Fear kills a coward before he’s dead. For many beginners, fear is the worst thing that can keep you from learning. It is therefore important to eliminate the fear factor before you can move on with your training in any extreme sport.
Thousands of people who want to learn parkour never try it because they’re scared of heights, they are scared of timing it wrong which would eventually lead to physical injuries and bruises and they are embarrassed to fall in front of others while they’re still in the practice phase. Well, all of this is possible while you’re training for parkour, but it takes determination to get rid of the fears and to try out parkour moves with confidence.
Quick Jump
4 effective tips on how you can overcome your fears
Make Up Your Mind
If you believe you can do it, you can. If you believe you can’t, you’re right. Well, parkour moves can be tough, if you believe it. Hence, it is all about the mindset and how you carry yourself. It is therefore important to make up your mind and infuse in yourself more confidence and positivity. There are various things to keep in mind before training so it is important to know certain information that can help you to prepare physically and mentally before you make your first parkour move.
You Have What You Should Have
Parkour is all about body movements and to enhance that you need the right kind of clothing and a backpack that doesn’t hinder your movement and can help you run, jump and land correctly. Wear parkour shoes that provide you cushioning and grip when you land on any surface. This will help you to get the right feel when you are practicing parkour moves.
Some feel that parkour gloves are a necessity if you plan to train on a regular occasion to avoid wear and tear on your hands
Improve Your Landing Technique
Those who fear parkour moves are more scared about incorrect landing than jumping and therefore it is important to improve your parkour skills especially in terms of landing. For this you need to train your body how to absorb the shock of landing. You can learn the technique through various videos and tutorials on YouTube. Similarly, you can also learn it at home where you have a soft surface. The idea is to land on your feet and then learn how to roll your shoulders to spread the impact force. Practicing your rolls will help you to gain that extra confidence as you keep learning more.
Understand Your Limitations
Your fears are based on false notions and expectations and therefore you need to break by understanding your own limitations. You need to convince yourself that you’re good, but its too early to try advanced level parkour moves. You need to contain your enthusiasm and fear and know what you can do and can’t do at the moment. Master small steps at a time and keep practicing it until you’re really good at it. Move on to the next level only when you ‘believe’ you can pull it off, rather than ‘pushing’ yourself in order to test your limits which might lead to injuries and eventually instill the fear that you are not made for parkour.
