2011 Panel on Parkour and Freerunning
I am planning on hosting a panel next year covering the topics of Parkour and Freerunning. By then I will be a five-year practitioner with a lot of experience to share with you all! I am wondering if there are any curious Furs out there who would like to attend such a panel! More importantly, what would you all like to hear about? I have a few topics in mind, but I want to know what you guys want to hear or see!
EDIT: There will be no panel on Parkour and Freerunning this year. I may not be able to attend AC at all. But if I do, I'll definitely hold a jam outside of the con. I'll keep you all updated.
It's furry enough if there's enough furries that want to do it.
Haha! Touche, but Parkour is not illegal and the purpose of it is to AVOID getting mugged.
There are many non-furry things at AC: Tabletop gaming, Dr. Who LARP, Video Games, a panel on magic, a panel on improvisation, etc.
As I believe such interests usually fall under Fandom track, if we can get enough people, we might well be able to get a panel going. Feel free to email me at , but don't expect any serious response for a while; we on the staff are kind of trying to recover from 2010 right now. 
I was thinking about including the subject of Parkour in Fursuits (The risks, the potential, and the preparation).
The potential, I can't speak to. The risks should be obvious: fursuits have restricted visibility, massive potential for overheating due to their completely enclosed aspect and fursuit paws would limit grasping items in their running environment. These risks are pretty much unavoidable.
Looked up Parkour in Wikipedia. It appears to require a great deal of energy.
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"Parkour (sometimes abbreviated to PK), or l'art du déplacement [1] (English: the art of movement) Is where participants jump, vault, and climb over obstacles in a fluid manner.[2] It is a non-competitive way to move fluidly despite ones environment. It was developed by the French. Skills such as jumping and climbing, or the more specific parkour moves are employed. The object of parkour is to get from one place to another using only the human body and the objects in the environment. The obstacles can be anything in one's environment, but parkour is often seen practiced in urban areas because of the many suitable public structures available such as buildings and rails."
It is hard to imagine it being done outdoors, in fursuit, in Pittsburgh, in Summer.
The spirit of Parkour can be seen everywhere. Have you ever decided to deviate from the sidewalk or hop over a handrail to decrease travel time? You just took a more efficient path and practiced the fundamentals of Parkour.
Yes, being in a fursuit does limit what we can do, but it does not eliminate everything we can do. I will discuss what IS possible and practical in a fursuit.
I would just love to learn the basics of PK, my brother and I used to do something similar when we were teenagers long ago before PK was known, we often veiwed things as it's only a obstacle if you perceive it to be, I was just lucky never to be caught on the school roof but I got some awesome things from up there
DUDE! we soo needed this laster year when me and a bunch of my furends freeran about pittsburg we plan on doing it this year too!
Definitely! I doubt there's going to be a panel on it, but we should get together outside of the Con and tear up the city! Yes, I literally mean tear up the city from its foundations! Leaving stand only the DLCC with the affiliated hotels. B]
lol i wish we could get like a route throug the convention but doing it around the city was soooo much fun, i think this year we need a camera furson.
Um, no. We won't be freerunning through the convention center.
Haha! You should join us! We could show you the basics and decrease your travel time by 20% guaranteed or your money back!
Hey, he's like dumbledore, being him has its privlages.
When AC11 is closer, I'll make a new thread about the subject. If a lot of people are interested, I'll consider making it a free seminar separate from the convention. If it devolves into a normal jam, then so be it.
For those who believe Parkour is an unnecessary danger, please hear me out:
Parkour is a legitimate discipline that originate during the Vietnam War. Back then it was called Les Parcours (The Course). The fundamentals were used to get to and from places as quickly and efficiently as possible by overcoming all obstacles, especially during battles.
The same fundamentals expanded into the special fire brigades in France that protected the historic architecture. Raymond Belle was one of these firefighters. Raymond taught his son, David Belle, the fundamentals of these movements.
With this knowledge, David Belle crafted a discipline for himself and his friends. He called it L'art du Displacement (The art of Movement). He knew about the term Les Parcours, but didn't want to copy it exactly. This is where the term Le Parkour comes from, and also why David Belle is widely considered the godfather of the discipline.
