Well, this is awkward.

[RadikarAuthor]

Hello. I'll say this right off the bat: Any discussion of or participation in working out is horrendously awkward for me. So, I'm pretty much forcing myself to write this now.

In the matters of geek-dom, I play Dungeons & Dragons every Friday night with friends, I like playing Magic: the Gathering, Minecraft, Skyrim, and League of Legends. I also like to draw and write characters from various worlds I create in my mind.

As for specifics on my weight and such, here you go:

I started looking at this website somewhere within February, courtesy of my roommate in college (of which I've just graduated from). We both decided to begin working out, each having our own reasons. Mine was to add on weight and have a body capable of doing Parkour (something I'm incredibly interested in). I may be 21 years old, but genetics have given me a small body frame and an incredibly over-active metabolism (complete with low blood sugar to count!), and being horribly underweight. I hope to change these aspects for the better. While becoming taller than 5'1"-2" is just a dream and not likely a reality, I do want to keep my metabolism at a regular pace and my minimum goal is to be 110lbs, but more would be nice (You need to be 110lbs to give blood, and I would like to give blood... If I didn't frequent from 90-100lbs per day). My diet sucks as of right now (I'm working on that, but that will take some time to get going), and I couldn't really alter it until I graduated from college.

So far, I've followed the workout listed in "The Definitive Guide to Parkour for Beginners" here on this site, and modified it slightly. I'm on 22 squats, 22 push-ups, 22 leg lifts, 14 pull-ups, and 22 sit-ups (I added the sit-ups), in four rounds, now nearly every day. I've recently acquired a bike, and now I take long bike rides all across town as much as possible. I walk a lot as well, walking 15 minutes to work nearly every day, but I also just walk through town idly, often out for about an hour or so more. This has allowed some progress to be made, as obviously when I started I could only do 5 pull-ups in two rounds, but not much. The only issue I'm having so far is that, while I like Parkour and would be really excited to begin it, I live in the center of Kansas and it's very flat. Getting from point A to point B is as simple as following a grid, and there are not really many options available to practice. I bet that there are options out there, but I'm not looking hard enough.

My goal is not to be muscular or be able to lift heavy things. My goal is to be agile and fit so I'm capable of doing Parkour, weigh 110lbs, and regulate my metabolism. I'm also open to suggestions, and I've delayed posting this for about an hour now because it's awkward.

Edit: I forgot to specify my gender.: Male.

[Tom Kenobi]

Welcome to the Rebellion. Since you've been reading the site for awhile, you probably know that the Assassin's guild is where you want to be. Good job on working the Parkour Guide.

The awkwardness will wear off in time.

You can't add muscle, do parkour and NOT be muscular - so don't worry about that. I have yet to see a non-muscular fully functional Traceur. Also, as you increase your body weight workouts, you'll be surprised at some of the heavy things you WILL be able to lift!

It'll all come in time. Get with the guild and make sure you ARE posting so we can help you accomplish your goals.

Best of luck to you!

[RadikarAuthor]

Thanks for the advice!

I'm not entirely sure where to begin within that particular section of the forum, so that's why I posted here. I also have little to no idea on how these challenges really work, how one becomes involved, or anything of that matter. (Guess I should read up on some posts, then, eh?) Really, I've only "lurked" around the articles posted on the main site and I've just recently discovered the forums. I'm not even sure how one becomes a part of a "guild" or something like that.

[azsf]

I'm on 22 squats, 22 push-ups, 22 leg lifts, 14 pull-ups, and 22 sit-ups

you're strong enough to start parkour, very easily. i can't speak for kansas (it's famous for corn fields right?) im going to go out on a limb and say there are probably some walls and stairs and what not around the place. access ramps to buildings and multilevel carparks are also pretty common in larger towns. and at the very least, parks with picnic tables or those low wooden "barriers" strewn around. all of these make really good locations for the basics of parkour. you can even start on pure flat with quadrepal movements, rolling practice, and precisions.

i know i often have trouble finding good spots by myself, so it helps to go out with friends or find a local parkour group. some quick googling might turn up a local group, see what's going on in your city. best of luck!

