Following the fact that i have a couple of niggling foot/ankle injuries i've had to restrain myself from working on jump distance and 'big' and 'scary' stuff which is disappointing as i feel i've let this slip a little the last few months.
i'll need to get back to it, but injury recovery must take priority.
As I started my weeks training yesterday I felt fresh all over my whole body which was nice. I've decided this week to focus on training touch stealth and silence over different routes of varying difficulty. This low-impact approach lends itself well to my injury recovery and is also a massive asspect of movement.
To try and train instinct, I'm also going to always train a whole route - if there's a certain aspect or movement in a route which i can't get right i'm not going to stop and focus on that one part - I must work it out as I go over the whole route.
As the week goes on I'm going to increase the intensity and difficulty of the routes, and also add some conditioning elements into training to make sure that I am maintaining and improving my strength.]
I think this approach is going to be beneficial this week - obviously ill have to listen to my body and see how it works out.....
Tuesday 28 April 2009
Lifestyle and Routine Changes
The past week in London has allowed me to get into a routine to improve my training, diet and sleeping habits which i think have been detrimental to my training in the last few months.
With loads of coaching and training, it's easy to get into the habit of naps, coffees,snacks and and energy drinks as the daily routine. I've slowly felt myself get more lethargic and demotivated over the last few months as I've obviously been working very hard and let this sporadic diet and sleeping become my routine.
Every day in London last week was pretty much the same - up early, good breakfast, training, light lunch and a break, then teach afternoon and train night or vice versa.
This allowed me to fit in two training sessions a day, get some business work done, teach and still be done by 9 or 10 at night so I could get a big meal and catch up with friends if i like for a dance.
I decided to totally kill the caffeine during the London week and have had no Starbucks or energy drinks at all, favouring natural bars or fruit/fruit juice for snacks as well as having a light but nutritious lunch such as some sushi or some chicken piences and a vitamin shake. I've also been very consciously drinking 2-3 litres of water everyday.
I feel so much better.
Now my lifestyle in Glasgow is slightly different - I like to go out at least one night a week(although have curbed the drinking!) and have to spend at least a couple of hours a day on emails/paperwork and webstuff.
I'm going to try and mantain a similar routine - times arent exact obviously but they give me a rough way to weigh up my day.
9/10am - up earlyish for breakfast and business work/emails/calls etc.
12pm - light training(probably solo most days)
2pm - lunch and another bit of business work
4pm - either afternoon teaching or training session
7pm - either evening teaching or training session
9pm - finish trainig for the day, eat and possibly go socialise or have a night in.
It's likely that because of my training mates' other commitments that I'll be training solo at some point every day. this is something I want to get more used to and it allows me to fit some really focused training in. i find when training alone it helps me to set very specific targets to finish so that i dont get bored or distracted.
If I can roughly keep this routine most days, I think my training, sleep and general mood will lift as it has in London the past week.
With loads of coaching and training, it's easy to get into the habit of naps, coffees,snacks and and energy drinks as the daily routine. I've slowly felt myself get more lethargic and demotivated over the last few months as I've obviously been working very hard and let this sporadic diet and sleeping become my routine.
Every day in London last week was pretty much the same - up early, good breakfast, training, light lunch and a break, then teach afternoon and train night or vice versa.
This allowed me to fit in two training sessions a day, get some business work done, teach and still be done by 9 or 10 at night so I could get a big meal and catch up with friends if i like for a dance.
I decided to totally kill the caffeine during the London week and have had no Starbucks or energy drinks at all, favouring natural bars or fruit/fruit juice for snacks as well as having a light but nutritious lunch such as some sushi or some chicken piences and a vitamin shake. I've also been very consciously drinking 2-3 litres of water everyday.
I feel so much better.
Now my lifestyle in Glasgow is slightly different - I like to go out at least one night a week(although have curbed the drinking!) and have to spend at least a couple of hours a day on emails/paperwork and webstuff.
I'm going to try and mantain a similar routine - times arent exact obviously but they give me a rough way to weigh up my day.
9/10am - up earlyish for breakfast and business work/emails/calls etc.
12pm - light training(probably solo most days)
2pm - lunch and another bit of business work
4pm - either afternoon teaching or training session
7pm - either evening teaching or training session
9pm - finish trainig for the day, eat and possibly go socialise or have a night in.
