I have developed a new interest in parkour and free-running, both as the newest & most extreme of sports that are closely related to gymnastics, and as a method to open up my eyes & mind to new skill possibilities on gymnastics events. There is obviously a lot of crossover from gymnasts to free runners, but the “freedom” inherent in free running is creating numerous possible and potential skills for traditional gymnastics.

I recommend watching the whole video, but the new vault is at 2:00 into the video.
The YouTube account where this and so many other great Parkour and free-running videos are located is AcroStreetLife and many of the videos are based out of Russia, a hot bed for the sport.

World’s Best Tricks & Parkour

Admittedly, the potential amplitude for a layout squat, gainer back vault are somewhat limited, but I had a girl do the old compulsory layout squat vault and land almost 12 feet from the horse, so there are possibilities. There are also numerous other gymnastics and related skills being practiced and performed in gymnastics gyms in the video, some of which, also are not currently being performed in gymnastics or named after anyone.

I have already seen numerous parkour/free-running skills that could be adapted to floor exercise, pommel horse mounts and dismounts, high bar, p-bar mounts and dismounts, beam and uneven bars. For gymnasts who want a skill named after them, parkour and free-running have already shown the way to gymnasts and there are probably at least 20 – 25 parkour/free-running skills that could just be taken over to artistic gymnastics. Obviously, the form, and some times even the technique, would need to be cleaned up, polished and the ability to stick the skills mastered. But any coach or gymnast, who is not following this break-out sport, is missing some of the most creative body movements being conceived and executed.

I hope that other gymnasts and coaches take to heart the creativity that free-runners are displaying to the world and take that energy, creativity and the new skills and put all of those characteristics and skills into and back into our sport of artistic gymnastics.

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