[Flip Nunez]

Hello there, I am very new to the site myself, but wanted to say if you are are still close to the college you attended it might make for a good parkour playground, especially if there are days of the week where the school is alot less busy. I only thought of this because i know there's a small group of people who practice at the community college close to me, and its filled with nice little obstacles and such. but best of luck to you finding a good spot to practice if the college is out of the question.

[Morrigainz]

Welcome to the forums! Definitely poke around regarding the challenges. Challenges are awesome. I posted some links that Spezzy made for the current challenge, but it will give you an idea of what to expect when the beginning of the next challenge comes around.

And no worries...you don't come across as awkward

Rules and Information can be found here (RPG Info at the bottom of this post after the basic rules)

http://www.nerdfitness.com/community...hallenge-Rules

Class Info Here:

http://www.nerdfitness.com/community...rofession-Info

FAQ Can be found here:

http://www.nerdfitness.com/community...-Challenge-FAQ

Signup Sheet is here:

https://docs.google.com/a/nerdfitnes...pIUkE6MA#gid=0

Chat Info Here:

http://www.nerdfitness.com/community...-New-Chat-Room!

[Blueberries]

Welcome! Good advice above. I'm not a bodyweight girl, so I can't really help there. Isn't there a playground workout somewhere, or am I imagining that?

Congrats on your recent graduation!

[Morrigainz]

Welcome! Good advice above. I'm not a bodyweight girl, so I can't really help there. Isn't there a playground workout somewhere, or am I imagining that?

Congrats on your recent graduation!

There is In Steve's blog, I believe.

[Hammlin]

Hi there! my cousin goes to college in McPhearson KS (I think)

Anyhow welcome! I admire parkour people- so awesome and I am so clunky!

[Tom Kenobi]

Welcome to the forums! Definitely poke around regarding the challenges. Challenges are awesome. I posted some links that Spezzy made for the current challenge, but it will give you an idea of what to expect when the beginning of the next challenge comes around.

And no worries...you don't come across as awkward

Rules and Information can be found here (RPG Info at the bottom of this post after the basic rules)

http://www.nerdfitness.com/community...hallenge-Rules

Class Info Here:

http://www.nerdfitness.com/community...rofession-Info

FAQ Can be found here:

http://www.nerdfitness.com/community...-Challenge-FAQ

Signup Sheet is here:

https://docs.google.com/a/nerdfitnes...pIUkE6MA#gid=0

Chat Info Here:

http://www.nerdfitness.com/community...-New-Chat-Room!

^^^^THIS^^^^ Good work MirGSS! Thanks for putting those up there!

[RadikarAuthor]

Hi there! my cousin goes to college in McPhearson KS (I think)

Anyhow welcome! I admire parkour people- so awesome and I am so clunky!

There are two colleges here in town. One is McPherson College, the other is Central Christian College. The latter being the one I attended.

Hello there, I am very new to the site myself, but wanted to say if you are are still close to the college you attended it might make for a good parkour playground, especially if there are days of the week where the school is alot less busy.

This would work, as I know several campuses that have decent locations for practicing Parkour... My issue is that the college I did attend is now having a huge section of their lawn area under construction as they build a plaza, so that's not an option. The other college... I don't know if they'd be okay with it.

you're strong enough to start parkour, very easily. i can't speak for kansas (it's famous for corn fields right?) im going to go out on a limb and say there are probably some walls and stairs and what not around the place. access ramps to buildings and multilevel carparks are also pretty common in larger towns. and at the very least, parks with picnic tables or those low wooden "barriers" strewn around. all of these make really good locations for the basics of parkour. you can even start on pure flat with quadrepal movements, rolling practice, and precisions.

i know i often have trouble finding good spots by myself, so it helps to go out with friends or find a local parkour group. some quick googling might turn up a local group, see what's going on in your city. best of luck!

