Parkour is a non-competitive discipline based on utility, progression, and durability in all aspects physical, mental, and emotional.

Physically, Parkour is a natural method of training the human body to efficiently go from point A to point B making use of the environment that's around at any given time. It requires neither specific structure nor accessory for its practice. The body is the only tool. It's an athletic discipline accessible to all, because it combines all the natural skills of the human body: running, jumping, climbing, etc. Parkour is about being able to face the obstacles with which you are presented, whether they be in the natural environment or in the urban environment, in a search for movement that combines effectiveness and control. Disciplined intelligent training is necessary as the aim is to sustain throughout life.

Parkour is NOT a competition. It is NOT about being flashy, extreme, or rebellious. It is NOT about doing tricks or flips.

Parkour presents a mindset of doing what is useful to become useful and to progress and sustain in all aspects. With this mindset and disciplined training, Parkour helps people in their life's journey, allowing them to overcome all obstacles that enter their path and help others to do the same.

The best way to get started in Parkour is get out there and try some stuff. Start small with just finding different areas with rails, walls, trees, anything that can be used as an obstacle and figure a way to get over or around it. Get used to this type of movement and how your body moves. Feel how it is to jump over, climb up, grab, and/or crawl on these obstacles. Keep in mind, there is no one set of techniques that encompasses how you have to move and no one way to do something as no obstacle is the same and no person is the same. Do not start with anything big and dangerous. You can easily get injured and also cause long term damage to your body.

At first, it may be difficult to see opportunities to train in your environment. Don't hold back...get out there. The more you just get out and train, the more your "parkour-vision" will increase and you'll begin to see lots of opportunities arise everywhere you look. It's not uncommon for people to suddenly realize that the walkways, paths, and other spots they usually glance over everyday have great potential for training.

* The WEEKLY Thursday classes will be geared toward people NEW to Parkour and those interested in drilling techniques. There is no size, skill, or experience level requirement. We will be going over some of the more commonly used Parkour techniques (i.e. rolls, vaults, climbs, and more) as well as certain strengthening exercises that will help in overall progression. We will also go over some of the philosophy involved and how Parkour applies at a broader level. Each week will have a different focus in terms of which drills and exercises we cover.

* These classes are on Thursdays from 8pm-9:30pm.

* Each WEEKLY Thursday class has a separate registration that opens 2 days prior (Tuesday). In order to register for the WEEKLY class, you can email me (Cliff Kravit) at pkcali@gmail.com or you can leave a message at 310-439-8370. You will receive a confirmation if you are registered for the class or not.

* The class list will be filled on a "first come first serve" basis on the emails and voicemails. If you miss this one, don't worry. The next day (Friday) is the MONTHLY class for September which does not require registration and everyone can come. Keep reading for more info on that.

* If you register for a class but cannot show, please let us know so someone else can take the class.

* These classes are ongoing.

* The MONTHLY sessions do NOT require prior registration and you can just show up. There will be a wide variety of the basics covered in the MONTHLY Parkour basics gym sessions as they run a bit longer than the WEEKLY class.

* The MONTHLY sessions will see two different types, basics and advanced. The basics sessions will be similar in format to the weekly Thursday classes except they will cover more per session. The advanced sessions are NOT for those new to Parkour or those who require more experience in basics. It is expected that those participating in the advanced sessions are comfortable training outdoors and do so regularly.

All classes (weekly and monthly) are $15

July 2008 Weekly Schedule:
Jul 03: Balance and Rolls -- (registration open Jul. 01)
Jul 10: Vaults (various) -- (registration open Jul. 08)
Jul 17: Climbs and Grabs -- (registration open Jul. 15)
Jul 24: Precisions and Jumping -- (registration open Jul. 22)
Jul 31: Vaults (various) -- (registration open Jul. 29)

* July Monthly Basics - TBA

For more information about Parkour go to - http://www.pkcali.com