Upperbody Conditioning for Parkour

PLEASE READ THIS:
This clip is to teach and to give you beneficial ideas on body weight conditioning excersises, and for those Traceurs who practice Parkour should try them out.
Conditioning is an important part of Parkour, and helps to strengthen the body mentally and physically.
This can be easily done outside come day or night, hot or cold, rain or shine.
For more thoughts and training information, please check out my blog: traceurzeno.blogspot.com/
Discipline yourself and be strong!
Zeno

[@TraceurZeno]

I have been doing this for a good few years now. The good thing about this, is can train anywhere, just be creative and improvise on trees, walls, rails, stairs etc I just enjoy training outside in the sun, rain, snow, hail, day or night.

[@parkourdude100]

this is exactly the kind of conditioning we use at gymnastics! these certainly helped me very much with my fitness and body tone. I need an excercise wheel and my chinups need work, but definitely the hardest thing is the muscle up. creds to you for managing it!

[@macgilliecaer]

"what does this work on?" This works chest, shoulders, tricepts, bicepts lats, traps, all secondary and minor stabiliser muscle groups associated with the afore mentioned major groups. The work on the rock wall is the major forearm/grip work out. The clean-jerk-press is for overall power and strength. If your not comfortable doing this outside then any gymnastic club will do 90% of these exersises as standard conditioning. Key component not listed flexibility training!! good work guys!!

[@Molnarranlom]

The best instructional video I've seen so far. Awesome job man, you've inspired me to start training again. Keep up the awesome work, you're amazing!

[@thebailking]

Excellent video. Those upperbody workouts are top notch and I'll include them into my workout routine. Im truly grateful.

[@TraceurZeno]

I am aiming for 30 pull ups in a row, without sacrificing form or kipping my legs. Right now I can hammer out 25 pullups in a row. Keep up the training man and be functionally Strong!

[@TraceurZeno]

Thank you for taking the time to explain this. It is appreciated! Zeno

[@TraceurZeno]

They will get easier the more you do them. Glad to hear you are gonna keep going.

[@SometimesItBeRaining]

Thank alot man. I just started parkour last week im trying to condition myself for it this video helped alot thanks so much again.

[@TraceurZeno]

You are correct and it has been pointed out a couple of times about my back arching during lifting the slab.

[@TraceurZeno]

I started in summer 2006 and right through out the winter in the rain, fog and icy conditions. It toughens you up mentally as well as physically.

[@m107a1]

Really like this video, as soon as i recover form my pulled muscle in my back i'll try some of these exercises.

[@TraceurZeno]

To be fit and strong takes longer than a week my friend, but will come in time through hard work and a passion for what you love doing. Zeno

[@Sensenwerk]

Thanks a lot. Your video is so much of a motivation to me, it really raises my efforts in training.

[@DisturbedKid47]

thanks man. your videos are gonna help A LOT! me and some of my frnds around town have started gettin into parkour and ive been tryin to get in better shape for it

[@Trackstar987]

these are great!!! i can't really free run, but i'm working on it, especially upper body strength. these look really helpful!!!thx

[@redkola666]

I have to say this video is one of the best on youtube it goes over a wide range of exercises that are free and you can do anywhere really This is going to help me a lot (Y) I really want to do parkour, but i dont have enough strength yet Plenty training will help haha

[@tallthor]

dude thank you so much this is really helpful im nearly 17 and can do a few impressive stunts but i really need to be stronger to do everything thanks a bunch keep up the good work

[@TraceurZeno]

yes I pay a lot of attention to my diet... I am going to write up on my blog about my diet when I get back from France. Cheers Zeno

[@SaiGhillieSniper]

dude thats amazing. that takes real strength.

[@DamienTepps]

thanks so much. all your videos continue to give me inspiration. i'll give it my best.

[@TraceurZeno]

Glad you find this helpful, good luck in your training man!

[@TraceurZeno]

You are correct in highlighting this my friend. The reason my back is arched was due to me lifting my head back stopping the slab from smacking my face. Thanks for pointing that out though.

[@GuilhermeCosta88]

Great to see you again my friend! Very happy that you're back! Keep it up!

[@MiguelMendesguitar]

Também andavas a seguir este bacano ahah lembrei-me do nome dele e vim reavivar a memoria de quando via estes videos tambem

[@evilvespa]

this is hella inspirational. i'm heading to your blog now.

[@destiny6666]

impressive beyond words, thank you for sharing!

