Parkour practice makes perfect

Todd Beyer of CRAG Gymnastics in Hiawatha hadn't heard of parkour when local enthusiasts asked him about using the gym to practice. He agreed and has taught them spatial awareness and techniques for more cushioned landings when they venture out downtown.

In a recent practice, Beyer helped Nick Payne into a harness and helped him learn to flip, first on a trampoline, then on the gym floor.

"Having Todd teach us how to do flips properly and safely was a big deal for us," Joseph Gallet said.

Rolling out of a jump or a vault is another important technique traceurs use frequently.

Rolling diminishes the impact of the landing and maintains gained momentum, allowing the traceur to continue moving forward quickly.

Other than Beyer's assistance, the group hasn't had any professional training in parkour.

"We build up off stuff that we can watch and we researched how to do it so we could do it properly so we don't hurt ourselves, and that's a big deal to us," Gallet said.

"We've just gone for it and practiced and practiced and that's the only way we've gotten better."