What Equipment Do I Need for Parkour?

What Equipment Do I Need for Parkour?
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One of the best things about parkour as a sport is that you don't need much expensive equipment. Since the point is efficient movement through the environment, you want as little between you and your environment as possible. If you are just getting started, all you really need is a good pair of shoes that can hold up to hard landings. Some other types of gear can come in handy for the sake of protection and convenience, such as sports holsters and gloves.

Shoes

Easily the most important piece of equipment you'll want for practicing parkour is a good pair of sneakers. When looking for shoes, you want to find a model that provides enough padding to cushion hard falls and jumps. Grip also is extremely important, since you will be moving fast over varied obstacles. Lastly, your parkour shoes need to be durable since the sport can be pretty rough. Cheap shoes will fall apart very quickly, which can expose you to the risk of injury.

Some traceurs actually practice barefoot or in minimalist shoes, as this can provide better feedback when navigating the environment, but unless you have developed the strength in your feet to go barefoot, it is better to stick to good sneakers.

Clothing

In terms of clothing, you should wear something you are comfortable in. For most traceurs, loose shorts and a T-shirt work fine, but some people prefer more closely fitted clothes. Regardless of what you pick, your clothing should not restrict your movement and it should be light and breathable, since you will be working up a sweat and moving around a lot.

Things to Carry

It is always a good idea to carry some form of ID. If you do get into an accident while practicing parkour, you need people to be able to identify you if you need medical help. Keys and bulky phones can get in the way or get crushed if you are doing rolls or falls and you happen to land on them, so it is wise to have a small bag or backpack you can keep nearby where you can stash your wallet, phone, and keys. Some traceurs use a sports holster, which is just a sling that has pockets across your shoulders. These are designed to stay out of the way of any rolls, but they are small so you can't carry much beyond the essentials.

Protective Gear

You don't need a lot of protective gear in parkour because wearing it can encourage sloppy technique., but depending on the environment or your own needs and preferences, you might want to wear gloves. They should be fingerless to improve your grip. Keep in mind that they aren't very effective in wet conditions. Also, using gloves will prevent your hands from developing calluses, so your hands will take much longer to toughen up.

References

Article reviewed by Shawn Candela Last updated on: May 16, 2011

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