kunming China, you can still see the looks of curiosity and amazement.  Walking through the streets, children to old men and women would watch me walk past.  For a while this was just a funny cultural change, but quickly got annoying.  I tend to draw the line at being stared at while eating my lunch.

After I began to get a feel for the city and its architecture I immediately took to the streets.  Now, not only was I a foreigner, but I was running around and flipping…so you can imagine the attention it received.  It wasn’t long before I was introduced to the local Freerunning circles (See Jump magazine: Issue 5 – Made In China.)

They opened my eyes even more to the local scene.  The architecture was there for us to play with, but even better–the police didn’t hastle us.  I suspect part of this was because I was a foreigner, and as a tip to any who may choose to travel to China in the future: playing the, “I don’t understand Chinese,” excuse has gotten me out of a few situations.

To illustrate the lifestyle in Kunming, the city itself is roughly the size of New York with all of its boroughs, but a larger population.  For ten moths out of the year the weather is spring-like and only June and July are the rainy seasons where you may need to get creative on finding training grounds.  The currency exchange rate is 1 USD to 6.5 RMB, and the average cost of a meal is around 10 RMB.  Teaching jobs are in the highest demand and are the easiest way to provide a VISA and on average will pay you between 4000-7000 RMB a month depending on experience with only a 16-25 hour work week.  Some even less. The average cost of rent for a one bedroom apartment with good space is around 1500 rmb a month with some utilities included.  When you walk outside, the city has plenty of trees all around–and upwards of 30 different university campuses which make for the best training grounds.  One specific difference between us in the West and the Chinese concerning grass is pretty glaring:  They don’t walk on it.  Absolutely not, ever.  Sometimes they’ll sit on the edge of a giant stretch of beautiful green grass…but they won’t venture deeper.  One time I was tricking with some foreign friends here when within ten minutes security came to mime to us in body language that we needed to immediately get off of the grass.  It can get frustrating, but even so there are quiet places on most campuses where you won’t be bothered.

These places range for any skill level to isolate tricks or practice their flow.  In fact, last year Kunming finished a new city dubbed “College City” where it is exactly as the name says.  Somewhere around the number of fifteen different colleges, each enormous (for example one has a lake that takes maybe a good 10 minutes to swim across) and all paired next to each other.  Though the campuses opened this past year, the city itself is nearly deserted making it a veritable ghost town.  Scattered through all areas of Kunming one also finds many abandoned buildings or those under construction.  One particular building, maybe a ten minute walk from my home houses 6 floors of fun topped with a Roman-like colosseum opened up to the sky.  Since finding this absolute gem I haven’t gone anywhere else.  But as is the case with any of these locations you do need to always try to keep careful and not get noticed as to keep things easier.

Now if you have ever watched the Olympics, you would know the freakish gymnastic talent that comes out of China.  Kunming is no exception.  Here there is a professional Gymnastics Gymnasium that is quite like any of the other famous ones you might find in other countries.  Three days a week they hold an open gym session which for the last two years I’ve attended.  My first time to the gym in China I realized why they produce such talent as they have.  From what must have been four years old and up, they grind these children into machines using corporal punishment as their main motivating force.  It took me a moment to remind myself that this was another culture, and this was an absolutely normal thing in their practice.  Not to mention, one of the fifteen year old girls from their professional team was regularly doing 1080 front flips from the trampoline–though it may have put me off, their methods seemed to work.

But in my experience the Chinese style in Kunming is struggling for its identity.  Freerunning in its nature is very much a counter-culture to established society.  The idea of the most fundamental freedom residing in movement is difficult for any controlling system or government to regulate.  The Chinese government has gone about it in teaching their population to remain on the walkways and not venture into the grass, as I have said. (I once asked a person why and they said, “Because, that’s what is right.”  I couldn’t get a more specific answer from them.)  They also fence off these areas with barbed wire, which further impresses the idea.  Many of the walls in China have shards of glass mixed in with the concrete so as to discourage anyone from climbing them–which is the main reason why the College campuses are so inviting, no glass.

