ASPLAYYOU GO

P l a y A s Yo u G o

T h e c i t y i s y o u r p l a y g r o u n d

F o r e w o r dThere are currently many deprived areas within Kingston-Upon-Hull, residents generally stay indoors for safety purposes as the city is faced with acts of vandalism, anti-social behaviour and other general security problems. The city also heads a new “fat league” compiled from research which links being overweight to a chip shop culture in working class communities. Details were compiled from hospital admission records, which identify sufferers of Type 2 diabetes - seen as a key indicator for obesity. Mr Prescott himself has this form of diabetes, which is linked to poor diet and a lack of exercise. Physical activity is an essential component of any strategy that aims to seriously address the problems of sedentary living and obesity among children and adults in the city of Hull. Active living contributes to individual physical and mental health but also to social cohesion and community well being. Opportunities for being physically active are not limited to sports and organised recreation. They exist everywhere – where people live and work, in neighbourhoods and in educational and health establishments. The way we build our cities, design the urban environment and provide access to the natural environment can be a great encouragement or a

great barrier to physical activity and active living. Other barriers exist in the social environments within which people work, learn, play and live. Many of the people suffering the greatest negative health effects relating to obesity and chronic diseases are those experiencing poverty and social disadvantage. Addressing the needs and contributions of all citizens in different settings of everyday life is essential for ensuring equity and comprehensiveness in efforts to promote physical activity and active living. This guide is primarily aimed for the public. The idea is to slowly introduce the public to Parkour - the art of movement. A recent study in the UK showed that Parkour training leads to a drop in anti-social behaviour in teens. Parkour is filled with challenges, both physical and mental, and this can seem daunting at first. After a period of time, they are able to appreciate the necessity of challenging themselves and the impression of difficulty falls away. The goal is to make Kingston-Upon-Hull a great place to live, by re-imagining the urban environment that enables all city residents to incorporate healthy and fun activity into their daily lives. We have the important roles in ensuring that a healthy city is an active city.

P a r k o u r , m o r e t h a n a n a r t – a w a y o f l i f e

I n t r o d u c t i o nWith the price of gym memberships rising, we’re all looking for a less expensive way to burn calories and stay fit. Instead of putting your foot down and refusing to pay, put that foot to good use and practice Parkour. Your fitness props become the things around you like benches, railings, trees, walls, stairs, and fences. This performance art involves leaping over, climbing up, and rolling off theses common structures and using them as your playground, all without the need for protective gear. The health benefits of parkour are numerous, with one of the most important factors being that it encompasses both your mental abilities as well as your physical skills. Parkour enhances your strength, coordination and balance, so you can become more comfortable controlling your own body in order to overcome obstacles. It is however much more than just exercise; it’s about knowing yourself and your own personal limits. By practicing parkour, you not only gain a great deal of physical benefits in an exciting and dynamic way, but you also learn how to trust your body

and your judgments. It will take time to build trust in yourself and fearlessness to become an expert but this will translate over into the rest of your life with a definite increase in self-esteem. Parkour’s main premise is to overcome any obstacle through mental focus, physical training, and perseverance. This also applies to maintaining access to training grounds. They have the desire to work with property owners and managers, city and park officials, law enforcement, and the general community to show that they are a respectful, viable, and healthy community of athletes, willing to inform and collaborate so that others can see the value in what they do. Parkour fosters community, collaboration, creative problem solving, and a healthy lifestyle. In a safe surrounding, you can now experience and enjoy the borderless freedom of Parkour. Roof level also permit beginners a safe learning zone of Parkour as well as professionals to train at a demanding level.

W h y d o P a r k o u r f o r h e a l t h ?The World Health Organization (WHO) defined ‘health’ as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”. While the term wellbeing has a new age feel, they do have a point, health isn’t just about disease and doctors. It’s keeping you in good functioning order and having the ability overcome any challenges thrown your way. Parkour is a great form of exercise and those who are just getting into parkour, indoor gyms and workshops can provide a safe and supervised environment for mastering the sport’s techniques and becoming comfortable with new movement and improving fitness. It provides a great sense of wellbeing through its philosophy, greater sense of freedom and overcoming life’s challenges. However if philosophy isn’t your cup of tea, it is a gratifying way to get fit and stay in shape.

