The majority of people who are new to parkour are shocked to discover that one of the fundamental skills is to know how to land and roll parkour. That’s right; you must know how to land and roll properly to move through your environment safely.
This guide will teach you everything you need to know about how to land and roll parkour properly to avoid injury and get the most out of your training.
Parkour is a relatively new sport that is gaining massive recognition across the globe. This has opened many people to desire and learn the sport. To land and roll in parkour requires absolute concentration and body control. That is why learning how to land and roll parkour and how to do a safety roll is essential.
How to Land and Roll Parkour
When you are new to parkour, one of the essential techniques you will need to learn is how to parkour roll.
This is because landing and rolling improperly can lead to severe injuries. To know how to do a roll, you need to understand the physics behind parkour rolls and practice landing softly.
Basically, it is crucial to master the technics of land and roll parkour. Your body wants to go straight up and down when you roll-jump. However, when you land, your body wants to go forward.
To execute proper parkour rolls, as in beginner parkour rolls, you must use momentum to flip your body over forwards while maintaining a tight tuck position.
You can start by sliding down a hill or ramp on your back to practice landing softly. Keep your head up and tuck your chin into your chest. As you reach the bottom of the hill, start flipping your body over forwards using your momentum. Tuck your knees into your chest and keep rolling until you return to your feet.
With enough practice, you will be able to perform parkour rolls with ease.
Types of Landing in Parkour
There are generally three types of landing in parkour: the hard landing, the soft landing, and the transition landing.
Hard Landing
It occurs when you simultaneously land on your feet with both legs. This is the most common type of landing and is what you should aim for when you start. A hard landing is safe if you land correctly but can be dangerous if not executed properly.
Soft Landing
This is when you land on your feet with one leg and absorb the impact with the other. This type of landing is more common among experienced parkour practitioners as it requires more control. A soft landing is safer than a hard landing but can still be dangerous if not done correctly.
Transition Landing
This is the most advanced type of landing and is when you land on your feet with one leg and immediately roll-jump into a forward somersault. This type of landing is only for experienced parkour practitioners as it requires much control and coordination. A transition landing can be dangerous if not done correctly.
An experienced or expert parkour practitioner can also practice side roll parkour. This is also known as the log roll or pencil roll.
There are four land and roll techniques in parkour. They include safety taps, breakfalls, safety vaults, and vaults. These four techniques have their unique uses and functions, which include:
- Safety tap: This is an easy way to stop your forward momentum without having to roll. This is useful when you need to stop quickly and change directions.
- Breakfalls: They are used to break your fall and reduce the impact of the landing. This is useful for jumping from a great height or landing on an uneven surface.
- Safety vault: This is used to quickly get over an obstacle without jumping. This is useful when you need to get over a low wall or fence.
- Vault: This is used to get over an obstacle by using your momentum to jump over it. This is useful when you need to get over a high wall or fence.
How High Can a Parkour Roll Save You?
You can jump from a higher point and land with a well-executed parkour roll, although the height will depend on your level of training. Start small and work your way up as a beginner. You can rise to 10 to 12 feet in a few months. Compared to the 5 to 6 feet you had when you first started.
How to safety roll involves rolling onto one’s back and distributing the impact of the fall across the shoulders and back. Parkour safety rolls enable parkour practitioners to land from heights safely.
The fundamental advantage of parkour rolls is that they lessen the force of a fall and shield the user from harm. When performed correctly, parkour rolls can absorb up to 80% of the impact force, making them an essential safety move for parkour practitioners.
In addition, parkour rolls are incredibly effective at generating forward momentum, making them useful for quickly escaping dangerous situations. For all these reasons, parkour rolls are an essential move for anyone who wants to practice parkour safely.
Several parkour roll techniques reduce the risk of harm, and they include:
Forward Parkour Roll
The forward roll, the most basic of all the rolls, is usually used as a safety measure while learning to roll for the first time or coming down from a low height. Choose which side of your body you want to roll over on when you do so.
Roll on one side at first, but gradually you should learn to roll on both. If you find that you are rolling to the right, bend over and place your right foot forward. Your hands should be positioned in front of you such that the thumbs and index fingers form a diamond
Set them up at a 45-degree angle to the direction you want to roll. Lean into the roll and gaze over your left shoulder using your back leg. Use your hands to direct your movement and your arms to support yourself.
You want to land on the rear of your shoulder blade. Aim to keep your shoulder from making contact with the top. From one hip to the other, roll across your back. You’ll know if you roll wrong, which happens a lot when you’re learning.
There is a learning curve. Roll between your tail and hips, then get up. Lean on the side of your leg and utilize your momentum to rise again.
Side Parkour Roll
The side and forward roll are pretty similar, and both can be used to avoid injury when you fall awkwardly if you roll over with your back more horizontal than forward. Additionally, the precise rolling path is impacted by your angle of fall.