Our own cultures in the West aren’t much different in their motivations to control the population with a Police force that performs similarly in its role as to the Chinese police.  However, we in the West don’t encounter these controls as much in a physical sense as we do in a mental sense.  The consequences of legal action if we enter a property without permission, for example, tends to be the force which controls us.

So the style in Kunming bubbles, left to itself.  When they are out on the streets, the movement grabs the attention of large crowds. (See Jump Magazine Issue 5: Made in China for more pictures and attention to this detail.)   But mostly the locals tend to gravitate to the gymnasium while spending a lesser portion of their time out of doors.  This is counter to the nature of Freerunning and the grit of the concrete, the cuts, and the guts–but it has given them an aptitude towards learning technical tricks I have found, though the majority are slower to implement it out of doors.  For example, one particular Kunming practitioner is now doing kong gainers, as well as front and back fulls in the gymnasium when last year he was just learning to do a front flip; and yet he rarely practices outside.

Its difficult for me to conclude this article because I am unsure of my own feelings after these past two years of living in China: learning the Chinese language, making friends with whom I’ve never had a conversation verbally, experiencing the racism and the curiosity from the local culture.  As I write this I have one month left in China before returning to America to pursue a graduate degree.  However, I feel that I can say of China–of traveling, of meeting new people of new cultures through the medium of movement or otherwise–is when approaching the opportunities of new experiences, greet them openly.  Not all of them will be good, some may even be insufferably boring or negative.  But there are times when you say yes that will lead you to places that you never imagined you would go.

One thing that has always surprised me about this sport is the camaraderie of the community.  As I travel around the world meeting and jamming with all levels of practitioners, I can always rely on the athletes to be kind, respectful, and welcoming.

This includes all cultures, races, religions, ages, sexualities, and (most interestingly) gender.  I say most interestingly because throughout the sports world, females and males are constantly separated into two groups, as though they don’t play well with each other.  However, on the Parkour/Freerunning field, one can find the genders mixing, playing, challenging, and teaching one another in a true, family-kind of way.  I know through my years of training and coaching, I have had numerous females join the Parkour group.  Hands down, the females are just as athletic and capable as the males, and often times they teach the boys a thing or two about respect, relationships, and honour.  Truly I tell you, when females do Parkour, they add undeniably positive aspects to the sport.

This interview with Primrose is the second of five interviews I conducted with female practitioners from around the world, in order to get a proper woman’s perspective. The other interviews  will be released here periodically, so watch this space….

Full Name?
Primerose: My full name is Primerose Mae Villamer.

Age?
Primerose: I’m 19.

From where?
Primerose: Antipolo Rizal, Manila Philippines

How many years doing PK/FR?
Primerose: Since the day I started free climbing a billboard structure and experimenting “movements” high in the air. It was sometime in 2006.

How did you find out about PK/FR?
Primerose: The word PK/FR only came to my knowledge when Akyatkapit (the terminology we used to identify the style of movement we developed from the experiment).  Akyatkapit was partly launched at “Boy and Kris”, a local tv program. Akyatkapit was first introduced as a filipino movement art invention similar to Parkour. The said program served as a way for us to take serious studies on Parkour and make it a major part of our regular Akyatkapit training.

What was your first PK/FR experience like when you tried it for the first time?
Primerose: Being oriented and trained in moving high in the air/free billboard structure climbing, shifting to Parkour training was like training for the first time, especially techniques such as wall-runs, kong vaults and etc.

Who do you PK/FR with?
Primerose: My training partner, the clients and occasionally our close friends.

What is your PK/FR community like?  Do they accept your sport?
Primerose: We provide professional freelance-type work that render services such as: training/coaching services, performances/appearances. The sport is still hardly accepted by the general masses even before the word Akyatkapit is introduced through the media. The misuse of the skill (the thieves approach) is still dominating in the people’s mind. The art is more appreciated by the new generation of fitness enthusiasts and the entertainment industry. We need events that could bring fame and good money for the participants to make the art’s reputation uplifted and eradicate the bad effect caused by the misusers.

