Why You Need To Do Sh** That Scares You

[HansBraggart]

i came across this article of Steve's, from 2011, and it reminded me of this past Monday.

 

i returned to my Parkour training from being on the Injured List for two weeks (see thread "I had my first parkour bail last night"). i felt no fear going into the lesson - none. quite the contrary, i felt excited to get back to running, climbing and jumping with my friends.

 

we focused on Balance during that lesson. we learned the fundamentals and techniques that one must use when balancing on narrow surfaces. we drilled our new knowledge at the class's final portion as we followed my coach around on his obstacle course. the fear arrived at the very end: we were to climb up onto this concrete structure that was maybe 5 inches wide and 4-5 feet tall, balance on it and walk from one end to the other...backwards.

 

oh my goodness, was i ever scared. i did not hesitate, though; i hopped up there, got in position and got moving. what follows is the mantra i repeated silently to myself as a walked: "i got this, man. i can do it. i am an engaging and iconic dude. everything i say is witty and intriguing. the coaches are not gonna let anything bad happen to me." before i knew it, i had reached the end and hopped down (the adrenaline may have interfered with my ability to use proper landing form).

 

this was an epic win for me. thank you for reading!

[wildross]

Congrats for getting back into the game!

[iatetheyeti]

Good to hear you got back into it and didn't let the fear win

 

I've been in similar situations before, most memorable one being a bike crash. Landed badly, flipped, went head first into a tree and woke up in a ditch concussed. All on a practice trail. When I'd recovered I went up there again, and the first few runs I was pretty scared and I let it get to me. Things were slow, and as a result, not fun or beneficial. So I let myself feel the fear, then went for it. The corner was shaky, and I got all of three inches off the ground on the jump, but I landed it and felt all the better for it.

 

We should definitely do more things that scare us and face up to our existing demons. Chances are we'll win.

[HansBraggart]

my next Parkour lesson was last Friday, and the fear came again.

 

we learned a new vault that you use on rails. i do not remember the name of it, but basically, you grab the rail with your back hand and point your fingers away from you, hop up onto the rail with your inside foot, then the other foot, grab the rail the same way with your other hand, stabilize and then step down starting with your forward foot.

 

i had trouble with this, mostly because i slipped the first few times i tried it. but i kept on trying and i got better.

 

when i first started training, 6 months ago, i was credulous and everything was new and interesting, so parkour was constant fun for me. now, it continues to be constant fun but challenges my comfort and bravery just as often. i could easily back down and quit, but i will not.

[TheRedWriter]

Way to go!  That's pretty damn epic.  Keep up the great work!

 

 

i came across this article of Steve's, from 2011, and it reminded me of this past Monday.

 

i returned to my Parkour training from being on the Injured List for two weeks (see thread "I had my first parkour bail last night"). i felt no fear going into the lesson - none. quite the contrary, i felt excited to get back to running, climbing and jumping with my friends.

 

we focused on Balance during that lesson. we learned the fundamentals and techniques that one must use when balancing on narrow surfaces. we drilled our new knowledge at the class's final portion as we followed my coach around on his obstacle course. the fear arrived at the very end: we were to climb up onto this concrete structure that was maybe 5 inches wide and 4-5 feet tall, balance on it and walk from one end to the other...backwards.

 

oh my goodness, was i ever scared. i did not hesitate, though; i hopped up there, got in position and got moving. what follows is the mantra i repeated silently to myself as a walked: "i got this, man. i can do it. i am an engaging and iconic dude. everything i say is witty and intriguing. the coaches are not gonna let anything bad happen to me." before i knew it, i had reached the end and hopped down (the adrenaline may have interfered with my ability to use proper landing form).

 

this was an epic win for me. thank you for reading!

 

[laksi]

I recognize the fear that comes from injury or accidents. I was at a scouting competition in May, fell from a beam and my shoulder got dislocated. It's not a new injury, but I now notice I'm more reluctant to climb anything taller than myself. If I do, I get very unsure about my movements and get a queasy feeling.

 

I'm now attempting to solve the problem like you did, jumping into the deep end at my own pace. I work in a place where we have an obstacle course, and  some of the obstacles are high and require swift climbing, jumping and balance. I decided that by the end of the summer I will manage the whole course at one go. It might be that I'm still not jumping down from the three-meter ladder by August, but maybe halfway.

[HansBraggart]

...I work in a place where we have an obstacle course...

 

what? whoa, that is awesome! where do you work - a theme park??