It's likely that because of my training mates' other commitments that I'll be training solo at some point every day. this is something I want to get more used to and it allows me to fit some really focused training in. i find when training alone it helps me to set very specific targets to finish so that i dont get bored or distracted.
If I can roughly keep this routine most days, I think my training, sleep and general mood will lift as it has in London the past week.
Monday 27 April 2009
ADAPT
I've spent this past week in London training and teaching with the Parkour Generations team and going through the ADAPT assessment.
It's been an absolutely amazing week and the insight and experience of these guys has really enhanced my approach to training and refreshed everything about what i do and why I do it.
I want to talk about ADAPT. As one of the first 'outsiders' to take the qualification I thought I would try and give a little bit of what I thought of the process, training and assessment. There's been a lot of questions over ADAPT which is great - it's important to question things. Hopefully my experience will answer some of these questions and help people to make up their own minds about what they think of it.
In short - my week went something like this:
Day 1, Monday - Team Training with Parkour Generations - preparation day for ADAPT.
The first day consisted of some light training - going over a few of the exercises for the coming physical test and doing some light training and 'play.'
Working as a group, pushing some limits and getting a feel for the 'level' of physicality needed for the test later that week. Scary.
Day 2 - more light training with Stephane and Johann leading the group.
Today ended with a discussion session about the assessment where Steph and Jo did their best to answer any questions we had about the tests and talk a bit about their motives for creating the qualification and our personal motives for coaching.
It's great to be surrounded by people who are so sincere and dedicated to their art and although I would already consider myself to be 'living' parkour these days, it was somewhat inspiring.
At night, I was given the task of running an indoor adult class for around 60-70 people. With 10 minutes preparation time. This was very tough, but a great test of coaching ability and in my opinion probably the most important part of the acreditation - when given the task of teaching way outside of the usual comfort zone - how will the coach cope?
I killed it in the warm up and put everything into the class, fully aware that I would have to be fresh the next morning for the physical test......
Day 3 - Wednesday - ADAPT physical test
The atmosphere was very different this morning when the group met. Everyone was very quiet and there was definite tension in the air. We had been told the day before by Johann, Stephane, Forrest and Dan that for the test days they were not there to help but simply to assess, which is somewhat intimidating.
Nonetheless the group got together and settled into a very very long day of physical testing.
A 6K run in 25 minutes, various quadrupedie and press-up variations, pull up and traversing exercises,hanging, rope climbs,stair drills, squats, drop jumps,ab workouts. Each individual exercise had some element of challenge, but the real difficulty was doing the whole thing in one day.
I think the Level 1 physical test is at about the right difficulty for new coaches - it's challenging enough that it requires good fitness, commitment and spirit and not so ridiculously soul destroying that only Arnie and Stallone could get through it.
After the physical a few of the guys went straight to teaching. mental.
Day 4 - Technical Test
Today was a much more relaxed day and everyone turned up with achy bodies from the previous days' physical but still raring to go and do their absolute best.
The Technical test requires demonstration and explanation of the elementary techniques of Parkour - jumping, rolling, balance, wall climbing, simple vaults.
Each of us were taken from the group one at a time and asked to explain particular techniques and demonstrate that we were capable of executing these techniques in a manner which would set a good example for potential students.
We had to be skilled and complete in our techniques and be able to understand how to analyse, assess and explain their uses and dangers.
I found it quite a surreal experience explaining techniques to guys who trained with the people responsible for 'creating' them.
I think the technical test was thorough enough to cover all aspects of basic technique and explanation but not so specific that it turned into a performance test, which would be ridiculous.
After the technical test, we sat with Stephane and Johann and had a sort of 'feedback' session about the test days. They were very keen to make sure that they took on board any criticism we had of the tests and clearly want it to be as perfect as possible in all aspects.
Day 5 - Friday - Supervised coaching.
Over the week, the various members of the group were assessed at their various classes to log supervised coaching hours. With Dan visiting Glasgow earlier in the year I had a bit of a head start on the coaching hours, and so did a few classes this week to complete my hours, finishing with the pleasure of teaching an outdoor class at Vauxhall on this warm sunny Friday night before I left for the Megabus back to Glasgow.
Day 6 - 8 hours on a bus and now home.
Having now been through the Level 1 Assessment I can say confidently that I believe this qualification is very complete - it covers all aspects of attitude, physicality, technicality, discipline, commitment and spirit required to be a true ambassador and teacher of Parkour.
It is very challenging and you are expected to step up in all aspects of coaching and training quite often under pressure or when your body is not at it's best.