What does your training schedule look like?  How many times do you PK/FR a week and for how long?  Do you weight train/cross train/run/gymnastics/etc in addition to PK/FR?
Primerose: Looks like more of a private workout…. Serious, uninterrupted and focused.  I practice whenever I feel to practice as long as there is time and venue to do it.  I do it to the exhaustion at our own place. Training outdoor and public places, practice is over when it’s already crowded or the authorities stop us from further usuage of the place. I don’t train with weights yet. Aside from basic gymnastics and running, I’m practicing both pure and dramatic combat arts, not as a cross training, but as a part of my regular Akyatkapit training.

What other sports have you played or currently participate in?
Primerose: So far, I currently play sports that are a regular part of Akyatkapit, namely: Parkour, Arnis, Kick-boxing, and Stuntfighting/Dramatic combat.

Do you train indoors and outdoors, or just one or the other?  Why?
Primerose: I always train outdoors. Not only because it’s less expensive, but outdoor training also helps promote the art to the masses. Furthermore, outdoor training can offer me more challenges to my creativity.

Do you practice in rural or urban areas or both?  Why?
Primerose: Both. But I prefer the one where I can practice while promoting the art and giving myself some exposure.

How would you describe your PK/FR style, for example free-flowing, acrobatic, trick, etc?  Why do you practice this kind of style?
Primerose: Akyatkapit literally is a style that belongs to the so-called extreme. I practice this kind of style to develop exceptional courage and make a difference.

What is it like being a female in the sport?  Are there less expectations of you or more?
Primerose: Naturally, people are less confident. I really am able to manage myself in doing the free climb on giant billboard structures. It is only because of their ignorance of the art and of being less creative that most people expect nothing good. I benefit from doing Akyatkapit, Parkour, and other disciplines while I am practicing simultaneously.

Do you train with males, and if so, how does being a female change the sport and training dynamics?
Primerose: My training partner is a male. We are male-female combination. Moving high in the air (Akyatkapit) requires much energy and toughness, which are my male partner’s dominance. Although, with the same level of risk, I have moves that his tough and firm body can hardly mimic without much repetition and trial. To the ground (Parkour), only techniques that are based on the strength of the upper body are Parkour movements that I execute with difficulty. I think it’s the simplicity and direct movement technique of the traceuses that made some of their male counterpart became aware of the functional Parkour style. For probably the same reason, the tough guys created a style that separates the traceuses from the traceurs.

Have male athletes accepted you as a legitimate PK/FR athlete?
Primerose: Probably, it’s because of my reputation as the first female ever who made giant billboard structures my training site that the male athletes accepted and considered me. Furthermore, my training partner is the recognized king of the free billboard structure climbing.

What would you change about your community, your training, PK/FR athletes, and the sport in general?
Primerose: I want to help uplift the status of women in the community concerning athleticism. To serve the community with the skill that Parkour involves, like training with various applications. To become a versatile movement artist, PK/FR athletes may combine a number of other movement trainings and disciplines. To the sport in general, I want more people to get involved into this sport so that when misusers of the skill are outnumbered, their wrong doings with their small numbers will be obviously noticed.

What are your views concerning PK/FR competitions and why?
Primerose: Parkour, like any other sport, needs to be preserved, propagated, and developed. Competitions are just part of the development of the sport.

Are you excited about the growth of the sport?
Primerose: Rapid growth of Parkour means better acceptance of the concept of healthy and active lifestyles by the people. The selling out thing is quite far by now. Entry of new players to the sport maybe quick, but survivors of the sport are few.

What are your feelings concerning the fight over whether one is doing “Parkour” or one is doing “Freerunning”?  Are the terms describing the same sport, or are there fundamental differences?  How so?
Primerose: The types of movements are all applied to Parkour and Freerunning. These two different terms describe the same sport. Just like Escrima, Kali, and Arnis. Three (3) different terms to describe the same system of stick fighting.

