Techniques
Parkour runs usually incorporate a wide variety of movements which can be used to overcome a wide variety of obstacles in the path of the traceur. A number of these movements may be considered to be fairly standardised and are often adapted from traditional gymnastics movements. 'Free-running', the sport which is often mistaken for true parkour, generally incorporates a very much wider range of movements which are often considerablly more aesthetically focused than those used in parkour, which tend to be more geared towards maintaining a steady movement and graceful flow.
Cat Leap
a jump across a gap where the 'landing' on the opposite side is facilitated by grabbing the edge of the wall / building with the fingers and using a foot to soften the impact against the wall
Dive Roll
a jump ending in a roll where the hands, arm and shoulder make the first contact with the ground, as opposed to the feet
Dash Vault
a 'foot-first-kong': a running jump is made towards the obstacle; the leading leg is brought to horizontal in front of the traceur and the other leg very swiftly follows so that the legs extend, parallel to the ground, in front of the traceur as he passes over the obstacle; the hands are briefly touched onto the obstacle as the traceur passes over as an aid to height and speed
Gap Jump
a jump across a gap, but which would not usually end in a precision jump landing; may use a PK roll
Gate Vault
the two hands are placed on the obstacle facing in opposing directions; the hands may be both on top of the obstacle or one hand may be part way down the far side of the obstacle (eg. a wire mesh fence); the traceur then flips over the top of the obstacle
Kong Vault
as a monkey vault except that the jump is begun before the hands make contact with the obstacle to be vaulted
Monkey Plant
the hands are placed onto an obstacle, palms down, approximately shoulder width apart; the legs are tucked and brought to the chest between the arms; the feet are placed onto the obstacle
Monkey Vault
the hands are placed onto the obstacle to be jumped; the legs pass between the arms; the hands are released at the last moment
Pop Vault
a larger obstacle is approached; the leading foot is braced part way up the obstacle and is used for additional push to vault over the obstacle in any usual vault style
Precision
a feet-together jump involving landing on a small target area, for example a railing or wall
Reverse Vault
the traceur approaches the obstacle in the normal manner but (usually) places the hands on the obstacle with the arms crossed; the arms uncross during the vault, causing the traceur to pass over the obstacle rear first and to perform a 360 degree rotation from start to finish
Tic Tac
a run along, up or down a vertical or steeply sloped wall, often used to bypass an obstacle, for example, where a railing joins a wall or beside a flight of steps
Turn Vault
the traceur approaches the obstacle; the hands are placed on the obstacle in opposing postitions, the object is vaulted with with a 180 degree twist so that the traceur ends facing back at the obstacle; the traceur retains hand contact with the obstacle and dismounts by any method
Underbar
both hands are placed on the obstacle to be overcome (usually a bar); the traceur then swings and passes beneath the obstacle, feet first
Palm Spin
The traceur approaches to vault like a side vault but then carries on spinning back to the side he jumped from, can also be changed into a dash vault near the end
Bin Spin
Go at a bin like a lazy vault but split your legs and swing your first leg over the bin sit al little bit performing a 180 and push off with your hand and 180 around to carry on going
Wallspin
Just like doing a palm spin, but on a vertical wall, come up to the wall jump and place both hands on the wall spitted apart, whatever hand you are pushes you off to give you your spin and hold with your other hand to keep you stable
