parkour
as an active kid once, the things that compose le parkour did not have a name. all those jumps and climb and tricks we used to do on the playgrounds were just play and we paid them no mind.
when you see a four-year old kid jump around and climb obstacles in his trousers you dont think much of it. spot a grown man in whatever fashion he happened himself on that day you'd think him a burglar or some crazy immature fool.
as adults things change. we categorise. we tear down and we build up, only to tear down again. we cycle through judgements, explanations and rationalisations to figure out our world. it is an adult thing. we must, after all, grow. we cannot stop that.
le parkour is that rationalisation. it seeks to, more or less, define and refine the movements of play. in the end it is of much use. for, unlike children, adults may perceive value in things that are apart from the thing itself. play may be valued to reduce stress scooped up at work, biking as an entertaining way
to explore the countryside while getting exercise. a child will just bike, reaping its advantages without being concerned of the fact.
....................................
that being said, i needed "le parkour" to get back to playing, just as i needed "jeet kune do" to cultivate that warrior spirit i felt was always there since i was a kid. these are just names. but as an adult, i need more help in transitioning from what Bruce Lee termed as "organised despair". notice in many
principles of eastern martial arts, most notably expressed in the writings of Miyamoto Musashi ("The Book of Five Rings") and Bruce Lee ("The Tao of Jeet Kune Do") that at the end part of the path (if there is indeed an end) the mind is to be freed of all conscious-ness regarding the thing being practised. "No-mind" as Miyamoto wrote.
ultimately, "le parkour" is the sign signifying the thing you are entering. it is not to be mistaken for the thing itself.
....................................
i started parkour about a year and a half ago but never pursued it physically as i did mentally. i'd like to put the sole blame on the Philippine situation where almost every piece of ground in Makati City is private property and thus subject to the regulatory whims of the rich and paranoid. but i suppose i could blame myself and my laziness and my procastination.
i'd like to philosophise what i've learned while practicing parkour, but i feel this goes totally with the actual philosophy of my parkour: to do it rather than to talk about it. the more i talk about the philosophy of parkour, or what it's supposed to mean to me, the less my body engages. i'm tired of talking.
....................................
today i put in 15 passe muraille from a hanging position. 10 "ass"-passement (my term) on my weak side. a group of kids got curious when i was doing 1.2 meter drops and were imitating me afterwards. friendly kids. showed them how to ass-pass-drop-land and passe muraille. maybe i'll get to see them again at the mini park, where i usually train.
when you see a four-year old kid jump around and climb obstacles in his trousers you dont think much of it. spot a grown man in whatever fashion he happened himself on that day you'd think him a burglar or some crazy immature fool.
as adults things change. we categorise. we tear down and we build up, only to tear down again. we cycle through judgements, explanations and rationalisations to figure out our world. it is an adult thing. we must, after all, grow. we cannot stop that.
le parkour is that rationalisation. it seeks to, more or less, define and refine the movements of play. in the end it is of much use. for, unlike children, adults may perceive value in things that are apart from the thing itself. play may be valued to reduce stress scooped up at work, biking as an entertaining way
to explore the countryside while getting exercise. a child will just bike, reaping its advantages without being concerned of the fact.
....................................
that being said, i needed "le parkour" to get back to playing, just as i needed "jeet kune do" to cultivate that warrior spirit i felt was always there since i was a kid. these are just names. but as an adult, i need more help in transitioning from what Bruce Lee termed as "organised despair". notice in many
principles of eastern martial arts, most notably expressed in the writings of Miyamoto Musashi ("The Book of Five Rings") and Bruce Lee ("The Tao of Jeet Kune Do") that at the end part of the path (if there is indeed an end) the mind is to be freed of all conscious-ness regarding the thing being practised. "No-mind" as Miyamoto wrote.
ultimately, "le parkour" is the sign signifying the thing you are entering. it is not to be mistaken for the thing itself.
....................................
i started parkour about a year and a half ago but never pursued it physically as i did mentally. i'd like to put the sole blame on the Philippine situation where almost every piece of ground in Makati City is private property and thus subject to the regulatory whims of the rich and paranoid. but i suppose i could blame myself and my laziness and my procastination.
i'd like to philosophise what i've learned while practicing parkour, but i feel this goes totally with the actual philosophy of my parkour: to do it rather than to talk about it. the more i talk about the philosophy of parkour, or what it's supposed to mean to me, the less my body engages. i'm tired of talking.
....................................
today i put in 15 passe muraille from a hanging position. 10 "ass"-passement (my term) on my weak side. a group of kids got curious when i was doing 1.2 meter drops and were imitating me afterwards. friendly kids. showed them how to ass-pass-drop-land and passe muraille. maybe i'll get to see them again at the mini park, where i usually train.
posted by lernie at 7:36 PM
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