[@TraceurZeno]

By trying out some of these ideas. Do not expect instant strength, but it will come through practice and dedication. Train well. Zeno

[@TraceurZeno]

That is excellent news my friend!! Thanks for letting me know. Cheers Zeno

[@TraceurZeno]

The tricept is probably one of the most used upper body muscles in Parkour. Great to hear you are now doing muscle ups and better climb ups mate!

[@BLbenz]

WOW! thanks man. i gonna follow ur way of training. Love this video! Totally Motivate Me man!

[@xSokomi]

This is an amazing video, great upload and an inspiration on my training. Also a great way to know for me to know how to increase my workout. Thanks.

[@TraceurZeno]

Yes I do a lot of hand balance, and you are correct, it is a fun way to build strength.

[@JJvideoman]

Cheers mate. this will help my parkour and martial arts enourmously! have a good one.

[@IronMan3881]

Wow. Really good drills, gave me a lot of new things to try. Thank you

[@MccRus]

awesome video man, your conditioning is of a high level man. awesome!

[@TraceurZeno]

I personally conditioning twice a week Tuesday (lower body) and a Thursday (upper body), and I do a 2-3 hour sessions. It is important when starting off in Parkour to do your conditioning, to get your strength up. Then when you are strong enough just keep a good balance between your drilling your moves and conditioning. Do not expect results right away, it takes time and discipline.

[@TraceurZeno]

It is really down to you and your ability... Sometimes I do 10 reps x 5 sets or 10 sets. Sometimes i will just hammer out a high rep like 50. Othertimes I just do reps to failure. and do 3 sets of failure. Listen to your body but push it out of its comfort zone. Keep your routine varied. There is info in my blog, which you will find on my mainpage. Zeno

[@TraceurZeno]

Our bodies adapt and get stronger at different rates, so just keep practicing man, and you will see and feel the difference sooner than you think. Zeno

[@TraceurZeno]

I like to keep my reps varied as well as the exercises varied too. On average I do between 6-10 slow reps x 10 sets or 15-20 fast reps. However sometimes I do not count and just do 5 sets to failure. Then sometimes i will just push out a straight 60-70 reps on something like push ups. Othertimes I will set a high number like 400-500, and take as long needed to finish it. If you keep it varied you can tailor your workout to explosive strength, power or endurance.

[@slikric83]

Awesome strength moves!

[@Emil113]

Wery good thinking :) So true, at least if you workout hard like this guy. Jumps, balance and presition is for everyday practise (sry about all misspelling)

[@TraceurZeno]

Yes a good 10-15 jog to get the heart rate and body temperature up, followed my warming up my joints doing isolated rotations for that given joint. I would leave stretches for the cool down to reduce lactic acid, Doms and reduce my body temperature too, plus the stretching will aid my flexiblity.

[@steveeeeboi]

nice vid, wish i seen this a few years back when I was finding excercises.

[@closecombat3]

Hats off to you. you look great, . Keep up the good work, from Ireland.

[@Groove1993]

yes thanks for help zeno, nice video

[@giovadith]

thanks for this, brother. respect.

[@TraceurZeno]

What keeps me going is there is always room for improvement, with Parkour and fitness.

[@TraceurZeno]

Both Lower and upper body strength are important my friend. Lower for jumps, impacts & climbing. Upper for climbing, pulling, pushing, grabing whilst dealing with the body weight. This type of conditioning is also important for saving yourself should you bail, fall or manage to just grab onto something and handle your body weight. Being strong for Parkour is useful for Parkour and helps you to be more resilient against injuries.

[@Wrisk]

unfortunately I can't train at the moment due to "Osgood Schlatters Disease" and i can't do anything like squatting (basically it hurts if my knee is bent and there is weight on it) so it's painful to use stairs & i was recommended this video, i was doing most of the stuff already but it still helped, thanks -Risky

[@DrewPanda]

wow, looks like it can really do you good for PK. Dude u do so many reps, its amazing

[@TraceurMikado]

zeno ! :D Rate:399 ratings You have already rated.Views: 103,991 your going to up and up all time :)!!! Good work!

[@TraceurZeno]

Yes that is true, so have fun. There are plenty of other strengthening exercises that don't involve lifting weights.

[@botonromos]

something, in colombia the pull ps infront of the bar are called "Cristos"which traduces Christs, and also there is annother kind of dips, called the "robocops" in which you put your forearm in the paralells (the parallel bars are called paralells, if wrong I'm not) so you have to take them off the parallels by simultaniously lifting your elbows then you do a dip, and when you go down when your elbows are pointing up again, push your forearm to rely at the parallel bars, so they would be on top.

