RocPK eve...
'twas the night before opening, and all through RocPK, not a creature was stirring, save a traceur called graham grey... :)
- Posted from Rochester, NY
Who likes fancy wall boxes?
- Posted from 0°0'N, 0°0'E and Rochester, NY
Semi-clean gym
- Posted from 0°0'N, 0°0'E and Rochester, NY
RocPK grows, & grows, & grows...
Some shots of the gym in progress, & fun had along the way! :)
- Posted from Rochester, NY
My Vision for Rochester Parkour
My Vision for Rochester Parkour
Charles Moreland
Background:
Rochester Parkour started in the fall of 2007 and grew rapidly on the back of free jam sessions that were open, diverse, and fun. We brought together community members of all ages into the same environment, at the same time, to teach and learn together what it was to be a traceur. Some people were there for serious gain; others were there for simple reasons. We grew fast because in the end, it was fun and well tailored to all groups of people.
The Challenge:
Winter in Rochester lasts quite a long time and is a prime reason for the new gym space. Dangerous environments necessitate a controlled environment where people can continue to learn and grow but stay safe.
Most parkour specific gyms follow a model very similar to a martial arts studio: there is a curriculum, taught by specific instructors, and mediated through classes. Because of this process, instruction tends to be very selective and sometimes very pricey with some monthly memberships running up to $160 a month. This range is impossible for college students (the prime demographic in parkour) and makes it impossible for them to participate fully. Thus, the gym begins to separate and divide the already established community with the newly growing one, sponsored by the gym classes.
Some solutions have given certain members free passes in exchange for coaching, however, based on some personal reviews, this method seems to eventually degrade that coaches desire and minimizes personal progress.
The Rochester Parkour Solution:
In some situations, the best solutions are also the simplest. I believe this is one such case as Rochester Parkour does not need to follow in the foot steps of the models already available for parkour gyms. The model we will follow is already available - it is our own model, described in the background.
Rochester Parkour will bias open gym times for operation hours. This means there will be a roughly set 80% open gym time and 20% class time per week, compared to the opposite with all other established parkour gyms. This stance will create an environment very similar to a rock gym and very similar to the Saturday Manhattan Square Park jams we already know and love. People/traceurs will come and go as they please and can tailor their session to be as simple and fun or as complex and serious as they wish.
I will take a step further than most rock gyms and purposefully populate the gym with people who are not only great athlete’s, but great instructors as well who will serve several hours a week as a supervisor: someone recognizable by all who are at the gym as someone they can go ask questions, receive instruction from, or be moderated by. Supervisors will only be on duty for several hours a week and will receive free membership, allowing them to pursue further whatever path it was that got them the position and recognition in the first place. Supervisors who are not on duty are not expected to spend free time assisting. That is determined by the individual.
In this way, supervisors are able to instruct on an ongoing basis allowing for a more creative and flexible atmosphere. Sometimes you may be given one on one instruction while other times there will be a small impromptu group session on something like rolls. Supervisors will be trained to spot dangerous or potentially unsafe activity and recommend some other beneficial activity.
Several times a week there will be time sectioned off for specific reasons such as a kid’s only time or a women’s only time or for some other specified reason (outreach programs, etc.). Several times a week there will be classes which will cover all the basic movements for those that wish to learn in a more structured environment.
Conclusion:
This vision I hope will be a positive answer to the challenges presented by most other gyms and hopefully serve to calm my nerves about the potential risks and trauma a new space can occur onto an already established community (especially on a community that was founded on the premise of “free”). Outdoor jams will continue to remain Rochester Parkour sponsored and continue to be free as they are now tradition. In conclusion, this process will help to continue our top quality instruction for as cheap as possible.
Any questions, comments, or suggestions should be forwarded to info@rochesterparkour.com to be discussed.
Rochester Parkour Move-In Day!
Today was Rochester Parkour's first official day in the gym space. I want to personally thank everyone for taking the time to show up and help move a ton of weights...literally, a ton! Possibly two, who knows. Great turn-out, great job, great time, and lots of laughs. Keep up the good work gang!
- Posted from 0°0'N, 0°0'E
First Training Day of 2011
Today was the first meeting of the new year for rochester parkour. And what better way to celebrate than with games in the snow!
More videos to come soon!
- Posted from 0°0'N, 0°0'E and Rochester, NY