This is the way it should be - coaching is not about the coach - it's about the students and as a coach you must always give of yourself regardless of how many classes you have done that week or how tired your body and mind feels.
The level of the assessment is high enough that it will take serious commitment to complete it - ensuring that only real, sincere dedicated coaches will come through it. It is very hard and very very thorough.
At the same time, it's not so stupidly difficult that it will exclude people with the correct attitude but a little less experience. What's clear to me is that if a potential coach has the correct attitude and spirit, that will be recognised by the assessors.
I have no doubt that the Parkour Generations guys have the most sincere and humble atittude towards creating this qualification. They care so much for their art and they want people to learn in the proper way by people who are capable, sincere and talented.
They wanted to hear our thoughts on it and there's no doubt they feel a great responsibility to make ADAPT accessible to the right people while protecting Parkour's integrity and purity.
And as traceurs who train directly and started with the founders of the discipline, there is no doubt that their experience gives them the right to deliver and assess this course.
To ensure that ADAPT is exactly what it should be, the assessments have been 'closed' up until now.
I'm really excited for when it's opened up and the first batch of coaches from all over the world take the assessment and get to enjoy the same crazy week I have had, and at the end of it know that the founders of their discipline have got to know them and seen that they are passing on the correct message.
From a personal point of view, it's an honour to be involved in this right at the beginning and has only given me more motivation to break down barriers, open doors and make sure that as many people as possible can get access to learning the Spirit of Parkour.
It's been an absolutely amazing week and the insight and experience of these guys has really enhanced my approach to training and refreshed everything about what i do and why I do it.
I want to talk about ADAPT. As one of the first 'outsiders' to take the qualification I thought I would try and give a little bit of what I thought of the process, training and assessment. There's been a lot of questions over ADAPT which is great - it's important to question things. Hopefully my experience will answer some of these questions and help people to make up their own minds about what they think of it.
In short - my week went something like this:
Day 1, Monday - Team Training with Parkour Generations - preparation day for ADAPT.
The first day consisted of some light training - going over a few of the exercises for the coming physical test and doing some light training and 'play.'
Working as a group, pushing some limits and getting a feel for the 'level' of physicality needed for the test later that week. Scary.
Day 2 - more light training with Stephane and Johann leading the group.
Today ended with a discussion session about the assessment where Steph and Jo did their best to answer any questions we had about the tests and talk a bit about their motives for creating the qualification and our personal motives for coaching.
It's great to be surrounded by people who are so sincere and dedicated to their art and although I would already consider myself to be 'living' parkour these days, it was somewhat inspiring.
At night, I was given the task of running an indoor adult class for around 60-70 people. With 10 minutes preparation time. This was very tough, but a great test of coaching ability and in my opinion probably the most important part of the acreditation - when given the task of teaching way outside of the usual comfort zone - how will the coach cope?
I killed it in the warm up and put everything into the class, fully aware that I would have to be fresh the next morning for the physical test......
Day 3 - Wednesday - ADAPT physical test
The atmosphere was very different this morning when the group met. Everyone was very quiet and there was definite tension in the air. We had been told the day before by Johann, Stephane, Forrest and Dan that for the test days they were not there to help but simply to assess, which is somewhat intimidating.
Nonetheless the group got together and settled into a very very long day of physical testing.
A 6K run in 25 minutes, various quadrupedie and press-up variations, pull up and traversing exercises,hanging, rope climbs,stair drills, squats, drop jumps,ab workouts. Each individual exercise had some element of challenge, but the real difficulty was doing the whole thing in one day.
I think the Level 1 physical test is at about the right difficulty for new coaches - it's challenging enough that it requires good fitness, commitment and spirit and not so ridiculously soul destroying that only Arnie and Stallone could get through it.
After the physical a few of the guys went straight to teaching. mental.
Day 4 - Technical Test
Today was a much more relaxed day and everyone turned up with achy bodies from the previous days' physical but still raring to go and do their absolute best.
The Technical test requires demonstration and explanation of the elementary techniques of Parkour - jumping, rolling, balance, wall climbing, simple vaults.
Each of us were taken from the group one at a time and asked to explain particular techniques and demonstrate that we were capable of executing these techniques in a manner which would set a good example for potential students.
We had to be skilled and complete in our techniques and be able to understand how to analyse, assess and explain their uses and dangers.
I found it quite a surreal experience explaining techniques to guys who trained with the people responsible for 'creating' them.
