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Sports training

Parkour warm-up: jog, ankles, hips, wrists, crawls, landings and rolls

No parkour warm-up has been shown to prevent injuries, and in young basketball players a parkour-style warm-up did no better than a conventional one. But landings are where most parkour injuries happen, and in the laboratory, traceurs' forefoot landings and rolls cut landing forces. This warm-up follows our warm-up guide: it raises your heart rate, frees the ankles and wrists that take your landings and vaults, wakes up crawling, and rehearses quiet landings and rolls on soft ground before you go near a wall or a drop. You need space to jog, grass or a mat, and a line or kerb.

15 minBeginner15 movesCardio machine · A wallQuads · Calves · Hip flexors · Shins · Forearms · Shoulders
Follow along: a timer, a cue and the next move, one step at a time.

Raise

  1. Treadmill jogging3 min easy
    Intermediate · Quads, Calves, Glutes · 3D demoJog round the space; the figure shows it on a treadmillEasier: Treadmill walkingHarder: Sprint intervals
  2. Skipping2 × 20 m
    Beginner · Calves, Hip flexors, Quads · 3D demoLight and springyEasier: Ankle bounces (mini pogo)Harder: Alternate-leg bounding

Ankles and hips

  1. Ankle CARs (controlled articular rotations)5 circles each way, each ankle
    Beginner · Calves, Shins · 3D demoSlow, full circlesEasier: Ankle circlesHarder: Toes-tucked kneeling (toe squat)
  2. Knee-to-wall ankle rock8 slow rocks each side
    Beginner · 3D demoHeel down as your knee goes forward
  3. World's greatest stretch3 each side
    Intermediate · Hip flexors, Adductors, Glutes · 3D demoReach up as you turnEasier: Low lunge (Anjaneyasana)Harder: Active pancake lift-off

Wrists

  1. Wrist & forearm flow60 s
    Beginner · Forearms · 3D demoGentle circles, then palms down and upEasier: Wrist circlesHarder: Wrist flexor stretch
  2. Quadruped wrist rocks10 rocks each hand position
    Beginner · Forearms, Shoulders · 3D demoEase into the stretchEasier: Wrist flexor stretch

Crawl

  1. Bear crawl2 crawls of 8 to 10 m
    Intermediate · Shoulders, Abs, Quads · 3D demoKnees just off the groundEasier: Knee hover (Pilates tabletop hover)Harder: Spider crawl (low push-up knee drive)
  2. Crab walkAcross the space and back
    Intermediate · Triceps, Shoulders, Glutes · 3D demoHips upEasier: Elastic wall bounceHarder: Alternate-leg bounding

Land

  1. Ankle bounces (mini pogo)2 × 20
    Beginner · Calves, Shins · 3D demoQuick and lightHarder: Pogo hops
  2. Snapdown to athletic landing2 × 5, hold each landing 2 s
    Beginner · Quads, Glutes, Hamstrings · 3D demoLand quietly, hips backHarder: Box drop landing
  3. Single-leg hop and stick3 each leg
    Intermediate · Quads, Glutes, Calves · 3D demoStick it, knee over your middle toesEasier: Standing broad jump with stuck landingHarder: Alternate-leg bounding

Roll, on grass or a mat

  1. Rolling like a ball (Pilates rolling back)5
    Intermediate · Abs, Back, Hip flexors · 3D demoChin on your chest, back roundedHarder: Seal (Pilates)
  2. Forward shoulder roll2 × 3 slow rolls each side
    Intermediate · Abs, Neck, ShouldersChin tucked; shoulder to the opposite hip; your head never touches the ground. Its page has written steps, but no 3D demo yetEasier: Bird dogHarder: Ab wheel rollout from the knees

Rehearse

  1. Standing broad jump with stuck landing3
    Intermediate · Glutes, Quads, Hamstrings · 3D demoLand quietly on both feet, knees over toes, and hold for 2 secondsEasier: Snapdown to athletic landingHarder: Single-leg hop and stick

Tips

  • Then drill on the ground: precision jumps to lines, step vaults over low rails and rolls on grass, before anything higher. Parkour UK advises drilling jumps on the ground, kerbs and low walls first.
  • Beginners: always train with someone, as Parkour UK recommends.
  • Check the spot before you use it: wet, loose or crumbling surfaces, and walls or rails that move (our suggestion).
  • Wear flexible shoes with good grip; Parkour UK says trainers with a rubber sole are generally best.
  • If you're asked to leave a spot, stay polite, explain what you're doing and find another one, as Parkour UK advises.

The doses are suggested starting points, not a prescription. Choose a range you can control and stop for sharp or increasing pain, numbness or tingling. Get individual advice after an injury or surgery, or if you are pregnant or managing a health condition.

Guides that recommend it

Find more moves like these

More sports training

Injury prevention exercises for runners

Foot, calf, balance and hop exercises taken from the running trials with positive results, in a 25-minute home routine for 3 or 4 days a week.

25 minBeginner11 movesOther / check instructions, A bench or box

Plyometrics for runners

A 20-minute hop and bound session for runners: ankle bounces to pogo hops, one-leg hops and bounding, building foot contacts slowly over 10 weeks.

20 minIntermediate8 movesCardio machine

Strength workout for cyclists (gym)

A 50-minute gym session for cyclists: heavy squats, one-leg presses, hip flexion and calf raises as in the cycling trials, plus jumps for bone.

50 minIntermediate13 movesCardio machine, A barbell

Questions people ask

How long does the parkour warm-up: jog, ankles, hips, wrists, crawls, landings and rolls take?

About 15 minutes, including any warm-up and cool-down listed. Shorten it by doing fewer rounds; lengthen it by adding one.

What equipment do I need?

You need: Cardio machine, A wall. Each move links to its guide, where you can find an alternative if you are missing something.

Is it suitable for beginners?

It is written for beginners. 11 of its 15 moves have an easier option listed beside them if you need one.

How do I make it easier or harder?

Use the easier or harder option listed under each move, change the number of rounds, or adjust the rest. Progress one change at a time.