When you fall, use your hands to help you stay in control. Reach your arm or shoulder to roll as gracefully as possible while using your momentum to fall on your back. Then, come back to your feet.
Back Parkour Roll
When leaping from a height, another safety precaution is the back roll. It’s also employed when you need to avoid something behind you. The forward roll should always be practiced first while learning backward safety rolls.
Roll forward, pause before getting to your feet, and then reverse your motion along the same path. Roll a couple of times forward and backward to feel the sensation. When ready, you can stand up or roll over on your back.
Once your back roll is complete, keep moving over your shoulder. You can stand up by raising yourself slightly with your hands. Rolling backward from a drop requires always taking the impact with your legs.Landing with one foot behind the other will make entering the roll easier.
Before beginning the roll, attempt to get as low as you can and regain your balance by standing up and making a lift using your hands, always take the impact with your legs when rolling over after a drop.
Landing with one foot behind the other will make entering the roll easier. Try to halt as soon as you can before starting the roll. Taking up your prior stance, stand up.
Parkour Dive Roll
The parkour dive roll is a little more complicated. In self-defense or parkour situations, you can employ the dive roll to avoid getting wounded if you land on your head. Dive rolls are performed on purpose, such as when diving over a barrier.
You can also use it if you fall unintentionally and are too near to the ground to stand up. Before continuing this diving roll training, make sure you are a pro at the safety roll. Avoid performing the parkour dive roll on hard surfaces, especially when you are experienced.
The diving roll is similar to the forward roll in technique but has a much more significant impact and energy. Additionally, you are landing on your hands and knees instead of your feet. It is best to start by practicing the forward rollout of a handstand.
You only need to position yourself quickly at the right angle to begin the roll; handstand proficiency is not required. Lean slightly forward and duck your head as you roll into position, crouch down, and hold your arms at your sides. While letting your body “sink” into the roll, keep your posture upright (arms, core, legs, and neck).
As soon as you feel confident, jump into the diving roll while standing. To assist your hips in bridging over when you jump, kick your leg back. Let your arms absorb some of the impacts as you strike the ground.
Maintaining your strength while letting them fall apart can help you achieve this. As well as using your arms, get over your head. Roll onto your back by using your forward motion.
After a quick run-up, attempt it once more, and then try jumping off with both feet. Work your way up to performing a complete dive roll. Spread out and dive like a cat. You can deflect the blow using your arms. Tuck your head as you move into the role.
Train with this level of rigor until you can execute it automatically. To move forward, leap higher and over obstacles. As you jump over something, make sure your hips clear the obstruction and your legs and feet travel in the same direction.
Why Do Parkour Roll?
Outsiders sometimes look at parkour practitioners strangely when they see them perform parkour rolls of different types and wonder, “why do parkour roll”.
When parkour-fall occurs, parkour practitioners have a trained reflex to roll immediately. These parkour rolls are not only for movie theatrics or to make parkour look cool. Here are specific and distinct reasons for rolling when you fall in parkour.
- To avoid injury: When you do a parkour roll max height and hit the ground, your system’s initial shock can be jarring and painful. If you do not dissipate that energy somehow. The parkour roll allows you to spread the impact of the fall over a larger surface area. This help to lessen the blow to your body.
- Momentum: When you are in mid-air, you have a lot of momentum behind you. Depending on how high you are, that momentum can be enough to carry you quite a distance if you land flat on your feet. You can arrest that forward momentum by rolling when you hit the ground and avoid hurtling yourself further than intended.
- To Preserve parkour fall: In parkour, practitioners strive to move continuously and smoothly from one obstacle to the next without breaks in their momentum or speed.
If you fall and stop dead in your tracks, it completely disrupts parkour flow and makes it difficult to pick up where you left off. However, if you roll when you fall, it looks much better and preserves the parkour flow to keep going as if nothing happened.
Rolling looks cool (there’s no denying it). There’s something about gracefully tucking into a roll after falling 20 feet off a building that looks awesome. But at the end of the day, parkour rolls serve an essential purpose beyond aesthetics – they keep practitioners safe while maintaining parkour flow.
Conclusion
As anyone who has practiced Parkour knows, landing and rolling correctly is essential to the sport. Not only does parkour roll landing help to prevent injuries, but it also ensures that you maintain your momentum and can continue your run.
There are a few key things to remember when landing and rolling in Parkour. Always aim for a soft surface. This could be a mattress, a pile of leaves, or even a stack of pillows. Also, tuck your chin to your chest and your arms close to your body.
This will help you to roll smoothly and prevent you from getting tangled up. Then, relax your body as much as possible.
This will help you to absorb the impact of the landing and prevent any injuries. These simple tips can help you land and roll safely and effectively in Parkour.