Parkour Basics

Introduction & Assessment

Parkour is about moving through your environment safely, efficiently, and with confidence. Before you jump anything, start by learning what parkour actually is. Watch "The History of Parkour" by Team Farang on YouTube and browse the free lessons at AmericanParkour.com. Then do a body assessment: can you do 10 push-ups, 10 squats, and hold a plank for 30 seconds? These basics matter because parkour puts real stress on your wrists, ankles, and knees. Salt Lake City's urban grid — parks like Jordan Park and the SLC library plaza — offers beginner-friendly low walls and benches to explore. Notice surfaces around you and ask: is this wet, cracked, or unstable? You're ready for the next step when you can identify five safe practice surfaces in your neighborhood and explain what makes each one appropriate for a beginner.

Foundation Building

Every parkour skill builds on three foundations: landing, balance, and falling safely. Practice these before you ever jump. Landing: drop from a curb height and land quietly with soft knees, feet shoulder-width apart, weight forward — no heel slap. Balance: walk slowly along a low curb without stepping off. Falling: practice the parkour roll (also called a safety roll) on grass. The free Parkour Generations YouTube channel has an excellent tutorial called "The Parkour Roll for Beginners." Do 20 safe landings, 10 minutes of balance work, and 10 slow rolls on soft ground every day this week. Build your wrist and ankle strength with daily exercises from the free "Strength for Parkour" PDF available at UrbanFreeflow.com. You're ready for the next step when you can land from a knee-height drop in total silence five times in a row.

Skill Development

Now you'll learn two beginner techniques: the precision jump and the vault. A precision jump means landing exactly where you aim — both feet, controlled, no wobble. Start by jumping from one flat chalk mark to another on the sidewalk, gradually increasing distance. A vault means using your hands to pass over an obstacle. Begin with the "lazy vault" over a low railing or bench. Watch "How to Vault for Beginners" by Storror on YouTube — they break it down into slow-motion steps. Salt Lake's Jordan Park has low wooden fences along the pathways that are perfect for lazy vault practice. Never vault anything higher than your waist until you're totally comfortable lower down. Log each session: what you practiced, how many reps, and what felt shaky. You're ready for the next step when you can land a precision jump accurately five times on a target the size of a brick.

Practice & Refinement

Refinement means linking moves together smoothly. Create a short "line" — a sequence of three or four moves you do in a row without stopping. For example: run, precision jump to a curb, balance walk four steps, lazy vault over a railing. Practice this same line ten times every session until it feels automatic. Focus on flow and control, not speed. Film yourself with your phone and compare your form to beginner tutorials. The free app Movement Creative has video breakdowns for self-coaching. Also practice your parkour roll on increasingly firm surfaces: grass, then packed dirt, then a gym mat. Find a partner who is also learning — having someone watch your landings helps catch bad habits early. You're ready for the next step when you can complete your three-move line smoothly and under control five times in a row.

Challenge Mode

Now explore a longer route through a real SLC environment. Choose a 200-meter path — try the area around the downtown SLC library or Fairmont Park — and design a route that includes at least five moves: two precision jumps, one vault, one balance section, and one safe drop. Walk it slowly first, then at a jog, then link it together. Focus on seeing the whole route before you move — traceurs call this "reading the terrain." Visit UtahParkour.com or search for the SLC Parkour Facebook group, where local practitioners post meet-up spots and give safety feedback. Video your full route attempt. You're ready for the next step when you can complete your full five-move outdoor route fluidly without stopping or resetting between moves.

Mastery Demonstration

Your final step is to teach what you know and document your growth. Lead a 60-minute beginner session for at least two other people. Teach safe landings, balance work, and one vault technique. Use the safety rules you've learned: never practice alone on high obstacles, always check surfaces, and always warm up. Put together a short "beginner's guide to parkour in SLC" — one page naming three safe practice spots, three beginner moves with descriptions, and three safety rules. Share it on your SLCTrips profile. Compare a video from your first week to one from now and note three specific improvements. You're ready for the next step when the people you trained can safely land and complete a lazy vault on their own without your hands-on help.