A e r o b i c / A n a e r o b i c F i t n e s sIn general, aerobic exercise is one performed at a low to moderate level of intensity over a long period of time. For example, running a long distance at a moderate pace is an aerobic exercise, but sprinting is not. Playing singles tennis, with near-continuous motion, is generally considered aerobic activity, while golf or doubles tennis, with their brief bursts of activity punctuated by more frequent breaks, may not be predominantly aerobic. Parkour covers both the bases with a mixture of running, sprinting jumping and climbing mean that both energy pathways are thoroughly challenged.

B a l a n c eWe hear a lot about how to keep our heart and lungs healthy, but not so much about how to keep our balance in check. Our balance system includes all the senses in our body that tell us how we are moving. This complex system needs plenty of regular practice. As children, we develop good balance by practicing balancing activities - walking along walls, jumping and climbing. Too many adults give up these activities, but Parkour maintain and look to build such skills. Climbing, scaling and positioning on top of objects requires great balance. When practitioners are moving through space, climbing or moving, the feeling of effortless technique is achieved over time through a combination of coordination, balance and proprioception.

M o b i l i t y & F l e x i b i l i t yToday’s sedentary lifestyles mean that over time people lose mobility and flexibility. A lot of today’s modern back and joint complaints are a result of bad posture, lack of regular movement and sitting in one place for too long. The process of learning to stretch and move around over and under objects involves the body working to give the

necessary mobility to allow such movements. The fluid movements in Parkour teach a person how to utilise their mobility to overcome obstacles. By starting small and working up mobility and flexibility are improved. The effortless movements we see are achieved by working on progressive movement and build on mobility and flexibility.

S t r e n g t h & P o w e rParkour involves great expression of strength and power. Jumping, landing and climbing require both of these and doing Parkour will improve both. When starting from scratch, it is necessary to prepare the body for the more strenuous demands to come by first giving it a relatively light period of adaptation. Tudor Bompa calls this phase Anatomical Adaptation, in which the main objective is to strengthen the body as whole, correct muscular imbalances, and prepare the muscles, joints, tendons and ligaments for the prolonged training to follow.

W e i g h t L o s sEngaging in a physical activity like Parkour can tip the balance of a person’s calories consumed versus calories burned, with this kind of exercise, it’s certainly possible that it will have a significant effect on your body composition. Due to the nature of the discipline, a person’s strength-to-body-weight ratio is a good predictor of success, slighter-built people do better than more overweight ones, so as soon as a traceur starts to lose some excess weight, they find out that they’re more agile and making better climbs, jumps and so on. Fat will quickly be seen as excess baggage to be carried around and with this mindset, weight management becomes important to practitioners.

G e t t i n g S t a r t e dParkour is an activity that is more like a performance art than sport. It offers open-minded participants the chance to expressively explore the urban environments of Kingston-Upon-Hull whilst increasing your fitness. Anyone can figure out a way to traverse an obstacle. Parkour is simply a mind-set to find your own best way through particular situations and moments. If your fitness level is lower than average, start off with some exercises on street furniture designed for the untrained. From one week to the next, you could be looking at the same obstacle. Your developing traceur’s eye (a traceur is somebody who practices parkour) will see different ways over or around it depending on conditions. Is it wet, dry, hot, dark, cold, sunny, etc.? These are conditions over which you have no control. Ignore them at your peril, but become familiar with them and you may find ways to turn them to your advantage. If you’ve got a sense of adventure and a healthy dose of courage, here’s how you can get started...

Train naturally: parkour is a stellar poster child for natural movement training.Train with conviction and intelligence: parkour has an emphasis on awareness of your environment and circumstances, as well as performance under pressure, it requires as much of these qualities as you can gather, then challenges you to dig deep down and find even more.Train for fun: the playful and spontaneous nature of parkour encourages creativity in a way that is liken to improvisational jazz and dancing.

1) Get in the right frame of mind. Parkour and free-running are about finding your own path through the environment, not playing by someone else’s rules. Allow yourself to be creative, expressive and free-flowing.2) Buy a good pair of running shoes and some comfortable clothes. Make sure the running shoes are well-cushioned and have grippy soles.3) Practice basic skills like the cat leap, kong vault and wall hop in a safe environment, such as a playground or grassy park. Develop the techniques you need to float through the city before you get there.4) Learn the right way to land. Regardless of your jump’s height, you should always land on the balls of your feet with your knees bent. For big drops, you’ll need to roll out of the landing.5) Warm up before you hit the streets. Light jogging, dynamic stretching and basic calisthenics are good ways to get your body loose and prepare your muscles for the rigours of your workout.6) Make slow, but steady progress. Don’t head out on your first run and try big drops or top-speed vaults. Take time to sharpen your skills and increase your strength before pushing your limits to the next level.