Oh, heh... Thanks, I guess? And, to just be silly, Nebraska is known for corn fields. Kansas is just flat. If I lived within the Kansas City region, I'd have no difficulty finding some excellent places to practice Parkour and find a group. Alas, I live in McPherson, which is several hours away. It has two colleges, two giant public parks, and a lot of other really neat things... but no elevated terrain. It does have one two-story car parking lot, but that's in a really, really busy section of the town. Too risky for me. Park benches could work, and there are some playgrounds spotted throughout town... but it'd be really awkward to leap and climb through that which was made for 5-11 year old children. Then again, due to my small size, people would think I'm a child and not an adult. So, I guess that works. I've began practicing on doing the Parkour Roll from that video by Ryan Doyle (A lot of people here seem to bounce off that video as well), and so far I've somewhere between Progression 1 and 2. I've tried using Google and AmericanParkour to find groups, but so far the results lead me to people located within the Kansas City region, from posts made two to three years ago. I'm hoping maybe I'll find a group nearer to McPherson that I can look into.

Welcome to the forums! Definitely poke around regarding the challenges. Challenges are awesome. I posted some links that Spezzy made for the current challenge, but it will give you an idea of what to expect when the beginning of the next challenge comes around.

And no worries...you don't come across as awkward

Rules and Information can be found here (RPG Info at the bottom of this post after the basic rules)

http://www.nerdfitness.com/community...hallenge-Rules

Class Info Here:

http://www.nerdfitness.com/community...rofession-Info

FAQ Can be found here:

http://www.nerdfitness.com/community...-Challenge-FAQ

Signup Sheet is here:

https://docs.google.com/a/nerdfitnes...pIUkE6MA#gid=0

Chat Info Here:

http://www.nerdfitness.com/community...-New-Chat-Room!

Thanks for the links! I'll read them up and start working on what I can as soon as possible.

[azsf]

ah small town blues :/ that might give you the option of abandoned industry areas? or just go down to the centre of town on a sunday and jump over whatever you want while everything is closed. best of luck mate!

[D_chelyst]

Hey, since you're doing the rolls from the video, does it hurt when you land on/roll off your shoulder? I just saw the Ryan Doyle roll video tonight, and I'd love to try it, but I'm too chicken about hurting myself or tearing something

Oh, and welcome, Radikar! Probably should've started off with that....

[RadikarAuthor]

Hey, since you're doing the rolls from the video, does it hurt when you land on/roll off your shoulder? I just saw the Ryan Doyle roll video tonight, and I'd love to try it, but I'm too chicken about hurting myself or tearing something

Oh, and welcome, Radikar! Probably should've started off with that....

*gasp* .. People know me by that name from DevArt... Are you on that site as well?

It only hurts if you do it the wrong way, and your body will let you know when that happens. For me, I know I've done it wrong when I land hard on a particular corner in my lower back. This is usually because I did it way too fast or something like that. I also have a huge problem of always making my head touch the ground, which can be very, very bad in actual application. Other than that, I admit it took me some time to finally get the "gusto" to just do it. Really, the battle in your mind about whether or not it will hurt you is all you have to get over. How did I get over it? I just did it. Once you finally roll, even if you mess up the first time, you've already won and are set to continue on. I messed up at least fifteen times before I finally discovered how to actually do it. Watching the video and actually performing the roll is totally separate things... but that's obvious. Anyways, hope that helps.

[D_chelyst]

Actually....I got lazy and shortened your NF name. I'm not on Deviant Art, but my hubby is (Jack Windsword) and my best friend is (Meghan Hetrick). I took a quick glance at your DA page...you have lots of great pieces on there! Your Ezio reproduction is stellar, the blue macaw is very cool, <3 Love of Music, and your space pictures are soothing (Lonely Planets especially). Nice work!

And yes, your roll description does help. A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, I took 2 years of Ninjitsu. Totally sucked at the rolls. SUCKED. I always landed too hard, etc. I was afraid to roll and get hurt, and this fear never got better. But after seeing the Doyle video, it gave me hope that maybe, with Progression 1, just maybe I could do it without getting hurt... I will have to muster up the courage and try one of these days.

Thanks again!

[RadikarAuthor]

Thanks, and you're welcome.

[Ryan Sannar]

Glad to have you here for parkour. Any questions about how to start or whatever just go ahead and PM me or post in the Assassin's Guild.