Parkour vs Gymnastics: What’s the Difference and Which Is Better for Kids?
One question I get asked a lot as a coach is:
“What’s the difference between parkour and gymnastics?”
At first glance they can look quite similar, both involve jumping, landing, balance and body control. But the philosophy behind them is actually very different.
Gymnastics is built around structured routines and competition, while parkour grew out of obstacle training designed to help people become strong, capable and adaptable in the real world.
In a new blog post I’ve written, I explain:
Where parkour actually comes from
Why its philosophy is different to traditional sports
The importance of longevity and safe landing techniques
Why many “parkour classes” aren’t really teaching parkour
The Science Behind Risk and Resilience (And What I See Every Week in the Gym)
Every week I watch the same thing happen.
A child stands at the edge of a jump. They hesitate. They look at me. They look back at the obstacle.
You can almost see the internal debate going on.
Then they go for it.
Sometimes they land it. Sometimes they don’t. But almost every time, they walk away a little taller.
That moment right there is resilience being built in real time.
Resilience Isn’t built by Avoiding Challenge
There’s a common instinct as parents (and coaches) to try to smooth the path. Remove the scary bit. Lower the bar. Step in early.
I get it. Safety matters.
Customer Referral Scheme
We’re excited to launch our customer referral scheme to further grow our supportive community!
Parkour is a sport that is built and focused around community.
Community plays a significant role within parkour, extending far beyond just physical movement.
We work to build a strong, supportive, and active community at Crawley Parkour, both in and out of our sessions. Here are some of the key pillars of community we bring to our sessions!
Should You Become A Member?!
We offer a range of different memberships at Crawley Parkour. In this blog post, we break down our different memberships available for children who attend Crawley Parkour classes!
A Guide On Parkour Shoes
What do I need to look for in Parkour shoes? - We break everything down in this video!
NEW Beginners Adult Parkour Class in Crawley
Following the success of our recent “Intro to Parkour Courses” that we ran towards the end of 2023 and the start of 2024 and feedback gathered from adults, we have added a new Beginner’s Parkour class on a Wednesday evening from 7:35–8:35pm, starting February 21st.