B e g i n n e rU n t r a i n e d I n t e r m e d i a t e A d v a n c e d

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The ability to think and move quickly. The ability to distribute weight equally. Harmonious combination or interaction.The measure of precision or exactness.A g i l i t y B a l a n c eA c c u r a c y C o o r d i n a t i o n

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The ability or strength to continue or last. The ability to be adaptable. Relative rapidity in movement. The quality of bodily or muscular power.S t r e n g t hE n d u r a n c e F l e x i b i l i t y S p e e d

1 11 1

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3 3 3 3

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0.75

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AExercise 01 - The Squat1) Step onto the entry sign, stand straight up, with your feet apart. The angle your feet are forming together can vary from 45 to 90 degrees. Always keep your weight on your heels.2) Bend your knees while maintaining the curve of your lower back.3) Go down as far as you can, your thighs must go beyond parallel, but make sure you maintain a lumbar curve.4) Lift yourself up, keeping your back curved.

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Location: Prospect Shopping Centre, Brook Street

3 m

0.75

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1 m

3 m

02

Route 02 - Dash Vault1) Run towards the obstacle at a reasonable speed, something more than a jog but a little less than a full run. Plant your feet for the vault somewhere about a yard or so from the obstacle.2) Step onto your chosen spot, making sure they are steady enough to support your weight, but flexible enough to help you move into the dash vault. Bend your knees slightly as you make the obstacle, you will use them to push off into the jump.3) Jump both forwards and upwards, using your legs to propel you over the obstacle. You want to watch your height just as much as your distance, the instinct is to focus too much on forward momentum without paying attention to upward lift. You want to make sure you are jumping high enough to clear the obstacle completely.4) Point your toes down and land on the balls of your feet. As you do so, you should bend your knees again to help cushion the impact and push forward to shift your momentum in the direction you intend to move.

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Location: Prospect Shopping Centre, Brook Street

2 m

3.3

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Route 03 - Palm Spin1) Walk up towards the gate and place your hands on the edge. The fingers of your left hand should face forward, while the fingers of your right hand should be turned out and facing toward you. This is the grip you’ll use during the spin.2) Take a few steps back from the object and visualize where you’re going to put your hands.3) Build speed as you run toward the gate. Don’t enter the spin at a full sprint, but generate enough momentum to get through the spin. A little speed also will make the move more stylish.4) Place your hands on the gate and jump up from ground. Tuck your legs underneath and begin spinning to the right.5) Lift your left hand from the edge and power through the second half of the spin. You should now be facing away from the object.

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Location: Prospect Shopping Centre, Brook Street

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Location: Paragon Street / King Edward StreetExercise 04 - The Lunge1) Start in a karate-like stance, placing one leg on the bollard and front shoulder facing forward.2) Squat down a small amount, bending your knees.3) Lean onto your front knee, placing pressure on it and stretching the back leg.4) Keep your body sideways and make sure your front knee is only at a right angle. Also keep your front foot facing straight and your back foot outwards.

4 m

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m 05

Route 05 - Simple Vault1) From the top of the roof, step into the vault with your dominant foot and launch yourself off of that foot.2) Raise your knees up to your chest as you fly through the air and bring your hips up to which ever side feels more natural (though it’s very likely to be the side opposite of your jumping foot).3) Plant one or both hands on the side of your body that’s closest to the top and use your posted hand to give yourself an extra boost that can leverage you off and over the roof.4) Allow your hips to lower as you descend. Extend the foot that you jumped off of and flatten your hips out. Spot your landing and then land on your jumping foot and run a few paces until you have enough control to either stop or roll into another parkour move or jump.

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Location: Paragon Street / King Edward Street

7.5 m

1.5 m

3 m

12 m

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Route 06 - Standing Cat Leap1) Leap upwards and reach for the grips on the surface of the wall with both hands.2) Place one foot as high up the wall as you can, propelling yourself higher. Use the other foot to climb the wall.3) Move quickly. The faster you’re moving, the higher you’re able to climb using the standing cat leap.

