Q&A for How to Get Started in Parkour or Free Running

It won't damage your growth, all exercise is good for you. Just be careful what things you do, so as to avoid hurting yourself.

You can start at any age, as long as you are capable of performing the steps without hurting yourself.

Start next to a wall, on your hands and knees. Gently swing your legs up, leaning them against the wall. Practice this regularly. As you improve your strength and balance, you can push off from the wall and put your legs above your head. Keep practicing as you gradually move farther and farther from the wall.

Start by practicing normal rolls, then try rolling on your shoulder.

Take it slow and build up on your skills. Having a certified trainer is also highly recommended, but not necessary.

You will still be able to do it, but you will hit the ground harder; you may also find some of the moves harder to perform. On the upside, the more you parkour, the more you will start losing weight. Do try to eat healthy, however, such as lean meats, fruits, and vegetables.

Try to create your own practice place with what you do have, and go off of that.

If you have a pool, start doing flips into it. That way you will learn how to do quicker flips and improve your confidence. Keep practicing.

Look for a trainer who can understand and help you develop your weaker points. Look for a trainer who has years of experience in parkour, isn't arrogant and is willing to take the time to get your own moves perfected.

Try stretching frequently or doing yoga. Flexibility is just as important as muscular strength and endurance.

You don't, sadly. It is a fear that most, if not all, people have. You can, however, minimize your risk by utilizing a parkour gym or making sure you're doing your moves over soft surfaces.

You can use beds, boxes, or even chairs to do some vaults and things like that.

Learn how to do a proper hand stand, so you can get your balance down pat. You will want to start in a lunge position. Then, do a hand stand motion but turn to the side. After that, lean your body to the opposite side you started on, making your body face the opposite direction you were facing when you started.

Build up your strength and confidence. Believe in yourself, but also know your limits. Don't try anything you know you aren't capable of, but push yourself to work your way up to being able to do more.

Yes! You might just have to build a bit more muscle than others would, but your height may actually come in handy sometimes.

Exercise will make your body sore.

You do not have to be very tall at all. You will have to be quite strong, but regular exercise will help with that. It's tough starting out, but just take it slow and easy and you will get it eventually.

Try watching a starter parkour video and follow its advice. The best thing you can do is climb crevices, climb trees and do push ups and exercises to make yourself stronger.

Try a skate park or just a plain old normal park and use the concrete borders around plants and trees, or the playground. Get creative.

Tea is fairly harmless if you're drinking normal amounts of it (no more than 3-4 cups a day) and shouldn't harm your parkour performance, but water is better for hydration.

Any tennis shoes or closed toed shoes are good parkour shoes. Shoes that have a good grip are also great for parkour.

When you reach the ground after a big jump, do a safety roll right away to release the pressure on your legs.

A parkour roll is essential if you're jumping off high areas, but it is not needed in ALL parkour moves.

You bend your knees and roll onto your shoulders when you land. Never land with straight legs, as you can damage your legs and ankles.

I'm afraid not. Rolling is one of the basics of parkour. Start small by introducing some simple rolling techniques, and practice until you can work up to something harder.

It could be that you're going into your roll too sharply, so watch your angle beforehand.

It depends on your fitness level and general health. Good and safe parkour practice relies on you being able to maneuver your own bodyweight with ease, so being light and strong is the perfect combo! However, being very slim doesn't necessarily mean someone is fit, so make sure your fitness and bodyweight strength is up to par before attempting any difficult moves.

You may be holding too much tension in your neck. Try to let loose. If it is still painful after a few days you may want to have it checked out.

You should start jumping from smaller heights and gradually go to taller jumps.

Try to look for a crevice in the whatever you want to get over and use it to your advantage.