I think the technical test was thorough enough to cover all aspects of basic technique and explanation but not so specific that it turned into a performance test, which would be ridiculous.
After the technical test, we sat with Stephane and Johann and had a sort of 'feedback' session about the test days. They were very keen to make sure that they took on board any criticism we had of the tests and clearly want it to be as perfect as possible in all aspects.
Day 5 - Friday - Supervised coaching.
Over the week, the various members of the group were assessed at their various classes to log supervised coaching hours. With Dan visiting Glasgow earlier in the year I had a bit of a head start on the coaching hours, and so did a few classes this week to complete my hours, finishing with the pleasure of teaching an outdoor class at Vauxhall on this warm sunny Friday night before I left for the Megabus back to Glasgow.
Day 6 - 8 hours on a bus and now home.
Having now been through the Level 1 Assessment I can say confidently that I believe this qualification is very complete - it covers all aspects of attitude, physicality, technicality, discipline, commitment and spirit required to be a true ambassador and teacher of Parkour.
It is very challenging and you are expected to step up in all aspects of coaching and training quite often under pressure or when your body is not at it's best.
This is the way it should be - coaching is not about the coach - it's about the students and as a coach you must always give of yourself regardless of how many classes you have done that week or how tired your body and mind feels.
The level of the assessment is high enough that it will take serious commitment to complete it - ensuring that only real, sincere dedicated coaches will come through it. It is very hard and very very thorough.
At the same time, it's not so stupidly difficult that it will exclude people with the correct attitude but a little less experience. What's clear to me is that if a potential coach has the correct attitude and spirit, that will be recognised by the assessors.
I have no doubt that the Parkour Generations guys have the most sincere and humble atittude towards creating this qualification. They care so much for their art and they want people to learn in the proper way by people who are capable, sincere and talented.
They wanted to hear our thoughts on it and there's no doubt they feel a great responsibility to make ADAPT accessible to the right people while protecting Parkour's integrity and purity.
And as traceurs who train directly and started with the founders of the discipline, there is no doubt that their experience gives them the right to deliver and assess this course.
To ensure that ADAPT is exactly what it should be, the assessments have been 'closed' up until now.
I'm really excited for when it's opened up and the first batch of coaches from all over the world take the assessment and get to enjoy the same crazy week I have had, and at the end of it know that the founders of their discipline have got to know them and seen that they are passing on the correct message.
From a personal point of view, it's an honour to be involved in this right at the beginning and has only given me more motivation to break down barriers, open doors and make sure that as many people as possible can get access to learning the Spirit of Parkour.
Monday 6 April 2009
Glasgow had the heaviest snow in years today so i seized the opportunity for some good training - here's the video, and it would be awesome if you could take the time to read my thoughts on the day.
My quest for today was to return to my familiar spots and movements - ones that i knew very well - and attempt them in fresh snow. I know the surfaces very well, so this meant I could make certain assumptions, and wouldnt have to check everything first.
By checking and feeling surfaces first I would have unsettled and shifted the snow, and missed out on a chance to move on it.
Now obviously I had to find a balance between making assumptions about surfaces and my safety, but for the most part i tried to use my instinct and experience to determine wether I could make a jump without checking.
I started off with a run to warm up, then some quadrupedie on quite wide surfaces just go get my body,movement,touch and sensitivity accustomed to this new obstacle of cold,slippery, icey snow.
I moved around on some familiar surfaces around the Uni - my regular training ground - and realised I could move just as well on them in the snow.
What training in the rain has also taught me is to anticipate and deal with slips - if i dont land perfectly i must deal with it so that i balance and can continue on my route without hesitation.
So after this warm up I began. I went to a few familiar jumps, and that's when the focus really begins. I started off with a big running jump between 2 concrete benches covered in snow. usually I could do this jump without hesitation, but the fear of these new conditions kicked in.
I know I can do this jump.
So i knuckled down, put 100% focus into my vision, technique and movement and went for it. I completed the jump and repeated a few times just to make sure.
I then carried on with the same method and idea, and tried to push myself to do some quite difficult movements and jumps, for example vault combinations on slippery snowy rails, cat balance and balance on rails and even right up to some rail precisions.
One particular jump I came to(at the wellington church) was across a 6ft gap at about 8ft up. On my landing, i slipped forward but manadged to focus and recover quickly. (you can see this in the video towards the end).