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Location: The Warren, Dock Street

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3 m

7.5 m

12 m

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Route 07 - Tic Tac 270o Wall Climb1) Leap towards the wall in front of you when you’re within a few feet of it, pushing off with the foot closest to the wall you want to climb. Plant your other foot as high as you can on the wall.2) Turn your head away from the wall you want to climb to initiate the twist in your body, which gives you enough momentum to leap to that wall. Let your upper body, including your arms, follow your head. Make sure you’re ready to catch the wall you’re going to climb.3) Kick the foot that’s on the wall downwards as you start to turn, using it to help you complete your rotation.4) Reach up to the grips on the wall and grab it with your hands. Let the momentum from your rotation and your leap move you sideways. Keep holding on.5) Use the momentum to place one leg on the wall you’re holding onto and press down. Pull up with your arms simultaneously to get over the wall and complete this parkour wall climb.

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Location: The Warren, Dock Street

0.8

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Exercise 08 - Step Up Step Down1) Approach the edge of the railings with both hands. Make sure you have a firm grip.2) Step onto the ridge of the first step. Slowly make your way across to the next step, also shifting across your hand grip.3) Once you reach the last step slowly make your way back down using the same method or alternatively jump off landing on the balls of your feet, pointing your toes and allowing your legs to bend to absorb the impact.

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Location: Hull City Council, George Street

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6 m

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Route 09 - Front Flip1) Position yourself at the top of the stairs, then take a few powerful steps toward the edge.2) Draw your arms up around your shoulders and punch the ground with a two-footed stomp.3) Allow your body to rise slightly before beginning the rotation of the flip.4) Throw your arms down as you pull your legs into a tight tucked position. This provides the momentum you need to carry you through the flip.5) Land on the balls of your feet, then execute a roll to absorb the extra impact of the drop.

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Location: Hull City Council, George Street

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7 m

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ERoute 10 - Precision1) Jump upward and out, throwing your hands into the air and above your head so that your body forms a straight line that flies head first at a roughly 45 degree angle towards the object you’re trying to precision on. Bring your knees as high as you can into a tuck position while you’re in the air.2) Transition from your tuck to stretching out your legs as you get midway through the jump of the precision. Angle your body down ward and toward the object so that your feet are closer to it than your head. Spot the object at this point and get ready to land.3) Focus on your footing as you land so your feet are centred on the object you’re landing on. Land on the balls of your feet and then bend your knees into a squat and allow your arms to swing out in front of you to absorb the force of the landing. Squat as deeply as needed to stop and stabilize yourself after the parkour precision.

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Location: George Street Car Park, Wilberforce Drive

2 m

2 m

7 m

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Route 11 - Monkey Walk1) As you reach the roof, squat on your knees and place your hands on the ground. This is the basic position of the monkey walk. From here, you can easily move into any number of different positions, adopting a fluid style which conforms to the philosophies of parkour and free running.2) Shift your weight onto one arm and one leg, rolling your body from side to side while you keep one hand on the ground. This helps stretch your muscles and increase the blood flow into your arms and legs.3) Twist your torso and move your arms while keeping your legs on the ground. Make sure you loosen the muscles in your chest and torso when you perform the monkey walk, as well as in your limbs.4) Practice rolls on both shoulders before returning to the basic position. Rolls are important in parkour because they help you land without injury, and the monkey walk allows you to practice a few as part of your warm up.

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Location: George Street Car Park, Wilberforce Drive

1.8

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5 m

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FRoute 12 - Safety Landings1) Land on the balls of your feet. Your heels should never touch the ground during the landing. Landing flat-footed translates the jump’s impact directly to your knees, which can cause serious injury.2) Bend your knees at just more than a 90 degree angle as you touch down. This allows you to use the large quadricep muscles in your legs to soften the landing.3) Place the palms of your hands on the ground between your legs. This distributes the force of the jump more evenly throughout your body and lets you use your upper body muscles to control your landing.4) Pop out of the safety landing with a quick hop. Staying planted on the ground longer than necessary reduces your momentum and interrupts the flow of your parkour routine.

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Location: Police Station, Wilberforce Drive

1.8

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2 m

2.2 m

6 m

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Route 13 - Wall Run1) Take a few steps back from the wall and line up your jump. You don’t need to hit the wall at a full sprint, so if you’ve got room for a few quick steps on the approach you’re far enough away.2) Run at the wall with quick and explosive steps. Gradually build up the power of your steps and keep your movements controlled, fluid and focused.3) Jump off of one leg and lift the other up toward the wall.4) Place your foot between waist and chest height on the wall. The height of your foot placement should vary depending on how high you’re trying to jump, so don’t reach farther than you need to.5) Apply pressure to the wall with your foot and launch yourself upward. Use your hands to help pull your body up the wall as much as you can.6) Reach out with both of your hands and grab the ledge. Grabbing the top with one hand can be a bit dangerous, especially if the wall is dirty, dusty or sandy, so use two for extra safety. Pull yourself up and climb onto the top of the wall.

