Gio’s Farewell Jam.

 

Well this training session, more than anything is that of a missed account. I have no idea how or why I had forgot to document this jam?! The same goes for taking very few images too! I know Dan, Josh, Cameron and a few other Leicesterterians were over as well, seeing as it was Gio’s last ever training session before he headed back to Rome, indefinitely. It had been a quick year since he had first arrived here, but he had been a great addition to the community. An inspiration to the scene as well, in regards to his skill and what he was doing at our training spots. It was a sad day to have him leave us, leaving his mark on many of our spots in the process, with all the insane movements he had done!

The day looked as if it might be a washout, when it started raining an hour before the training session! Thankfully we had the humidity on our side to dry it all away though. James was glad to be out again this weekend, after not attending the last three sessions due to other engagements. After meeting up at Plaza the plan was to train at other spots and slowly make our way up to Portland Park. A spot James has since started to dislike, if only due to fighting tooth and nail with a particular running precision between two rocks. It has eluded him for such a long time. Even though he clearly has the ability, strength and distance for the jump, if sadly, not the self belief…

 

Will – Portrait.

 

It was a movement that has plagued him for many years, much like how the Castle College running catleap had. I didn’t help matters when I ‘may’ have made a failure video [1] goaded on by Adam to do it, after I mentioned I could since I had on filmed James stating he was going to get it and clearly he didn’t. He had planned to make a response video the Monday following after the video, but unfortunately he was unable to break the said jump and spent instead many hours trying and failing the jump. I’m thankful and VERY glad to say he did break the jump today though, after many attempts, advice and almost giving up on it entirely.

Armour, Slow Motion & New Spot Found.

 

I arrived into town at the later time of 12.45pm, due to everyone else being lazy SOB’s who arrive closer to one, an ever occurring theme. So I was rather taken back when I saw masses ready and waiting at Plaza! We made our way to the library spot near the university, but after a couple of jumps we were moved on by a nice security guard. The funniest banter was when someone asked if £5 would persuade him to turn a blind eye and let us carry on training? With that sadly not being an option, it was over to the University spot and hope we wouldn’t be moved on by the same security and that we would be out view from surveillance. I know Adam had wanted to jam there immensely and as of yet, he wasn’t even out!

Lots of jumping, space for us to be spread out, people progressing and so far, not being kicked off. Many of the wooden benches now wobbled as you landed on them. Some swayed more than others, I bet it won’t be long until they fall off completely or have to be replaced. We had a random encounter with a photographer who wanted to take some images of some of us, which is fine and you get that ever so often whilst training in a group. Later she revealed that she had some homemade armour which she wanted people to wear while jumping, if that was possible? Diogo was game for the challenge, donning the armour (as shown below) and posing alike. Looking like a low budget version of the 300! Reece also did a few movements and flips while wearing it as well.

 

Diogo – Portrait.

 

David did a big concrete to concrete standing precision, since when was he able to do such a big jump?! Usually people did it standing from the bench, but to increase the distance you could step back to the concrete making it more a ten foot jump. I looked at it and it felt massive, though when I jumped for it, you felt the delay while you flew in the air. It was strange as each time I looked, I couldn’t for the life of me see it as a jump I could make. Nico was doing a running precision into box jump to the bench. For such a small guy it was a big jump for him and nice to see him progressing in recent months Parkour wise. I cringed when David tried, because both his heels slipped off the take off wall and he nearly broke himself. Diogo had a similar experience when he was doing a big ass running precision too!

Then we sadly got moved on again, dammit it seemed to be a reoccurring pattern today. Adam was just arriving, but he was too late to train the uni spot now and he was gutted about that fact. A few had popped off to the shops before the next location. We had a small stop near the blue railings around the corner, doing a few vaults and a tic tac precision off a tree to a wall. It reminded me of times gone by [2] and the tic tac precision off the tree felt easier than it has ever done. I guess all the training and refinement goes a long way, compared to when it felt like a real stretch in the past to get! Some of the others used the grass to flip around, chat and eat whilst waiting for the others to get back from the shops before all moving up to flats together.

 

Zade – Tic Tac Precision.

 

We slowly moved around the corner, to a upwards corner precision jump which still haunts me, each and every time I come to it. I just couldn’t do it upwards off the bat and it made me very angry and sad at the same time. Yet, others all seemed to do it quite easily, seriously?! I don’t get why t eludes me, the foot placement and slantwise never looks nice. There was a small kong precision to a hydrant concrete post, which looked cool to do but it didn’t half make a thud against the house when people landed on it. I thought it was best if people didn’t practice that, or the tic tac off the same wall either as it might get us moved off or reported. Gio did the corner precision as a diving kong downwards… This guy!

