Parkour Basics Training Course

Sturdy shoes with good traction (running shoes or cross-trainers)

A park or outdoor area with benches, low walls, and railings

Comfortable athletic clothing

Scout your training area. Look for low walls (knee to waist height), benches, railings, and flat landing surfaces. Everything should be solid and in good condition.

Precision Jumps: stand on one flat surface (like the edge of a bench). Pick a landing spot about 3 feet away (the edge of another bench or a specific paving stone). Jump and land with both feet precisely on the target. Stick the landing — no stumbling.

Safety Roll: this is the most important parkour skill. From standing, lower your body, tuck your chin, and roll diagonally over one shoulder (not straight over your head). This distributes impact and protects your spine. Practice on grass until it's smooth.

Step Vault: approach a low wall at walking speed. Place one hand on top, step one foot onto the wall, and swing the other leg over. Clean, controlled, quiet.

Speed Vault: approach at a jog. Place both hands on the wall and swing both legs to one side, clearing the wall. Land on the far side, absorb the impact with bent knees.

Wall Run: run at a wall, plant one foot about 2 feet up the wall, push upward to grab the top edge, then pull yourself up and over. Start with a low wall.

Balance: walk along the top of every railing, wall, and bench you can find. Arms out for balance. Walk forward, backward, and sideways.

Flow: connect 3-4 movements in a sequence. Precision jump to a bench, vault over a wall, balance walk a railing, safety roll off the end. The goal is flowing, continuous movement.

Parkour is about moving efficiently through your environment, not doing dangerous stunts. Start low, go slow, and build up. Real parkour practitioners train for years before attempting anything dramatic.

The safety roll is the first thing to master. It should be practiced hundreds of times. When it's automatic, it protects you from unexpected falls.

Always inspect surfaces before using them. Wet surfaces are slippery. Crumbling concrete is unreliable. Wobbly railings are dangerous.

Quiet landings mean controlled landings. If your landing is loud, you're not absorbing enough impact with your legs. Aim for silent feet.

Consider a formal parkour class at a gym. Many cities have parkour-specific training facilities with padded equipment designed for safe progression.