Fundamentally natural parkour is all about finding interesting terrain that allows us to express the full set of human movements.
Generally, we can jump gaps between rocks, across creeks, between fallen logs or tree branches, we can climb trees or rocks, we can wall run up or along boulders, cliff faces, or tree trunks. We can slide down and scramble up slopes and we can swing on tree branches.
Let’s take a look at some of the specific things you should be looking for when you’re out exploring your local natural environments.
In closed canopy forests the obstacles are often not the branches of trees but the trees themselves after they have fallen down. Often deep in the woods you can find mazes of fallen trees that produce amazing opportunities for vaults, jumps, balancing and tic tacs.
Rocky creek beds, beaches, and mountain sides can offer endless opportunities for gap jumps, strides, tic tacs, wall runs, and climbing. Bouldering areas and canyoning areas are often great for natural parkour skill training as well, and often the area that is good for natural parkour skills extends around and is bigger than the area that is especially great for rock climbing. So if you know of any rock climbing hot spots near you those are good place to start scouting for great natural movement possibilities.
While we don’t cover swimming in our courses, swimming is an important natural movement ability, and in fact the ability most likely to save your life. Creeks, lakes and beaches provide places to swim but that is not all. These environments also allows us to practice acrobatics combine movement in the water with movement over the rocks and through the trees.
I had to save the trees themselves for last as I have so much to say about them.
As primate our ancestors evolved for 90 millions years in trees. Like all primates we have a natural attraction to them. Great trees are almost uniquely rewarding for complex movement, but they’re not always easy to find.
Whether a tree will offer good branches for climbing, vaulting, swinging and jumping around in depends on many variables.
I have found there are 6 key factors that influence the shape of a tree:
Different types of trees have different habits in how they form. Coastal Live Oak, English Oak, Banyan trees, and Magnolias for instance tend to create larger spreading crowns, and these are great for moving around in. English Laurel, Sea Hibiscus, and Rhododendrons create dense sprawling thickets that can be also be incredible for movement.
Trees grow branches to reach the light which is their food. Most trees will only spread out low limbs when those limbs allow them access to light. Trees in closed canopy forest will tend to have few branches near the ground. Western Red Cedar, and Beech Trees can be absolutely incredible trees for moving in where they have the light to create a spreading habit. Where light is limited as in a closed canopy forest they turn into tall columns with their first branches dozens of feet off the ground.
Look for great trees to climb on, in areas where there is space around individual trees. More manicured parks often have more inviting trees. Trees also form sprawling habits where the canopy of the forest is broken up, whether by a pasture, a boulder field, or a body of water. All of those can be things to look for in finding interesting trees.
Wind also shapes trees. Areas with higher winds produce stronger trees with more unique shapes; often trees along coastlines are particularly interesting for moving in for this reason. Trees at high altitude and on slopes can also form very interesting shapes, due to exposure to the wind.
Water also shapes trees, the roots reach for water, and the branches are shaped by the pressure of water falling on them along with the wind. Heavy rains and wind can cause a tree to become contorted into interesting shapes, and as the trees roots search for water, it shifts the way the crown can grow.
Finally, trees in rocky areas around large boulders often make interesting shapes in the roots and branches as well.
So look for good trees where forests and woodlands meet rock outcroppings.