It's a jump I would do quite casually in normal circumstances but i was 100% focused due to the snow, and it paid off when I slipped.
This training was completely invaluable - movements which are no longer challenging,suddenly require focus, overcoming of fear and absolutely perfect technique, as well as heightened response time to recover mistakes. It's a reminder that I should ALWAYS have this level of precision technique and focus and it gave me the opportunity to refine this and learn how to call it up and use it very quickly.
The other aspect to training in the snow was the strength required for more slow and demanding movements like balance, quadrupedie, traversing and cat leaps. On top of this, these movements tend to require your bare hand to be in contact with these surfaces which are covered in snow. ITS derogatory-swear-word-of-your-choiceING COLD.
These movements suddenly become a massive test of strength, endurance and mental fortitude.
I worked very very hard on these movements today - quadrupedie and rolls in the snow to condition my body to the cold, followed by traversing and cat leaps, which require so much more strength in fingers and forearms.
Once I was a bit tired, I tried to work on some cat balancing on rails to train my strength and endurance ever further. It's amazing how much harder it is to hold on in the cold, and on top of that the grip of the hands has to be tighter to compensate for the slidy icy surfaces, especially rails.
The snow gives a unique opportunity to take movements that you now take for granted and make them extremely challenging again. This is useful when the weather is bad, and is also great for increasing confidence when conditions are good.
You also have to learn to have an increased and thorough awareness of risk. It's so so important to be safe, and still push your limits at the same time.
Today has been amazing. If it snows - please train in it.
It's a blessing for your training, not a barrier.
Grant
My quest for today was to return to my familiar spots and movements - ones that i knew very well - and attempt them in fresh snow. I know the surfaces very well, so this meant I could make certain assumptions, and wouldnt have to check everything first.
By checking and feeling surfaces first I would have unsettled and shifted the snow, and missed out on a chance to move on it.
Now obviously I had to find a balance between making assumptions about surfaces and my safety, but for the most part i tried to use my instinct and experience to determine wether I could make a jump without checking.
I started off with a run to warm up, then some quadrupedie on quite wide surfaces just go get my body,movement,touch and sensitivity accustomed to this new obstacle of cold,slippery, icey snow.
I moved around on some familiar surfaces around the Uni - my regular training ground - and realised I could move just as well on them in the snow.
What training in the rain has also taught me is to anticipate and deal with slips - if i dont land perfectly i must deal with it so that i balance and can continue on my route without hesitation.
So after this warm up I began. I went to a few familiar jumps, and that's when the focus really begins. I started off with a big running jump between 2 concrete benches covered in snow. usually I could do this jump without hesitation, but the fear of these new conditions kicked in.
I know I can do this jump.
So i knuckled down, put 100% focus into my vision, technique and movement and went for it. I completed the jump and repeated a few times just to make sure.
I then carried on with the same method and idea, and tried to push myself to do some quite difficult movements and jumps, for example vault combinations on slippery snowy rails, cat balance and balance on rails and even right up to some rail precisions.
One particular jump I came to(at the wellington church) was across a 6ft gap at about 8ft up. On my landing, i slipped forward but manadged to focus and recover quickly. (you can see this in the video towards the end).
It's a jump I would do quite casually in normal circumstances but i was 100% focused due to the snow, and it paid off when I slipped.
This training was completely invaluable - movements which are no longer challenging,suddenly require focus, overcoming of fear and absolutely perfect technique, as well as heightened response time to recover mistakes. It's a reminder that I should ALWAYS have this level of precision technique and focus and it gave me the opportunity to refine this and learn how to call it up and use it very quickly.
The other aspect to training in the snow was the strength required for more slow and demanding movements like balance, quadrupedie, traversing and cat leaps. On top of this, these movements tend to require your bare hand to be in contact with these surfaces which are covered in snow. ITS derogatory-swear-word-of-your-choiceING COLD.
These movements suddenly become a massive test of strength, endurance and mental fortitude.
I worked very very hard on these movements today - quadrupedie and rolls in the snow to condition my body to the cold, followed by traversing and cat leaps, which require so much more strength in fingers and forearms.
Once I was a bit tired, I tried to work on some cat balancing on rails to train my strength and endurance ever further. It's amazing how much harder it is to hold on in the cold, and on top of that the grip of the hands has to be tighter to compensate for the slidy icy surfaces, especially rails.
The snow gives a unique opportunity to take movements that you now take for granted and make them extremely challenging again. This is useful when the weather is bad, and is also great for increasing confidence when conditions are good.