Should PK/FR athletes flip, not flip, or somewhere in the middle?  Why?
Primerose: Both. For practicality purposes, PK/FR athletes need not flip. For maximum action and excitement, they may flip.

Do you listen to music while you train or do you practice to the natural sounds?
Primerose: For other practitioners, training without music may be boring. But I get used to it… I am triggered not by music, but by my enthusiasm to the sport, so I train without music. Of course, stage performances are a different story.

How has PK/FR become a lifestyle to you?
Primerose: Parkour, and Akyatkapit, made me understand the value of a healthy and active lifestyle.

Has PK/FR changed your view of the world, yourself, and fellow human beings?
Primerose: To the world, I have learned that the environment itself is the ultimate training ground.  Any place is a better place to train and practice. To myself, I’ve learned to consider the capacity of my body to overcome/maneuver obstacles. And to my fellow human beings, I have learned that it’s not beating them that makes me the best. It is rather beating my own fears and becoming self-confident that makes me great.

What is the single most challenging element you are dealing with right now in concerns of PK/FR?
Primerose: Development, more improvement with myself concerning PK/FR/AKKA.

Where do you see the future of PK/FR heading?
Primerose: There is a clear indication that Parkour will make it big, even in the Olympics.

What are your favorite moves?
Primerose: Slanted sideways vault, tic tacs, and any moves that involve tic tacs.

What shoes do you train in?
Primerose: Nike.

What is the next step for you concerning Parkour/Freerunning?
Primerose: To become a recognized female athlete/performer in the world of Parkour.  And to become a recognized female fight performer in the movie industry, both local and international.

Do you have any suggestions for other females who are interested in getting involved in the sport?
Primerose: They don’t have to be intimidated with the movements done by the experienced practitioners. They can practice the sport with movements that fits them.

Do you think females should train differently than males in PK/FR?
Primerose: No. Each movement is designed to serve the same purpose, irrespective of who will do it. It’s the need for some modification to suit her (the traceuse) capacity of doing the technique that will do the trick. And also, minimize the risk by choosing the right obstacle for them.

Should female PK/FR practitioners have their own website/association/group/competitions?  Why or why not?
Primerose: Parkour is for everyone. Not for males alone, nor the females. It’s better if both sexes practice together. It’s not a battle between male and female and, therefore they should be bounded by the same association or group. During competitions or even trainings, a category for male and female is all we need to keep both sexes enjoying the same moment and event.

Why do you practice PK/FR over other sports?
Primerose: Any physical sport is about moving the body. Learning how to move first (i.e., Parkour), prepares me to learn other sports. Training continuously with Parkour improves my performances in other sports.

Does Parkour/Freerunning give you a greater feeling of “freedom”?
Primerose: Yes, unlike other sports with fixed or limited movements, the limits of Parkour moves are dictated by the limit of my imagination. Further, each new environment presents new movements. The freedom to create is mine.

Do you define your environment differently now that you practice PK/FR?
Primerose: Yes. As a Parkour doer, I see things and places and it has many more other functions to offer. Very different from how the non-Parkour doer sees it.

Is Parkour/Freerunning a sport, an art, both, or something else?
Primerose: It is a sport because by measuring our ability compared to others, we compete. It is an art because by moving with good style, we express creativity.  And also PK/FR is a discipline simply because by striving to become a better person, we are practicing a discipline of self-improvement.

How do you handle the fear that comes with this sport?
Primerose: By knowing in advance the effect of failing with a particular move or stunt. Having some prepared remedies for that makes me confident enough to continue doing it.

Does PK/FR affect your life in more ways than just physical health?
Primerose: Yes. I learned to value myself as a somebody with great potential to reach something great in the future.

Any last comments, suggestions, further questions, etc for the readers out there?
Primerose: The only way to understand Parkour is for you to become a Parkour practitioner yourself!

Thoughts or comments about what you’ve just read?  JC is listening, so reach out to share what you have to say!  JC “Sage” Greening can be reached via email at: james.greening@urbanfreeflow.com or Facebook at: www.facebook.com/jcgreening