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How to Learn Parkour

Merry Christmas!

Trampoline Handbook
Trampoline Handbook on Amazon

Regardless of whether you celebrate this holiday or any other this time of year, I’m in the spirit of giving.

I mentioned this before and now its ready. Grab my new interview with Mark Toorock of American Parkour

In just over an hour we covered tons of information from the beginnings of parkour on to how to learn parkour. Here’s a few of the things you’ll discover when you listen:

  • The difference between doing Parkour and training Parkour.
  • What your fitness level should be before you get started in Parkour. The answer may surprise you…
  • Tips on keeping the knees, ankles and other joints healthy so you can train a long time while avoiding crippling injuries.
  • What a typical Parkour training session should look like.
  • How to find other Parkour practitioners (aka Traceurs) that you can train with.
  • Tips on finding places to train (including the legal aspects of doing so).
  • The fundamentals you MUST focus on and why neglecting to do so will mean slower progress.
  • And much more…

We do talk about the Parkour Tutorial DVD, available here, but besides that its all great content on how to get started learning and training in parkour.

Good Luck and Good Free Running,
Logan Christopher

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A Rededication

This morning I woke up and did some Yoga. After about fifteen minutes I started my hand balancing practice as I’ve done every morning this week.

But I have to be honest with you, besides this week I haven’t done all that much hand balancing recently.

Life craziness plus an ongoing wrist injury have got in the way. This isn’t to say I’ve neglected all my training. Far from it. But hand balancing has taken a back seat.

Where I wanted to be at the end of 2009 is now actually further off then where I was at when this year just began.

However, that’s going to change. I’m now recommitted to regularly practicing hand balancing and taking my skills further.

In order to do this I have to go back. Back to the basics. In fact, at this point I’m not even working on a regular handstand. I’ve gone back to the various lead-up stunts found in the Secrets of the Handstand Quick Start DVD.

Right now even the frogstand is difficult. Any pressure on my right wrist is tough but its slowly getting better. Getting to that recommended minute mark is proving a trial but sometimes you have to go back in order to move forward.

But you know what, I’m excited about it. Assuming my wrist cooperates I know I’ll gain my skills back and quickly surpass them.

Have you been neglecting to practice like I was? Sometimes the fire that got us started down one road begins to flicker and die away. This can be because other more important things come around.

Or there are a wide variety of other reasons. Out of laziness you can let it go. Just drop your training like so many people do after that initial burst of practice (and this applies to so much outside of doing handstands). Years down the road you’re likely to regret that wasted time.

As the great Jim Rohn, who recently passed away, said “We must all suffer from one of two pains: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The difference is discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons.”

The thing is at any moment you do have the opportunity to rededicate yourself. Sometimes you just need a little outside motivation to do so. I got mine from an unlikely source. My hope is that reading this will spur you on.

In order to keep that motivation high you need to continually surround yourself with what it is you wish to accomplish. If you wish to excel at hand balancing visit this site over and over again.

Get with people who share the same passion. Read books and watch videos on the topic (and if you don’t have any what are you waiting for?)

Walking and Jumping On Your HandsWalking and Jumping On Your Hands on Amazon

For the reasons listed above and others I’ve haven’t added as much content to the site recently as I should have. But that’s going to change. There are some great things in store there especially when the new year rolls around.

But for now there is one thing I’d like to ask. There are a number of great hand balancers and acrobats out there reading this. If you’re one of them how would you like to share your tips, training and techniques?

If so, send in your articles and/or videos and we’ll grow the site to help more people together.

You can reply to this email or just send them to [email protected]. If you have any questions as far as what to talk about send those in too.

As always, thanks for your time.

Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher

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Hand Balancing on Twitter

This is last notice but I wanted to give you a chance to join the fun.

If you’re on Twitter I’m the guest on a special twitterchat tonight. The topic…hand balancing of course.

You’ll have your chance to ask any questions you want.

Tumbling Illustrated
Tumbling Illustrated on Amazon

All the details can be found at Straight to the Bar.

And make sure you’re following me- StrongmanLogan.

It costs nothing to signup and come ask your questions. If you’re available then be sure to stop by.

Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher

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Two Updates

Just a quick update today.

Ultimate Guide to Handstand Pushups
Ultimate Guide to Handstand Pushups on Amazon

Thank you everyone for sending in your parkour questions. We got 16 comments on the last post with some great questions.

And the good news is they’ll be answered. Just got to setup a date and time to do the interview. Look for that coming soon

On another note I threw a new page up on the site. This one was long overdo, containing ideas and need to know info on gift-giving.

If anyone you know has a birthday coming up or during the holidays could benefit from anything available here check it out.

Good Luck and Good Handbalancing,
Logan Christopher

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Parkour Questions

Was just trading emails with Mark Toorock from over at www.americanparkour.com

They’re the ones responsible for the Parkour Tutorial DVD we have available.

Hand Balancing Made EasyHandBalancingMadeEasy_on_Amazon

I’m not an experienced traceur, though I recognize the similarities in the different arts of hand balancing, tumbling and parkour. And many people learning one want to do them all!

In my opinion, this is the best teaching you’ll get on Parkour fundamentals. Sure there are tons of youtube videos you can find but nothing will cover the details this DVD does.

Anyway, I asked him if he’d be interested in doing a interview and he said yes.

