Custom Developed Grading System
​
The idea of a grading system comes from years of training in martial arts. Even to today, most parkour organisations do not have a systematic approach to their training. We have been using our grading system since 2017, and over the years have refined it further.
Our
Method
​
​
Developing character and positive habits through training
​
Grading's
Our grading system starts by teaching students a set number of moves, both technical and conditioning in the first half term. After the half-term, we stop teaching the students and expect that they know the moves.
If they were messing around they will struggle to remember or perform moves. In the second to last class, we have a grading where the student can show that they know the techniques of the moves and are well-conditioned.
It is normal for them to feel nervous but once they go through it they will feel more confident in themselves. The aim is to develop internal drive, the desire for the students to focus, listen well and get the most out of each class and learn to deal with fear and even failure in a positive way.
If they fail they have to watch their friends move on and they can contemplate if they have to improve their focus and try harder for the next grading. If they pass, they get to do more complex moves. A safe progressive system.
​
Uniforms
​​
Here we have a uniform.
Giving the children uniforms generates a positive culture in many ways. The first is that the students have a small thing to be responsible for.
Remembering to bring their t-shirt means they had to prepare for class, it creates a unified group dynamic (one of the tribe) and creates a training mindset. Every sport can be either trained or used as play.
When one is playing the aim is just to have fun not to learn anything, here you see people dressed any way they want, but with training, the aim is to learn and improve.
In this case, for instance, in a Football Academy, a Kung Fu or Karate school, or Rugby Academy, students wear uniforms which has a psychological effect on the way the student trains.​
​Mental training
​
Pushing through 100 squats may seem just physical, but actually, the mind wants to quit the whole way through.
Training students to push through not only shows them that they are capable of doing it but that by not giving up on tasks that seem difficult they can succeed. Also, by practicing they can become an expert at it.
We also, put students in situations where they will feel fear. They may cry, but after they cry they find that they can actually do the move.
They may say they don’t want to do something before trying, but it is their imagination that is the obstacle, not the wall.
We train people to overcome the internal obstacles in their minds by talking them and pushing them through them.
The Band System
​
From White-band to Black-band. We develop through progression, guidance and a coach-student relationship.
Absolute candor
​
Coaches and students practice absolute candor. If you are not honest with yourself about your weak points then you can’t overcome them.​
We train
​
In our outdoor classes, we train when it rains, when it's sunny, when it’s boiling hot, when it’s freezing cold, when it’s dark, we train. No fair-weather training. Training in all weathers makes you a better athlete, if you can land moves on a rainy day then you can certainly do it when it is dry.