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Location: Police Station, Wilberforce Drive

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5.2

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0.8

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GRoute 14 - Dash Vault1) Run towards the obstacle at a reasonable speed, something more than a jog but a little less than a full run. Keep an eye on a good place to plant your feet for the vault, somewhere about a yard or so from the obstacle.2) Place your feet on the chosen spot, making sure they are steady enough to support your weight, but flexible enough to help you move into the dash vault. Bend your knees slightly as you make the obstacle, you will use them to push off into the jump.3) Jump both forwards and upwards, using your legs to propel you over the obstacle. You want to watch your height just as much as your distance, the instinct is to focus too much on forward momentum without paying attention to upward lift. You want to make sure you are jumping high enough to clear the obstacle completely.4) Point your toes down and land on the balls of your feet. As you do so, you should bend your knees again to help cushion the impact and push forward to shift your momentum in the direction you intend to move. This will allow you to transition smoothly from the dash vault to perform another parkour manoeuvre of your choice.

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Location: Hull College, George Street

7 m

2.4 m

15

Route 15 - Standing Cat Leap1) Get a running start. The higher the wall you’re trying to top, the more important it is to build some momentum.2) Leap upward and reach for the grips on the surface of the wall with both hands.3) Place one foot as high up the wall as you can, propelling yourself higher. Use the other foot to climb the wall.4) Move quickly. The faster you’re moving, the higher you’re able to climb using the standing cat leap.

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Location: Hull College, George Street

2 m

2 m

2 m

1 m

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HRoute 16 - Tic Tac1) Take a few steps back from the wall and visualize your jump. Be confident that you can clear the obstacle. Take a few seconds to relax.2) Run toward the wall and build as much speed as you’ll need to get good height on your jump.3) Jump off of one leg and lift the other toward the wall, bending your knee as you bring it up. Focus on the spot on the wall where your foot will hit, not on the obstacle you’re trying to clear.4) Place your lifted foot on the wall and push off in the direction of the obstacle you’re clearing. Make this movement quick and efficient.5) Lift your other leg and jump over the obstacle.6) Land lightly on the balls of your feet and take a few steps to slow yourself down.

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Location: Combined Court Centre, Chapel Lane

2 m

2 m

6 m

1 m

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Route 17 - The Wall Spin1) Approach the wall with a few short, controlled steps.2) Punch the ground with both feet as you reach out for the wall with your hands. Like the palm spin, your left hand must be turned away from your body and pointing toward the ground.3) Tuck your legs and spin around your posted left arm.4) Lift your right hand off of the wall and finish the spin. Be sure to land softly on the balls of your feet to avoid impact injuries.

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Location: Combined Court Centre, Chapel Lane

1 m 18

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Exercise 18 - The Breakthrough1) Approach the railings, grabbing the top with a firm grip using both hands.2) Still gripping the railings, swing yourself through, bending your arms as your whole body and head pass through.3) Once through, you arms should be straight. Push up with your feet and use your upper body strength to pull yourself up.

Location: HSBC Bank, Whitefriargate

1.8

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1.2 m3

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9 m

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Route 19 - Kong Vault1) Give yourself a reasonable amount of running room before starting your approach. Kong Vaults rely on power and speed, which you’ll need space to develop.2) Accelerate towards the railings. Don’t run full-out from the start, though. Gradually build your energy and speed so you can explode into the vault.3) Leap forward from the ground as you near the rail. You can either use a one-footed or two-footed leap to start your vault. The choice is more a matter of personal preference than functionality, although the one-footed leap lets you keep more speed through the vault.4) Reach out for the top of the rail with both hands as you leap.5) Plant both hands on the rail at the same time. This increases the stability of your vault and promotes a powerful shoulder deflection.6) Push off from the obstacle with your arms as you bring your feet beneath your body. Draw your legs into a tight tuck so you don’t graze the obstacle with your shoes.7) Allow your momentum to carry you over the rail and into your landing. Step out of the vault by landing on one foot first.

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Location: HSBC Bank, Whitefriargate

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Exercise 20 - One Legged Wall Squat1) Whilst waiting for the bus, bend your legs to 90 degrees and have your back against the shelter.2) Bring one leg up extended so your thighs are parallel do this on both legs. 3) Repeat for as long as you can or until your bus arrives!

