Editor's Note
Hey all! I'm very excited to wrap up this issue of The Freerunner, even though I'm rather late in getting it out the door! I spent the first part of this month in Texas, working with Mark, Jereme, Brandee, and Skipper on a pro-mo for ESPN and that really put things on hold for a bit. I came back with an inbox full of exciting things, and a major breakthrough that I want to share with you all about training.
What I discovered was that what I thought was me performing at 80%- 90% of my power was probably more like 60%- 70%. I would never have discovered this if it hadn't been for the specific circumstances that led me to needing to jump... hard. This is a major epiphany, because it came not only with the knowledge that I was capable of more, but the sense of how it felt to give more. This is all great for me, I hear you saying, but what does it have to do with you?
Well, I'd like to encourage all of you to try and find a safe place to test out your limits. Go, find a gymnastics foam pit, hit up the sand pit at your local playground, find a pool to jump into, and go for it. No, really go for it. Do a standing jump, one to warm up, and one as hard as you can. Do a jogging jump, now a running one, now a sprinting one. Stand back, and look at the distance you covered. How do you feel?
We're all capable of much more than we think, and the ultimate goal is to push this limit through a safe progression. I support that ideal firmly, and I also think it's very valuable to know what it feels like to give everything you've got. So go, find a safe place, and tell us what you find out!
Janine Cundy
Editor in Chief
Training for Life
We've all heard, probably said, "Parkour's not just physical, it's mental. It's a way of life." In this article, Henry examines what that lofty statement actually means to him. How traversing your environment transcends just the physical, and can actually be a useful skill in everyday life. Whether it's a social dilemma, or a job interview, Henry's determined to find a way to make those hours spent training work to his advantage.
Comic for March
Celerity Park!
Devin Martin, of San Antonio Crew, has just received approval from his City Council to start construction on the United States' first parkour park! He sent this article in as a way of sharing this journey with the APK community. It's all hands on deck in San Antonio right now, and that includes yours too! They're going to need all of our support to make this dream come true.
Rise: Chapter 12
In what proves to be one of the most gripping and emotional chapters that Gabriel has written yet, Rusty awakes to face the day of the Pro-Am PKFR competition. In all of the ways he expected to prepare for this day, what happens during this morning could never have been anticipated. Read along as our hero pushes to learn exactly what happened the day the world lost J.K.
The Giving Perspective
There is no feeling like the elation from giving to people in need and the realization that we are blessed with enough to give away. This Perspective is all about giving to those in need. I hope it pushes you to do the same."- Chris Kessler - If this article makes you feel like contributing to the crises in Haiti, the organization that Chris' parkour community donated to is here.