You also have to learn to have an increased and thorough awareness of risk. It's so so important to be safe, and still push your limits at the same time.
Today has been amazing. If it snows - please train in it.
It's a blessing for your training, not a barrier.
Grant
2009. Start as you mean to go on.
This is slightly dated but it should be posted here!
January 01 2009
2009. Start as you mean to go on.
I saw in my new year last night with some old and some new friends. Today I went for a very very long run, on my own. I came home and worked on some paperwork and business stuff for an hour, then hung out with a mate in my shiny new flat.
I think that's going to be my year this year.
I've met some great people this year, but i've been a bit mad stressed and not quite been myself but that's all settled now. I've moved into my new flat, I have my own space and it's calmed me down no-end. So i plan to really get to know some of the crazy people i've been introduced to this year - im going to be spending a night with a certain one this saturday i've not even met in person yet. and im well excited.
I went training on my own today. My focus in 2008 has been so much on improving for my coaching, for my business and for the people who have been kind enough to give me their time in London to help me improve on these things.
This year I'm going to train for myself, and due to the times im coaching I will probably be training on my own a lot. But that's a silver lining i think - every year is a different journey in Parkour. 2008 has been very much about physically improving and understanding and trusting my capabilities and using that to overcome fear.
The end of 08 and this year is going to be about self-discovery. I'm really starting to see that it takes years and years to discover my Parkour. Train for myself, learn to question everything i've learned and look at it all with fresh eyes, so that i can constantly be testing myself. I think this will improve my physicality, my mental fortitude and my discipline. And I think i will truly begin to understand how this art has really become the way i live my life - that should ultimately enrich everything I do.
Then there's my business. Those of you who know me well enough will know it's taken me all year to get my head around the fact that if i dont put time into my work I literally cant afford to live. I answer to no-one which is great, but that also means that there's no-one to pick up the slack when I dont want to spend the day making calls or writing the same risk assessments over and over and convincing another narrowminded P.E teacher that Parkour is safe and beneficial.
I have a hold on all that now, and this year i want to make a conscious effort to separate this from the rest of my life, and not let it consume it. I think the fact that i havent been able to escape my Parkour Coaching has been massively detrimental for my social life, my stress levels and even contributed massively to the end of a relationship that meant the world to me.
I don't regret any of it, this relentless dedication has got me to the stage where im booked up months in advance now, and have about 7 or 8 classes a week for the next 3 months. But now i need to enjoy that in itself and learn to separate it from the rest of my life so that i can enjoy some me-time and also enjoy spending time with others.
Then there's the flat, having a home. It's a pleasure to have my own space after 8 months of living on floors and sofas. For everyone that has accomodated me this year - particularly McNutt and Maz - I am eternally grateful. You guys have looked after me so well this year and I appreciate it so so much.
But now, i can have my own space to invite my own friends round for some chilled nights in and just enjoy my space(and myspace) and my time.
I'm hoping that these simple things can be the basis of my year. I don't want to predict too much. If I plan things out i wont get to enjoy all the surprises and obstacles that life will throw at me.
Bring it on.
January 01 2009
2009. Start as you mean to go on.
I saw in my new year last night with some old and some new friends. Today I went for a very very long run, on my own. I came home and worked on some paperwork and business stuff for an hour, then hung out with a mate in my shiny new flat.
I think that's going to be my year this year.
I've met some great people this year, but i've been a bit mad stressed and not quite been myself but that's all settled now. I've moved into my new flat, I have my own space and it's calmed me down no-end. So i plan to really get to know some of the crazy people i've been introduced to this year - im going to be spending a night with a certain one this saturday i've not even met in person yet. and im well excited.
I went training on my own today. My focus in 2008 has been so much on improving for my coaching, for my business and for the people who have been kind enough to give me their time in London to help me improve on these things.
This year I'm going to train for myself, and due to the times im coaching I will probably be training on my own a lot. But that's a silver lining i think - every year is a different journey in Parkour. 2008 has been very much about physically improving and understanding and trusting my capabilities and using that to overcome fear.
The end of 08 and this year is going to be about self-discovery. I'm really starting to see that it takes years and years to discover my Parkour. Train for myself, learn to question everything i've learned and look at it all with fresh eyes, so that i can constantly be testing myself. I think this will improve my physicality, my mental fortitude and my discipline. And I think i will truly begin to understand how this art has really become the way i live my life - that should ultimately enrich everything I do.