Location: Business Offices Bus Stop, Alfred Gelder Street

12 m

21

Route 21 - Wall Ladder1) Propel yourself off of the ground with one foot, and put the other foot on the wall. Usually, your dominant foot will be the foot that first touches the wall. 2) Move your centre of gravity upwards. You can do this by throwing your upper body upwards so you’re heading up the side of the wall. Continue moving your feet in a climbing motion as you head up the wall, using bricks for placement and grip.3) Reach out your arms and grab protruded bricks above. You can use your upper body strength to help pull yourself up.

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Location: Business Offices, Alfred Gelder Street

1.2 m

22

9 m

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Route 22 - Running Cat Leap1) Start your jump when you’re close enough to land on the wall. As you jump, launch yourself up and across rather than just horizontally.2) Move your legs forward at the apex of your jump so you can use them to absorb some of the impact of the wall. However, make sure that the first foot you hit the wall with isn’t directly in front of your torso. If it’s in front, you could injure the leg and probably won’t make the cat leap.3) Grab the top of the wall ridges with your hands when your feet meet the wall. Let your body absorb the shock first, and then pull yourself up using both your hands and feet. Keep the momentum going or else you’ll fall off the wall rather than go over it.4) Return to a run once you get to the top of the wall to complete your cat leap. Use the momentum of your jump to quickly get back up to full speed.

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Location: Business Offices, Alfred Gelder Street

23

1 m

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Location: Princes Quay, Castle StreetExercise 23 - Swinger1) Approach the concrete block, use your hands to push yourself to sit on the surface.2) Swing your legs across so that you are facing the opposite direction.3) Land on the balls of your feet, pointing your toes and allowing your legs to bend to absorb the impact.4) Approach the next block and repeat the process.

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Route 24 - Jump1) Stand on the rock, feet flat. You should be able to perform a parkour jump at ground level before you perform it from a height where you might fall and injure yourself.2) Jump upwards as well as forwards. The gut instinct is to put all your energy into forward momentum in order to cross the distance between each rock.3) Stretch out your body to its fullest extension as you jump. Throw your arms forward and invest every inch of your body into the jump.4) Focus on your landing point. Look for the precise spot where you intend to land and aim for that spot. Don’t take your eyes off as you come down from your jump.5) Land on the balls of your feet, pointing your toes and allowing your legs to bend to absorb the impact. Allow your body weight to shift forward, transferring the momentum ahead of you so that you land smoothly and can fluidly perform the next parkour manoeuvre.6) Increase your distance travelled and the heights you can reach with your jump as you improve. You can also perform jumps from gradually higher points, being careful to stay within your skill range and not taking unnecessary risks with your safety.

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Location: Princes Quay, Castle Street

9 m

3 m

1.7

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Route 25 - Cat Move1) Prepare for your leap. Focus on using a standing broad jump to clear the gap.2) Leap from your starting point towards the wall. You’ll need to grab the ledges of the wall with your hands, so be sure to get the required amount of height you need to accomplish this.3) Draw your feet up beneath you, then reach out with them towards the wall. Your feet must hit the wall slightly before your hands to effectively absorb the jump’s impact.4) Grab onto the ledge of the wall with your hands. How you grasp the ledge is up to you, but make sure you’ve got a solid grip.5) Press one of your feet into the wall and swing the other out and up behind your body.6) Pull yourself up and over the ledge using your arm strength and your leg’s momentum. Be sure to keep your planted leg pressed into the wall so you don’t slip.

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Location: Princes Quay / Primark, Osborne Street

9 m

2.8 m

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Route 26 - Flag Pole1) Target the muscle groups in your back, arms and legs. Engage your abs to support your spine, as your core is key to performing the flag pole move.2) Place both hands on the vertical object so your palms are facing away from you. Spread your hands 2 to 3 feet apart and find a comfortable grip. Make sure both hands are vertically aligned with each other.3) Kick up into the air using your leg that is farthest away from the vertical object. Bend your leg slightly at the knee. Keeping it bent ensures the muscles in your leg are relaxed. Kick as high as you are able.4) Aim to have your entire body horizontal to the ground, or perpendicular to the vertical object.5) Maintain the hold by keeping a tight grip on the vertical object with your arms locked at the elbows. Engage your core muscles to support your spine and lower body, particularly your legs.6) Dismount from the flag pole position by maintaining control of your body’s weight with your arms, maintain the vertical alignment in your body to prevent injury.

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Location: Princes Quay / Primark, Osborne Street