[@terrencephil]

Very, very impressing video. I think, it'll help me a lot to improve my Parkour-skills. Keep the good work up!

[@BriBalance]

Awesome video and great exercises!

[@hsc87]

good stuff man. some of the stuff i can really improve on and didnt even know about. tnx.

[@TraceurZeno]

Good to hear that Jerris!

[@TraceurZeno]

To be honest your body is still young and developing bro, so be careful not to do anything too heavy or intense. It will develop stronger over time, months and years. So just enjoy your training and you will become strong. Yes rest is essential for your muscles and overall body to repair, recover and grow stronger. If you train too much with little or no rest you will either injure yourself or see no improvement at a given stage in your training. Be patient and enjoy your training. Zeno

[@frivolas]

hey zeno! great drills there, gonna add some of them to my workouts! thanx for the ideas! I'd advice you to try to spread your legs a little more and straghtening your back when lifting those rocks, so they rise in a straight line really close to your body line so you won't hurt your lower back! :D keep strong! friX!

[@TraceurZeno]

@MetttyCizzle I dabbled with gymnastics for a few months to improve my form and co-ordination, but I am a Traceur.

[@TraceurZeno]

@DotsIdeas you are very welcome! All the best in your training for 2012.

[@TraceurZeno]

By conditioning the body, it will help towards increasing your strength in Parkour and Free Running. However you really need to do lots of technique repetition on your Parkour/Free Running movements too. It is good to be mentally and physically strong, and for me... Conditioning and drilling techniques helps me to improve, even though I still have a long way to go, i feel I am progressing a good steady pace for my body and mind. Good luck in your training my friend!

[@WillJCarman]

Excellent! Some really useful exercises, thanks Zeno! =]

[@DotsIdeas]

thanks for aLL the new moves - this should improve me !!

[@TraceurZeno]

Aim for 3 deep dips the next time man, and in time... Up it to 5 then 10. It just takes practice and a build up of strength which will come the more you train but with proper rest too. Good luck Bro and train well! Zeno

[@TraceurZeno]

Keep changing your routine, keep it varied, be creative and even incorporate conditioning into your parkour circuits. If you do the same exercise all the time, you may become bored, not improve as fast or just plateau in your strength.

[@TraceurZeno]

I would say Climb-ups work mainly the Tri-cepts, forearm, pecs shoulders and lats. Pullups, chinups, press ups & muscle ups would work those muscle groups, and benefit your climb-ups. Zeno

[@Megacorpses]

Very nice video. Haha I wish we had trees like that around here!

[@mommyuser9076]

i hasd the same trouble getting down off ropes. but i figured out that I needed to work my triceps more because going up=biceps. getting down=tricep muscles

[@TraceurZeno]

Like anyone starting off, I had to build up to this and beyond. Each person is different so giving you reps and set targets is really down to you. Sometimes I do 10 reps x 5 sets or 10 sets. Sometimes i will just hammer out a high rep like 50. Othertimes I just do reps to failure. and do 3 sets of failure. Listen to your body but push it a little. Keep your routine varied.

[@TraceurZeno]

It is very important to give your body time to rest and repair after an intensive workout, like a days rest. Otherwise you will burnout and feel weak. That is why I do a split routine (upper and lower body).

[@TraceurZeno]

Between 1 to 2 hours is ideal with little or no breaks. Of course you can stop for breath but try and keep up the intensity, and finish what you set out to do.

[@TraceurZeno]

Each individual is different so how many and how often depends on that individual. When I started out. I done upperbody on Tuesday and Lowerbody on Thursday with a days rest in between. With exercises of 3 sets of 11 reps. Or it may have been just a big round number +1 like 51, 101, 151, 201... and just spend the session completing that final target. The idea is you try and beat your own best and through progressional overload over time along with lots of changing exercises.

[@pranavdeshpande1898]

thanks for the advice.

[@AnorexicBoar]

Awesome video, just like the rest, you really are getting huge. Keep it up, i'll be sure to give you a link to my next pk video, good luck with your parkour.

[@NegaT4]

man, you really great! RESPECT from RUSSIA

[@TraceurZeno]

lots of pull ups, chin ups and wall climb ups will help you. It may take time, but it will come. Also try doing negative/inverted muscle ups. Where you start from the muscle up position and lower yourself down, so you get use to holding your weight and the movement involved.