I like to compare Parkour to martial arts. The purpose of martial arts is to train the body and the mind. The same is with Parkour as it is also a way to train the body and the mind; it is a discipline, not a sport.
Martial artists don't go around beating people up. Nor do practitioners of Parkour run around and jump off of buildings, but the beautiful part is we can... if our life depends on it.
Parkour is a discipline; it has philosophy. Without philosophy there is no meaning, and Parkour has a very deep meaning to me.
I don't think its dangerous at all if done right. And from a security POV I don't care. All I'm saying is that we will not be doing it in and on the convention center and/or hotel. They don't like people running through the building and particularly don't like people climbing and jump on/off parts of there buildings.
I invite you to run free through the street of Pittsburgh to your hearts, or the Pitt PD's, content.
Well, I guess it's never too early to start with the Fandom Track programming. Feel free to contact me at . 
I would definetly attend a panel on parkour / freerunning, I love doing that kinda stuff.
Awesome! I don't know if it's going to be a panel, but I definitely plan to meet up with everyone OUTSIDE of the con who wants to learn the basics!
Keep an eye out for a new thread as AC11 approaches!
Just like at Otakon where they call it the Otaku Jam, I'd like to call this the AnthroJam! For those who aren't in on the lingo, a "Jam" is when a group of Parkour practitioners get together to train and practice.
Just be advised that among the Parkour practitioners you attract will be a (possible equal) number of people who think that they are Parkour practitioners. Be prepared to call EMS, and please select a location that will not make any medical emergencies our responsibility.
I agree, no amount of training or practice can completely eliminate the risk of injury. For example, I just strained my lower back last week doing a very basic move (no flips or anything) in a gymnastics center with soft things around me. It goes to show that --it happens and it can happen to anybody. My philosophy tells me to turn an obstacle into an opportunity. I hurt my back, so I've been strengthening my arms and legs. Once my back is better, I will be stronger!
I have teaching experience. So if this does turn into a seminar of sorts, I always emphasize safety and decision-making when teaching new techniques. Everyone has physical and mental limits that should not be breached. However, those limits can be expanded through proper and safe training.
If this event does happen, would the Board Members like to attend and watch to see what we're all about? I promise we won't be too far (nor too close) from the DLCC in case there's an AC emergency.
Here are the problems that I see with a panel like this:
1. Space/equipment requirements. If we are to schedule something, it needs to be in our own space. I don't think we can set up sufficient space in the convention center for a one time event with obstacles, etc. If you want to hold an offsite event indepently, that's perfectly fine, we just can't have it as an official part of the programming if it isn't in our controlled space.
2. Insurance: The bigger problem, is our venues may not permit us to hold such an event without obtaining some very specific and costly insurance. We're already stretched as far as costs, and try to keep things reasonable and manageable for attendees. I don't know that we'd be able to justify additonal insurance expenses for this.
If there were to be a panel on this, I'd only do a presentation and then invite those interested off-site for the physical portion. I would also whip up a waiver releasing myself, Anthrocon, and the DLCC and staff members of any and all liability. It will also state that participants MUST have health insurance.
Let me assure you that nothing related to the physical portion of Parkour will be performed or demonstrated on DLCC property or under the liability of Anthrocon.
That's fine with us, from the standpoint of the organization.
Have you checked to see if there is a club or other group involed in Parkour in Pittsburgh? It might be worthwhile to hook up with them. They might be able to find good spots for you or tell you who you need to talk to to keep from creating misunderstandings with the local constabulary.
I found a gym that specificaly teaches Parkour in Calgary, I'm finding out just how hard this disipline realy is.
Perhaps for the panel some videos, specificly on the basics because I bet allot of people who know little about it will show up.
I second finding locals and having a jam somewhere in the city
Yes, and by training in a gym I'll be good enough come summer to do it in parks hopefully
I've only had two classes so far, three if you count the front flip workshop yesterday. I'm pretty good at my rolls. my crain is good but needs more height. I'm getting better at my lazy vault and I'm just learning my kong. as for my front flips my trainer says no one ever gets it in one class but my form looks very good. there no classes for a few weeks because of the holidays. I may go to open gym to practise though
Congrats on your front flips! Kongs are a doozie to get used to, believe me I know. Everything will come with time, practice, training, and hard work!
