Why should we integrate Parkour in school curriculums?

Parkour promotes a healthy lifestyle, excellent physical shape, a combination of speed and strength.
Many people mistakenly refer to Parkour as a sport, because officially, this discipline does not exist. They
started to hold “competitions” among tracers (a Traceur is a person engaged in Parkour) not so long ago.
And it’s a pure pleasure to watch them!

Parkour is becoming more popular among teenagers who try to learn from videos on YouTube. According to Essay Shark, the majority of parents fear that their children’s interest in Parkour may lead to some injuries. However, we believe that the integration of this discipline into a school program is an excellent idea.
What is Parkour? In French, it stands for an “obstacle course”.
First of all, Parkour is a philosophy,
and its central idea is that there are no borders, only obstacles, and any obstacle can be overcome. When
we say obstacles, we mean both physical (fences, parapets, railings, etc.) and mental (fear, depression,
frustration) obstacles.
Some Traceurs work in the rescue service, and their skills help in the profession, for example, to quickly get to the scene of the accident in the mountains, in the forest, buildings.
Why is Parkour useful, and what are the risks?
What are the benefits and dangers of Parkour for children? Let’s start with a wide range of positive
aspects.

● Training helps to get rid of the fear of heights. After a month of training, your child will not have
an unreasonable fear, which often prevents us from feeling free not only in life but also in various sports disciplines.

● Parkour for children is an excellent experience in forming the ability to own their body in severe
environmental conditions, and most importantly, to fall in the right way. This is what often saves from serious injuries.

● Training takes place in an exciting atmosphere, which means that the motivation to engage will
appear by itself. Students involved in Parkour classes are always in an excellent sports shape.

● Elements of parkour help to practice complex acrobatic skills. If sports acrobatics seems boring
for your child, you should definitely try Parkour.

● In addition to the development of physical abilities, Parkour develops the strength of spirit,
character, and courage.

This discipline is most dangerous when you learn it on your own. The disadvantages of Parkour
appear only when students use the wrong techniques. That’s why many people associate Parkour with
injuries. When your child trains with an experienced coach, he will get the necessary support, sports
equipment, and facilities.

Parkour for beginners consists of elements of gymnastics and acrobatics. Successful Traceurs are often
those who have good experience in these two sports.
Gymnastics and Parkour, in comparison with typical fitness, offer a completely new, fascinating, and effective method of sophisticated training, which includes strength and cardio load in combination with performing complex coordination exercises.
In order to prepare muscles for safe Parkour exercises, a workout must be complex, where you can
not only master complicated acrobatic elements but also work on stretching, strengthening muscles,
weight loss, maintaining excellent athletic shape.
The class consists of a warm-up, pumping all muscle groups, training various acrobatic elements, trampoline jumps, including in foam pit, engaging exercises on tools, and stretching.

Teenagers who often have too much stress, pressure, and problems with excepting themselves have
an excellent opportunity to relax during the classes. The complex coordination exercises have a positive
effect on the nervous system, helping to switch the mind off from the current problems and fully
concentrate on managing your body.
Moreover, Parkour is also a philosophy of freedom. It helps to develop a moral sense of success. It
is not a victory over any opponent, but a victory over yourself, which is extremely rewarding. Parkour
develops such qualities as determination, faith in your strength, confidence, willpower, patience, fortitude,
humility, positive mindset and teaches to bear the pain. Moreover, people who practice Parkour learn to
work with the weight of their own body, thus learning to control each muscle group. In order to exercise
it, you need to develop continually. To begin with, learn to fight your own fears, weaknesses, to know
yourself, and learn to live in harmony with body and spirit.
Teenagers need to study and develop in a friendly environment. The non-competitive Parkour is a
perfect option for those who suffer from much peer-pressure. We are not talking about replacing
traditional sports training with this discipline. However, the integration of some primary principles and
workout elements can definitely benefit the school curriculum and children’s development.