I’m slaving away at some big projects currently which is taking the majority of my time (though it’s a lot of fun too). So before we plan anything more, I wanted to get a feel for how interested you are in the topic.

Is this something you’re into? And if so, what questions do you want to ask?

Leave your comments below. Thanks for taking your time to do so.

Good Luck and Good Free Running,
Logan Christopher

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Planche Progression

Here you’ll find tips on planche progression.

“I’m 21 years ( physically strong ) I do need to get into Planche. Can you advice me on something to start with ???”
Kenji

I have not built myself up to doing the planche. Haven’t really worked on it much.

But I can give you a variety of drills and methods to build it up, proven by a number of other people who have had success. The basic planche progression is to increase the leverage of the movement little bit by little bit.

That is going from a tucked position to a straddle and finally a complete planche. When you get good at one position, building the strength and skill to do it, you move onto the next.

I first learned about this method from Coach Sommer. In his article below you’ll get many more details on this planche progression. Plus it also covers the front lever.

Tumbling Illustrated
Tumbling Illustrated on Amazon

Check it out here.

Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher

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Advanced Progression

A One Hand Balance

A One Hand Balance in the Old Style

Here’s a question from Matthew on the difficulties and progression of advanced hand balancing skills.

“What would say is the difficulty of a planche vs a handstand, one handed handstand, 2 man planche, how should I be progressing if I am fairly competent in all of these skills?”

Each skill is very different from the next. The skill and strength it takes to do a planche is very different from that it takes to do a one handed handstand. Some people will find certain skills harder then others and to give them arbitrary difficulties wouldn’t really help.

But as a basic idea so you can know what you’re getting yourself into I would say the one hand handstand (and the planche too) are about 100 times as difficult as the two hand handstand.

How should you be progressing? The same as everyone else. Whether you are working on a basic handstand or and advanced skill like the one arm handstand you can progress by adding a second at a time.

If you are competent at the skills you listed, first off, congratulations. You are doing great. If you want to know where to go from that point there is a wide variety of options.

You can work on a one handed planche. You can learn to hop on one hand. How about a tiger bend? And if that’s easy try it on one arm!

Hand Balancing Made EasyHandBalancingMadeEasy_on_Amazon

(By the way, all these skills are found in The True Art and Science of Hand Balancing.)

The sky is the limit. Just keep progressing. It’s the name of the game.

Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher.

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Planche Pushups Training

This question from Paul concerns planche pushups training.

“From a beginners perspective, what exercises would you recommend to working into a full planche pushup?”

That depends entirely on how much of a beginner you are. If you are really just starting out there is going to be a ton of work before you get to the planche and finally a planche pushup.

Learn How to Back Flip in 31 Days
Learn How to Back Flip in 31 Days on Amazon

Suffice to say, you’ll need a strong planche before you can approach doing planche pushups.

There are two drills that come to mind to help on the pushup portion. Even if you can’t do the planche yet you will be able to do this planche pushup training and get started.

One involves having a friend hold onto your feet. Now, you don’t merely want to do pushups in this position. That would make this nothing more then an elevated pushup. Instead, lean far forward in advanced of your hands, that is to assume a planche position.

With your partner holding your feet you won’t have to support all your weight, but the goal is to do as much as you can on your own.

From this position you do your assisted planche pushups. The key is to do low reps and really maximize the effort that goes into each one.

The second drill is similar though it doesn’t require a partner. This is to do what are known as pseudo-planche pushups. You get on the ground and get into a normal pushup position.

Like before, you will lean forward so your shoulders are forward of your hands. Your feet are on the ground but you will be working in a similar planche position.

There are other methods but these will help you out big time. Along with them you’ll really need to be training your planche and making it strong.

Much more on the planche can be found in The True Art and Science of Hand Balancing.

Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher

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Block Building Handstand

Rafael Guerrero's Block Building Handstand

Rafael Guerrero's Block Building Handstand

How to do the One Hand Handstand by Professor Orlick
ow to do the One Hand Handstand on Amazon

One very impressive handstand stunt is to raise yourself off the ground by block building.

Start in a handstand with a stack of bricks or similar objects nearby.  Shift over to one hand and grab a block with the other. Set that block down, shift your weight onto that arm then repeat on the other side. You build yourself up one block at a time.

This is an advanced skill as you’ll have to be in a one arm handstand much of the time even in just momentarily.

But its sure to impress anyone watching. And once you reach the top you can go down the same way or maybe jump off your blocks.

Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher

P.S. The Halloween Sale is going strong. Check out how you can save on all hand balancing and acrobatic programs here.

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How to Handstand Longer

Today’s question addresses how to build a longer handstand.

Hand Balancing Made EasyHandBalancingMadeEasy_on_Amazon

“Is it possible to add 2 seconds to my hand balancing every week? If it is how long would  I have to practise for weekly?”
Lucy

I think this is a great way to approach holding a handstand longer. Set a goal to add two seconds each week. It is certainly a reasonable goal and should easily be accomplished.

If you practiced each day you could start off just working on the handstand. When you did reach your goal for the remaining days in the week you could work on other skills. Once the new week comes you again try to add two seconds.

Overall, I don’t think it would require much time but this does depend on where you are at. If you are stuck at six seconds that is different then being stuck at two minutes.

This same approach would work well for any timed hold you are seeking to increase.

Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher

P.S. Don’t forget The Ultimate Guide to Handstand Pushups has just been released and is selling strong. Get your copy and be on the way to much more strength.

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