Training Tips.

Some advice to consider when training.

• Too little exertion ( For example, walking) is ineffective because a certain threshold value has to be exceeded for performance to increase. to guarantee improvement, a general rule of thumb applies: exercise for at least ten minutes at a pulse rate of over 130. Do endurance training at least twice a week and include strength training and warming up and a relaxation phase

• Overexertion, infrequent or only short breaks, which do not give the body time to recover, can have a damaging effect. This may lead to a decline in performance and be detrimental to health. Warning signs of potential overexertion are rapid, short and irregular breathing, chest pains, headaches, dizziness and vomiting.
  

• Always warm up before you start training. Slow running or gentle gymnastic exercises are ideal. Cold, badly circulated muscles are susceptible to injury.
  

• As regards to the order of training, technique training should be performed before strength training, and the latter before endurance training. Fatigue may otherwise result in poor concentration and coordination and therefore increase the risk of injury.
  

• A final spurt at the end of a training session places the body under unnecessary stress and should be avoided on all accounts. After exercising, do not stop abruptly but conclude training gently, for example, by running at half the previous speed. This helps remove metabolic wastes from the muscles through increased circulation and muscle self massage, which is around three times more effective than a passive massage. Extensive stretching exercises at the end of a training session also enhance the effect of training.
  

• Don't forget to drink during training sessions! Mineral water, fruit squash and other drinks rich in minerals are best.

A quick summary of Parkour.

This is an adaptation of an article in a book i got for christmas, I thought some of the aspects in this article are important for both beginners and experienced traceurs to remember.

"le parkour" is the name of a very young discipline founded in the described form by Frenchman David Belle - the ideal way to get from A to B. The idea is as simple as it is unusual. The traceur has to cross their environment not via the usual routes that are planned and developed for such purposes: she/he chooses a rough route or target and has to overcome all the obstacles he/she encounters on his/her way there. The standard repertoire of skills required by this unusual urban sport includes jumping techniques and running and climbing methods which enable him/her to overcome seven metre wide gaps or four metre high walls etc. In French, the practitioner is referred to as a "traceur" or "traceurese" for females.The discipline has less to do with the "superman" style stunts that are portrayed in the media. According to belle, the spirit of "le parkour" is guided by the belief that we can overcome external restrictions using physical and mental skills and thereby discover a new freedom of movement. In the eyes of the founder, daredevil leaps across rooftops and street canyons or other exploits are at best a mends to an end. They are not the main reason why a route is chosen. Nor is the aim of parkour to cause a public stir or impress onlooker. An important aspect of parkour is considering whether the demands and conditions of the chosen "route" are compatible with one's own technical and mental abilities, in other words, whether they can be safely overcome. Efficiency, speed and dexterity and what count, not bravery. A traceur uses no form of technical aid and relies solely on his physical skills and resourcefulness. Everything else contradicts the philosophy of "le parkour" - because the whole point of the activity is not to be restricted or influenced in one's movements. This rather spectacular sport is also reminiscent of modern action art, one of its aims being to reclaim areas of planned and developed urban land. Traceurs attach great importance to protecting the environment. A traceur leaves behind no traces, and of course, places no one who might cross his path at risk. Nor does he ever consciously put himself at risk. If a route turns out to be impassable/dangerous he/she looks for another. Practised in this way, "le parkour" can be beneficial to a healthy lifestyle and even fun.

Well, i went ahead and got a blog.

Yup, I got a blog.

I'll update later with information useful for training etc.

right now, i'm off to train.

Cheerio.