[@ItzFuzions]

Rep it over and over again, if you find getting up difficult, use your elbow and wrist flat on top to assist, first both, then one and progress. Reverse muscle ups, start at top and then lower yourself down slowly and controlled. Practise on waist height bars, steadily lower yourself to chest, then down to sitting position, make sure to hold and control your descent. Lots of dead hang pull ups and dead hangs, grab a bar or go into a cat grab on the wall and just hang, builds up the arms

[@HPLAMARO]

thx dude u inspired me xD i ll continue training

[@CleverDjembe]

One who cares about their body will seek information as they need. I don't remember a source right now that could give you the necessary info, but by reading several conditioning and training books you can come to your own conclusions, as I did. Remember, some people can go for years putting the shoulder into an impinging position before discovering pain that can in the worst case end your hobby/career, in the best case not affect you at all. People react dirrefently.

[@TraceurZeno]

Good! Keep up the training!

[@TraceurZeno]

Hey Jamie, Try and start off with your knees and shins on the floor, and practice until you have the technique and balance. ANext you could do it the way i was but don't go out as far, and the more you improve the further you can do it, until you are almost parallel with the floor when you go out from your feet.

[@LHudders]

Very nice video. I'm going to be trying all of these out / build up to doing them. Your muscle ups have very good form :|:D And for the rope bit. I tried rope climbing recently. Found it easier than I thought to get up but very difficult getting down. But the size of the rope you climbed was immense :| Probably quadruple the size I tried. Brilliant video man :D

[@blystyryng]

each different kind of pressup (handpositioning, like wide, center, straight, above) has it's own safe range of motion. some kinds are easy only in the top half but start to hurt close to the floor, and vice versa. only go to the -edge- of where it feels comfortable with that type, and then move your hands for the next range. the shoulder joint is a ball joint so it rotates, while the elbow just bends in a line. when you go down, the shoulder starts to rotate the elbow to one side, which -bends-

[@chester1080]

Awesome Stuff. You have heart. Keep it up !

[@TraceurZeno]

I would rather just share ideas, as we all have different strengths, and so putting a number on the sets and reps should be down to the individual. However i do appreciate you input! Cheers Zeno

[@tomlazymusic]

not to mention the fronts of bus shelters lol (my personal favorate while waiting for the bus to school...)im 14 btw, i normally do reps of 20 pull-ups every 5 mins so if the bus is late i get stronger faster lol =] nice tutorial mate. good stuff. im liking the dips aswell =]

[@ihittu]

parkour is a lifestyle, and a great form of exercise. we strive to become better for the love of the sport and personal benefits.

[@ashleyjamesdoran]

cool, I have no idea what L sits are so ill be looking for vids on that. I used to be in the army a few years back, I used to do 100 situps, 70 pushups in under 2 minutes and run 2.4km in less then 9 minutes, but I found that doing this wasnt enough, which is why now im looking at doing somthing like parkour, somthing that will build lean muscle and help my core body strength to grow.

[@LelandSelene]

hey thanks for this, I got some good ideas from it. i live in the country though, so I won't be able to find some of the bars and stuff to use...But i'll make do..

[@hellgates142]

ahh man i love the fact that i can now climb ropes using just my arms ;) only trouble is burning then on the way down ;) cheers dude ;)

[@TraceurZeno]

You can do pull ups on scaffolding, tree branches, hanging off the edge of walls that are bigger than you, top of door frames.

[@Yakushii]

I agree to some extent, but abs are very useful when maintaining balance, or recovering from a near fall during a handstand. L-sits would definitely help you do the Flag, arguably one of the heaviest static moves in PK.

[@stf092]

very good video...it really helps u improving your strength:D thx 4 posting this video...best regards man:D

[@TraceurZeno]

Cheers man! There are good guys at Coatbridge too, near you. Zeno

[@IcyfireGaming]

question: the varied kinds of pushups in the beginning...can i just do that like everyday for conditioning?

[@v3rticalA3c3nt]

What combo os grip direction/ width would work my lats? Arent the lats the primary muscles used for clim ups, and if not which one are and the appropriate exercise for them? Thx

[@v3rticalA3c3nt]

What combo of grip direction/ width would work my lats? Arent the lats the primary muscles for climb ups, if they arent which ones are and what are appropriate exercises for them? thx

[@v3rticalA3c3nt]

wat combo of grip width and direction would give my lats the best work out? This is to help my climb ups, if the lats arent the right muscles to be working which ones should i be focusing on? Thx in advance

[@TraceurZeno]

yes you can do this every day, but if you are doing an intense 1-3 hr session, I would advise to take at least a days rest or even two. This will allow your muscles to repair and recover, which will help in the growth of the muscle tissue. Zeno