Then there's my business. Those of you who know me well enough will know it's taken me all year to get my head around the fact that if i dont put time into my work I literally cant afford to live. I answer to no-one which is great, but that also means that there's no-one to pick up the slack when I dont want to spend the day making calls or writing the same risk assessments over and over and convincing another narrowminded P.E teacher that Parkour is safe and beneficial.
I have a hold on all that now, and this year i want to make a conscious effort to separate this from the rest of my life, and not let it consume it. I think the fact that i havent been able to escape my Parkour Coaching has been massively detrimental for my social life, my stress levels and even contributed massively to the end of a relationship that meant the world to me.
I don't regret any of it, this relentless dedication has got me to the stage where im booked up months in advance now, and have about 7 or 8 classes a week for the next 3 months. But now i need to enjoy that in itself and learn to separate it from the rest of my life so that i can enjoy some me-time and also enjoy spending time with others.
Then there's the flat, having a home. It's a pleasure to have my own space after 8 months of living on floors and sofas. For everyone that has accomodated me this year - particularly McNutt and Maz - I am eternally grateful. You guys have looked after me so well this year and I appreciate it so so much.
But now, i can have my own space to invite my own friends round for some chilled nights in and just enjoy my space(and myspace) and my time.
I'm hoping that these simple things can be the basis of my year. I don't want to predict too much. If I plan things out i wont get to enjoy all the surprises and obstacles that life will throw at me.
Bring it on.
the blur of 2008.
For some reason I started off so well with this blog, with some big articles and thoughts, and then i've somehow arrived 15 months later with no new posts.
2008 till now has been the craziest time. I'm going to try and sum it up quickly so that I can get on with posting new stuff, not catching up on old stuff.
So 08 started with me launching Glasgow Parkour Coaching. Very very long and arduous times.
Long story short, my organisation is now established, ive been teaching 7 classes a week sometimes and i can now make a living from teaching parkour.
I could never have done this without the help of my fellow coaches - BJ,Zeno,Mick and all the other guys and gals who have shown their support over the last year. All the adults who slaved the adult class in the worst of weather and forked out their £8 so i could eat. cheers guys.
It's been so, so hard but now that it's starting to work its been totally worth it.
Lots of new people are getting to learn Parkour from good people, and from a personal point of view it feels good to become a 'self-made' man.
I get to do my thing, in my way and work doing what i love. It's extremely stressful but so exciting and worth every minute.
I've also done some pretty cool travelling over the last year or so, numerous trips to london and evry and lisses which has been life changing to say the least. I've met some amazing people who have influenced my training in so many positive ways.
The Parkour Generations guys have been integral to my training and coaching in the last year - it's great to have support from guys with such solid and diverse experience and it's help me to find my own path in my own training and for GPC.
I look ahead to this year not riding on the fact that it's starting to work, but striving to take it to the next level - more coaching, more training, more people, more learning - more Parkour for everyone!
This blog WILL be updated regularly now.
thanks for taking the time to read :)
2008 till now has been the craziest time. I'm going to try and sum it up quickly so that I can get on with posting new stuff, not catching up on old stuff.
So 08 started with me launching Glasgow Parkour Coaching. Very very long and arduous times.
Long story short, my organisation is now established, ive been teaching 7 classes a week sometimes and i can now make a living from teaching parkour.
I could never have done this without the help of my fellow coaches - BJ,Zeno,Mick and all the other guys and gals who have shown their support over the last year. All the adults who slaved the adult class in the worst of weather and forked out their £8 so i could eat. cheers guys.
It's been so, so hard but now that it's starting to work its been totally worth it.
Lots of new people are getting to learn Parkour from good people, and from a personal point of view it feels good to become a 'self-made' man.
I get to do my thing, in my way and work doing what i love. It's extremely stressful but so exciting and worth every minute.
I've also done some pretty cool travelling over the last year or so, numerous trips to london and evry and lisses which has been life changing to say the least. I've met some amazing people who have influenced my training in so many positive ways.
The Parkour Generations guys have been integral to my training and coaching in the last year - it's great to have support from guys with such solid and diverse experience and it's help me to find my own path in my own training and for GPC.
I look ahead to this year not riding on the fact that it's starting to work, but striving to take it to the next level - more coaching, more training, more people, more learning - more Parkour for everyone!
This blog WILL be updated regularly now.
thanks for taking the time to read :)
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