Parkour is an intense activity. It demands intense muscular and physical strength. That said, does it mean parkour is only for the physically fit people? No, it’s for everyone. Obese individuals can also be a part of it. The thing is that they have to do a bit more hard work as compared to the people in shape. Being obese does make a difference but doesn’t make it impossible.
Parkour Exercises For Over-Weighted People
Don’t demote yourself with overthinking that parkour is not for you. Everyone has to start from somewhere and improve continuously. All it requires you to be determined for performing parkour and the sport itself will take care of your obesity. Here, I laid down some carefully picked exercises that an obese person should start with. They are all designed to render you slowly but steadily from an unfit to a well-contoured body. Check yourself:
1. Jogging: Jogging is the most efficient to start with. Jogging involves the participation of the whole body rather some specific parts. Means it helps the body as a whole to improve. It helps the person in reducing weight, increasing cardiovascular endurance, and increasing bone density. Besides, jogging forms a base for the individuals to gradually shift to high impact exercises like sprinting, jumping and so on. When you decide to go running or do any sort of movement like that, make sure you have athletic shoes!
2. Passive Bar Hang : Passive bar hanging helps to increase the shoulder mobility and strengthens the grip. This enhanced grip capacity makes it easier to hold better for advanced climbing and brachiating movements. It also decompresses the spine making it more flexible. Start hanging with the bars for 15 seconds of holding on the first day. Increase the holding time to have some progressive results.
3. Quadrupedal Movement: The exercise involves reciprocating forward and backward movements. In this exercise, take the push-up position and start moving forward using the left hand and right leg simultaneously and vice versa. The Same procedure is to be followed while moving backward. This exercise helps to maintain the coordination between the body parts and is beneficial for Parkour runners to run from and to the small spaces. It contributes to enhancing the skills of weight transferring while performing precise movements.
4. Full Squat: Full squat exercise is best to strength the lower body parts like ankles, hips, back and also enhances mobility. The important thing to notice while performing this exercise is the proper posture to hold for. The better you hold the position, the lesser will be the chances to get injuries. As a start, try to hold the full squat position for 1 minute. Then move up to 5 minutes or so.
5. Wall Support: Wall support is considered to be the best exercise for obese people to build the upper body and core strength that is vital for vaulting and climbing. While performing the exercise, make sure to maintain a tight core and a minimum hold for 30 seconds to get good results.
Conclusion
No doubt, performing these basic exercises in the proper way and routine will establish a basic level of fitness that will help you to move towards more intensive tasks. Besides, we all have heard of an idiom “Nothing Is Impossible” or “Impossible” means “I’m Possible.” So, if you believe that Parkour is not a cup of tea for you just because you are over-weighted, then you are lying to yourself.
The obese people just need a high level of determination and willingness to come out of their comfort zone. Push harder than yesterday if you want a better tomorrow. So be a part of the Parkour family and keep yourself pushing further. Hope that motivates you.