Setting My Mind To Conquer Fear

by Walter
(Texas, USA)

Hello, my name is Walter.

I live in Texas and recently decided to get into parkour. The thing that's holding me back is my fear of getting hur,t or something going horribly wrong.

How do I 'set' my mind to not worry and to just go for it?

Comments for Setting My Mind To Conquer Fear

Average Rating

Click here to add your own comments

Jun 22, 2010
Rating

Using Fear...
by: Drew Taylor

Hey Walter,

This seemingly irrational fear is a big part of Parkour. You hear people talking about Parkour helping them in their everyday lives, well this is one technique or method that you can relate to the wider world.

Some fear is good and stops you from jumping off massive stuff and killing yourself, a lot of fear you come across when training is often what you may see as 'irrational'.

The first point I'm gonna make is of starting small. Build your confidence up by starting slow and low. Get the basics right and know your limits. When your frightened of doing a specific movement, you've gotta ask yourself whether you are capable of doing it, then if the answer if yes why are your still scared? It may be a simple case of drilling the movement in a different way to build confidence up and show yourself that you can do this every time no problem.

Developing your own method of overcoming fear is something important that can be learned from Parkour. Everyone handles it differently so tailor your method to suite yourself.

Hope this helps! Drew x

Aug 23, 2010
Rating

im new two but
by: hey its jake

im new to parkore but i took karate and learned a breathing exsercie that always works for me be for i do a session and thats ho wi lost my fear of the getting hert try different things to find whats most comfortable for you . even tho im new i started big best way to learn is by doing

Sep 21, 2010
Rating

hey here's some tips
by: De-Jay

Im fairly new to parkour but try working your up to a new move get a line going and then try it, or try a move in a safe envirement,if these don't do it for you get some of your freinds to practice with you it just might encourage you to one up them.

Oct 03, 2010
Rating

your not the only one whos scared!!!!1
by: reba m

im scared too but i got over it by doing little moves for example,flips,i was soo but i did it with my friend ashley and now i can do a flip my tp.e. teacher said that i would be a good parkour soi researched about it and i was in love doin parkour!!!!!!!

Jan 04, 2011
Rating

Chi
by: Den

I don't know if this helps or not but i do some parkour but slightly different, my training area is forests, i run up trees and do flips of them and stuff haha so i suppose its more free running but im starting to lean more to parkour now haha i am training for my black belt in karate now for my grading in July and i have been scared as having watched the last blackbelt grading i know what im up against! So i have learned the power of chi. i dont neccasarily believe in the whole chinese religion but finding your essence and allowing yourself that extra power is amazing! i have become so much more comfortable with my body and amazed at how it can be used! breaking rocks with my bare hands, blowng out candles without touching or blowing them, only by a quickly retracted powerful punch! so if you freeze which everyone including myself does! then just breathe deeply in and out, meditate breifly if it helps and you will find your chi and overcome your fears! good luck

Jan 04, 2011
Rating

Feb 22, 2011
Rating

yea im newish but i have a tip
by: Anonymous

i saw above that someone said that you mioght try to one up some one i disagree try not to test your limits and only yours when you go and try to one up someone you may jusy end up hurting yourself and maybe becuase i have tried this be slightly discouragedbest i can say is ease yourself in then pick up speed (slowly gain speed i should say) then build on your limits good luck

Mar 20, 2011
Rating

Take it slow.
by: Anonymous

When you're faced with fear when it comes to parkour/free-running, you're always going to have negative thoughts about weather you're going to hurt yourself or not. I say that you should try to ignore that fear and at least try it, but if it's to scary, than don't do it. Listen to your gut, don't push yourself into a situation you're not ready for because if you do, the chances of you getting hurt are greater. If you don't feel safe with a move, look for something that could be used as a pad, like cushions or a mattress, put that down somewhere and start doing certain moves on that. If you're trying to go for vaulting over obstacles, start with thin, low objects. Once you're comfortable with that, move on to wider, and taller objects.

May 08, 2011
Rating

im scard too but i do it
by: damaso

hi my nam is damaso and i hav 1 year practicin parkour and i an still cind of scard but wat i do is ferst is do wat im doing in a smal place and when i do it right i try it in the place i wanted to do it thats it i wish i could meiht daniel ilabaca and david bell

May 22, 2011
Rating

hey
by: traceur4life

parkour is about knowing your limits. Don't do parkour to impress other people, do it to impress yourself. Go the pace that you need to go, and youll be limitless in no time. :)

Nov 12, 2011
Rating

It's actually not bad NEW
by: Narek

Unless it is irrational fear it is good, 'cause you can get hurt. I got hurt, because I was scared of doing a diving kong (I had done it over a bigger gap, this one was small) and I missed the place where I had to put my hands and broke my collar bone. So fear is there to protect you. If you are scared start at a gym with mats, and then go outside and do on the grass etc. To build up confidence.

Dec 02, 2011
Rating

one thinking NEW
by: Anonymous

hello,

i m thing lot about different subject and different field to get knowledge. but now i suffering from in which matter i have to give more concentrate and i ve to improve on that particular sub.. i am totally confuse

Aug 24, 2012
Rating

Starting parkour NEW
by: becomingparkour

My wife and I have both recently started learning parkour. We are lucky enough to have a gym in our city that offers parkour lessons, but lately we have been training by ourselves outside more. The key thing that keeps us going and safe is starting small and thinking. Before trying any moves check out the area for loose rocks, sharp edges, dog poop, etc. Then start small. There are some beginner commitment moves, but the majority of things you learn at the beginning can be done is progressive steps. This gets your confidence up and allows you to feel out the move before completing it. We are slowly becoming parkour.

Oct 29, 2015
Rating

Co-Creating the Future: The Dawn of System Leadership Case Solution NEW
by: Co-Creating the Future: The Dawn of System Leadership Case Solution

I loved the way you discuss the topic great work thanks for the share.
Co-Creating the Future: The Dawn of System Leadership Case Solution

May 02, 2016
Rating

Have No Regrets NEW
by: Buddy

Hi I am also new to Parkour, but I just want to say to go through with it, it is really fun. Don't say you will then don't trust me I made that mistake and I regret it on my part. I'm still trying to get back into it but the fear of everything sank in again. So if you want to do it, do it don't have any regrets

Click here to add your own comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to Questions.