Sessions

The Community

Community is a key aspect in all of our training sessions. We help each other, teach each other, learn from each other and look out for each other. We aim to foster a community spirit, where ideas are shared and everyone trains safely and has fun!

Although many of our members have been training for many years, we do not hold a formal qualification to teach, nor are we insured to do so. It is for this reason, we ask that all our members are over the age of 14.

Training Sessions

We train regularly, typically there is at least one training session organised everyday. In the Oxford University term times there are weekly structured training sessions. See the timetable below for training organised this week. Anyone is welcome to organise training, simply put up a post on our Community Facebook Group.

Session Styles

Our training sessions have lots of different styles, with varying degrees of structure. Some sessions are coached by either a qualified or amateur coach. In some some sessions someone structures some portion of the training for everyone, for example by setting certain drills or challenges. Other informal sessions are totally free-form, where everyone shares ideas for training.

Sessions for Beginners?

All sessions are suitable for complete beginners to learn! You can learn a lot (and probably very different things) from either a coached session or just joining in an informal session. At informal sessions there will always be an experienced practitioner there to welcome beginners, give people ideas and generally facilitate the session.

Session Types

We train in lots of different ways. Below we describe the form or style of the training our sessions. Not all sessions fall into these categories, but this gives a general flavour of some of the training we do.

General session - informal, structured or coached training. In these sessions we train general parkour skills and work on general aspects of fitness for parkour. We may train specific movements, routes, play games or set movement challenges.
Women and other non-men (WAONM) session - training sessions open only to women and other non-men. These may be coached, structured or informal. These sessions cover the full spectrum of parkour movement and training.
Lunchtime session - lunchtime informal sessions, typically between for one hour between 12:45 and 13:45 on weekdays. We train everything in these sessions!
Parkour Nuit session - intense and highly focussed coached or structured sessions which take place at night. We typically travel between many training spots and drill routes and movements. These sessions are generally not suitable for a complete beginner but people who have trained a few times can gain a lot from this style of training.
LIGHTNING CONDITIONING session - intense and highly focussed coached or structured sessions which take place at night. We typically travel between many training spots and drill routes and movements. These sessions are generally not suitable for a complete beginner but people who have trained a few times can gain a lot from this style of training.

Session costs

We run purely on donations, so there is no charge for joining or training! We do need funds to go towards hosting and getting teh word out to new members, so a small donation for structured sessions (suggested: Ł2) goes a long way.

When and Where

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Introductory Beginner Coached Session

(age 14+, all comers)

Led throughout by one of our coaches, this session is designed for all abilities (we've had participants who are aged 49 and overweight, so really anyone!) and covering the absolute basics of parkour. You'll get the most out of it if you come each week as we build on what we learn, but still better to come irregularly than not at all!

Creative Outdoor Movement

(age 14+, Non Male)

Led by one of the coaches to take you from complete beginner to confident mover, this session will introduce you to the basics of moving around an urban environment. Good for you and your body, with reported benefits of getting stronger, burning calories, becoming better at moving and improving your confidence. It will include jumping, vaulting, balancing, climbing, and more. You'll get the most out of it if you come each week as we build on what we learn, but still better to come irregularly than not at all!

There is no requirement of any physical ability - seriously! If you're scared of heights, not very coordinated and can't do a press-up then that's fine, this is exactly what will be worked upon.

Female and trans people welcome, the intention is to create a more comfortable environment - more information here. The coach will however be male as we do not yet have a female coach in Oxford.

Focused Session

(age 14+, all comers)

Led by one of the coaches, but not necessarily as structured as the introductory session, each session will be focussed on a particular theme (-ish). This might be an attribute, like speed or silence; this might be a particular movement, like jumping/balancing/climbing; this might be a style of session, like a conditioning or games or parkour nuit.

These sessions will be irregular as the time and location moves around depending on theme and coach's preference.

Informal/Unstructured Training

Turn up and move! This is a melting pot of ideas, everyone is equal and can do whatever they want. These sessions aren't coached or structured, allowing for more self-discovery and creativity. There is usually someone on hand to help people out with ideas and everyone is friendly! Training in a non-coached way is essential for further development in parkour once you're passed the absolute novice stage.