Parkour!

As with all off-seasons, I was on the hunt for something to keep me busy, engaged, and in-shape over the winter months. My requirements were indoors (I really dislike the cold), technical (something I can mentally dive into), physically taxing (to keep up some level of fitness).

I really thought it was going to be indoor bouldering, but then I gave that a serious go. After two weeks, I found myself feeing forced just to consider going — let alone actually getting in the car and heading over. Turns out bouldering is pretty slow. Not just the climbs but also the downtime in between as you find your next route and wait your turn.

As I was lamenting about my inability to find an adult option at any local gymnastics facilities, someone suggested I try Origins Parkour (an indoor parkour gym). I visited their website, booked a free 1-on-1 intro session, and had a blast. I’ve been going 2-3 times a week for the last 5 weeks and I’m still as excited as ever. The entire community (coaches and fellow members) is extremely friendly, welcoming, and encouraging. I’ve developed a good sense of the basics and feel like there’s still plenty of room to grow. And, unlike bouldering, parkour can be fast-paced (both speedy and flow-y).

I’ve also realized, like waterskiing, parkour really tests your body weight to strength ratio. It’s not the exact same muscle group as waterskiing but there’s definitely some overlap. I’m look forward to the spring so I can see just how long it takes me to get back into ski shape.

I can’t imagine squeezing parkour into my life during waterski season, and it certainly won’t replace waterskiing for me, but I do think I might miss it over the summer. I might actually become excited for the off-season in fall 2024 — how strange.