If you want to triple the rate you improve at, don't forget to condition! Not all trainers stress conditioning in fear that they will scare customers away. You want do feel like you want to die every session, haha!
I recommend upper body:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OK4XTA3XBLg
If you ever want a different way to think about a technique, feel free to PM me!
And good luck with your training!
Oh trust me my trainer is not leaving out conditioning. they number us off and while one runs a obstacle course the rest have to got through conditioning drills. push ups, squats, burpees, v-splits heel raises and several others. the faster the runner gets back the faster we can switch out to the next exercise and the next runner goes through the course. last class he had us run it twice trying to beet the precious time, if we didn't we'd have to run it a third time, if we did we got to play a parkour game.
we beat our time by five seconds, and we got to play capture the flag parkour stile. lots of fun.
if you are curios this is my gym http://www.nolimitsafc.com/main/ they are talking about making a climbing structure that simulates a ruined building. I'm looking forward to it
I did buy a door mounted pull up bar to advance my training at home
for those that don't know this is a burpee http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYfNA_lmkHM
I can't find a video for the v-split but you balance on your lower back and raise your arms and legs staight up tring to toch fingers to toes like a upside down toe touch, then lower back down but you are not allowed to touch the ground. it makes the whole stomach burn. worse than crunches thats for sure
Edit: found a vid of a v-split though she doesn't call it that http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3q3U20I09fE
O.=.O Thats some good conditioning!
I'm so sorry for all the questions. It's just that I'm an upcoming trainer and I have been getting ideas from current trainers.
Whats your trainer's name?
Is he a member of a community? (such as Urban Current or PK Generations)
Is he ADAPT certified?
Jim Sinclair I don't know if he's with those groups but he is damed good, he also teaches gymnastics http://www.nolimitsafc.com/main/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=81&Itemid=18
He knows just how to break down each movement, and spot what we do wrong
some videos from the gym
this ones old the scoffolding isn't up yet http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGGiSa9KVU8
another video lacking the scaffolding http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46BM8f6sO_Q
and since I can't find a vid with the scaffolding here is a picture I took http://www.flickr.com/photos/52149059@N00/5197583193/in/set-72157625338227249/
I have never tried any parkour but it is something I have wanted to learn how to do. As far as I know, there's no one near me to teach me. So I'd want to learn beginner stuff, whatever that would be.
Where are you located?
Edit: Better yet, lets take this to PM's. I sent you one.
I've been a fan of parkour for a few years now, though I've yet to try it (I live in the middle of farmland. Flat ground as far as the eye can see 
). Even so, I'd love to check out a panel devoted to it and gather with other fans of the activity.
One of my favorite quotes is "There are no bad locations, only new Traceurs"
Flat ground is a great training setting! You can work on Rolls (all 4 directions), Breakfalls, Conditioning, Upper-body, Lower-body, Quadrupedal Movement (all 4 directions), Jumps, Handstands, Dive Rolls.
Parkour is about adapting one's movements to the surrounding environment in the most efficient way possible. Be creative, and develop a mindset that says "What can I do on/around this?"
All you're really missing out on is the virtual excitement of jumping over things in a concrete-based location. Sure it's cool and all, but Parkour goes way beyond the physical and turns more into a philosophy over time.
One more thing about the flat ground. Flat ground is where a Traceur has the least advantage over his opponent. There are no obstacles where technique will give you the upper hand. The flat ground must be conquered just as much as any other obstacle.
Strong Mind, Strong Body, Strong Spirit, Endurance.
Please PM me if you have any questions!
Ahh, very good point there. Well I'm definitely new, but I hope to change that
Thanks for the advice
You're from Georgia? Well, you are in luck! There are a few PK communities in Georgia.
Here is the Georgia section on the American Parkour forums: http://www.americanparkour.com/smf/index.php?board=23.0
Please consider making an account and contacting the official Georgia contact.
Pittsburgh seems like a great city for parkour, especially if you're a fan of getting arrested or mugged.
That aside: sounds interesting to me, but as someone asked in a similar thread, is it furry enough to warrant interest for AC? Does it really concern AnthroCon interests?