Tears, Bails and Tiredness.

 

After more bad weather in recent weeks, this weekend seemed like it was going to be a good one, with the weather prediction and the attendees. I was excited to be out again and wanted to adventure as well! Sadly, we wouldn’t be seeing Adam this weekend, as he was away (whipped) seeing his girlfriend. James wasn’t out this weekend either, instead opting to go to the cinema! Part timer… Coming along to a training session late one week and then not being out the next weekend, even though he is a ‘committed’ community practitioner. As well as being out ‘all’ the time, in all elements, his words not mine… I know I’ll get stick for saying that!

At first, it seemed like not many would be present after all but in the end we ended up with nine people out. I had made a point to adventure within the event, which likely enticed more people out who were unsure. Stating the plan of action and the areas we would visit, so others knew the route if they needed to find us. Once I arrived at Plaza, a little after twelve I found that hardly anyone was out, why so lazy? Where were they all… Steff was going to be late again, but at least he let me know. People slowly trickled in, up until one. It was good to see Nico out this weekend as well, nailing the kong precisions at Plaza none the less.

 

Gio – Dive Kong.

 

Sean arrived just after we got moved off from Plaza and we instead trained across the road at the Atrium while we waited for the stragglers to arrive. There was some human excrement on the floor, the size of a cow pat, stinking the area out. I really wasn’t feeling training, I felt sluggish and heavy, my shoulder had pulled while warming up too. Zain needed to hurry up as well, he said he would be out today! We trained beside IBM on the giant industrial skip seen in the above image. With Reece nearly destroying his ankle while slipping off the wall on a downward precision. I should mention Gio doing a downwards diving and double kong (seen above) on the walls there was complete madness too!

Then into IBM area itself. Steff, Luke and Ryan arrived just as we were leaving! Good job as well, because we could have been anywhere. Josh had knocked off one of the loose slabs just as we were leaving too. Many of them are now becoming loose or wobble, so it was inevitable that at some point one would tip over, more so for people unaware of the loose ones. We bumped into Zain as we headed up to Mansion Studios for a stint of jumps. Drilling pop lazy and side vaults, precisions and other tic tac based movements. Along with getting Sean to do some of the precision jumps at higher points on the walls which at first he was afraid of.

 

Reece – Sideflip.

 

While we were doing some awkward, diagonal stride precisions and then into a catleap. Ben had managed to destroyed some plastic guttering as he grabbed it for a cat, after overshooting the jump. That didn’t leave the rest of us hopeful in using it for a cats 180 back to the wall. Small victories with the linking of movements for the precisions though. Luke had put himself out of action when he did a gainer off the wall, nearly landing into the giant glass window of the building below as he landed in the stones below, stumbling and kicking them to the window! He had landed on his heel and now found it hard to walk or move around. Every time he is out, he gets injured within the first hour and then is done for the day!

Spring Forward.

 

Another weekend and with it another community training session. I was feeling rather sleep deprived due to previous nights of only having a couple of hours due to child birth (not me directly). Due to that process and my daughter being born, I didn’t in all honesty expect to be out, nor did I think I would be alert or energised enough too either. That being said it was a nice looking day to miss, I might have been busy at home with the newborn had things gone according to plan… Sadly there were many complications and there was to be no release from hospital for a few days, maybe longer. With nothing else left for me to do until later, I decided to go out and get some sun and jumping around the city in my zombie like state.

Yes, to some that might seem insane, insensitive even. But at the same time, it’s not like everything wasn’t being taken care of. You know, being in hospital with nurses taking care of baby and mom alike until she was better. It was going to be my last training session for a while now! I met people at Plaza, who were equally surprised, bewildered and shocked to see me out at all. We were ejected from Plaza, as we were from time to time. I had many congratulations for becoming a father. Which still hadn’t quite sunk in as of yet, never mind hearing or saying it. To think a small human had now entered the world and was to be a life long (to a degree) responsibility, so strange!

 

Adam – Portrait.

 

People moved over to IBM (the same place, the same movements done weekly) it really had become a drag, just kill me now. Then again, it wasn’t like I was going to be doing much anyway, so perhaps it would be okay for today? It seemed James wasn’t liking movements today and was unable to commit to them either, seemingly deflated. Adam trolled him for constantly chatting, same for myself. Says the one who usually spends his time doing exactly the same! I don’t think it was James’ day when he did a precision and landed off balance and fell into the chains. Looking like he may have shinned himself as he disappeared to his comical demise.