Parkour Visions miniBlog

Jan 26 / 7:28am

Parkour Visions featured in Seattle Magazine article

Posted by email

Seattle Magazine just published a fantastic write-up about all the different physical activities to do here in Seattle indoors, including parkour!

And then there is parkour, an extreme sport developed in the suburbs of Paris a quarter-century ago and now practiced in urban areas the world over. According to Parkour Visions (parkourvisions.org), a nonprofit dedicated to spreading the parkour gospel across the Pacific Northwest, the sport involves overcoming obstacles as swiftly and efficiently as possible using only one’s body. Participants (“traceurs”) climb on and leap and flip between buildings, pillars, poles, walls and banisters—essentially whatever is in the way.

Beyond the thrill of artfully and energetically moving through and around obstacles, parkour can also be a serious fitness-training workout and confidence builder. Parkour Visions recently opened the region’s first indoor gym devoted entirely to parkour on Queen Anne (1210 W Nickerson St.; 206.923.8864) where the group leads regular weekly classes for beginners focusing on movements, proper landing techniques and safety.

Read the entire article: 15 Ways to Stay Fit (While Staying Inside) | Seattle Magazine

Interested? Come on in and check us out.

Jan 24 / 5:28pm

Parkour Homework 1/23

by Tyson Cecka

Due the crazy weather last week shutting us down for a couple days we're just going to repeat the same homework and curriculum again. Please see http://blog.parkourvisions.org/parkour-homework-116 and get crackin!

Jan 24 / 2:23pm

How movement and play keeps your brain healthy

Posted by email

In the middle of these winter doldrums, it can be hard to get out and train rather than curl up with a blanket and go hibernate until spring. But in fact exercise and play help keep your brain alive and active. How well? According to several studies, actively seeking out mental stimulation through exercise and play can actually prevent Alzheimer's:

People who engage in activities such as reading and playing games throughout their lives may be lowering levels of a protein in their brains that is linked to Alzheimer's disease, a new study suggests.

"Staying cognitively active over the lifetime may reduce the risk of Alzheimer's by preventing the accumulation of Alzheimer's-related pathology," said study author Susan Landau, a research scientist at the Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute at the University of California, Berkeley.

"Some of the literature has hypothesized this finding, but this is the first study to report that lifetime cognitive activity is directly linked to amyloid deposition in the brain," she said. "We think that cognitive activity is probably one of a variety of lifestyle practices -- occupational, recreational and social activities -- that may be important."

The report was published in the Jan. 23 online edition of the Archives of Neurology. (Source: USA Today)

Other studies have found that exercise also stimulates learning:

A new study published today, in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, studied the relationship between physical activity and academic performance. Researchers at the Vrije University Medical Center, EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, Amsterdam, the Netherlands found a strong correlation between physical activity and test scores. Dr. Amika Singh and colleagues suggest that physical activity may help improve test scores because of the increase in blood and oxygen flow to the child’s brain. Physical activity also improves a child’s mood and decreases stress because of the hormones released during activity.

(source: Education Week: Students' fitness linked to higher test scores)

So think of that the next time you need a brain boost after studying all day! So come into the gym out of the cold and wet and get moving!

Jan 19 / 12:13pm

PKV classes closed Thur 1/19 - open gym available

by Tyson Cecka

We'll be closing classes again today as we don't expect enough students to be able to make it in for them but will be open for training till around 7pm. Feel free to stop by and say hello to Rafe who scoffs at this measly '"ice storm" :)

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To check if we are open or not you can always check the registration system online for the official schedule. If it is not marked as canceled feel free to sign in and we'll call or email if we need to close the class for any reason (and sign you out).

For memberships and packages you can always makeup a class on another day by just signing up for it. If you can't makeup a class during the week on a membership you can come in extra on another week (makeups last for a month) or email us to comp you that class.

The snow makes it hard to drive but that doesn't mean you can't go play in it! Have fun :)

Jan 19 / 12:00pm

Summit Competition Video - Earthbender

by Eric Jusino

Earthbender demonstrates amazing tenacity in his competition runs this past summer:

He's a cat leap machine... looking way more confident with the cat to pole in course 2 than anyone we've seen, even the top finishers. But what I like best about his runs is that even when he misses something, he maintains focus, hops right back up, and keeps going,

Filed under // parkoursummit2011