I’m Dani Sampayo, from Irun, Basque Country, and I am parkour/add practitioner and instructor. Also, I cooperate with many festivals to bring parkour workshops there and collaborate with government education department for developing ADD in schools as part of physical education subject, among other forms of diffusion and use of discipline. I train since 2002. I discovered the discipline after seeing the Yamakasi movie. Since 2003 I work on a Spanish webpage dedicated to transmit and promote the ADD.
What is your point of view on starting parkour in group parkour trainings (classes, academies and such)?
I think it’s a good choice. You can find a good instructor and learn about the basics with respect for your body and the discipline and the other people. The coach will help you and see what is the better way for your developing, sharing their knowledge and experience in the physical and mental development. As well, you can count on your class partners to growth and develop in community.
What is your point of view on starting parkour by discovering the discipline yourself and everything else that comes with that (is that even a thing now?)
Maybe this option is more free and fun from the point of view of movement. You decide what do you want to do and how. At times, parkour looks like anarchy sport, without rules, without hard physical or technical training behind, and this aspect seems a good option for the young people who explore their capabilities.
What do you think are the key things most practitioners (in general) are missing out?
We can say that parkour is a physical and mental development through the movement, challenges, etc. In this training we have a lot of competences to mastering or to improve, but sometimes seems that many practitioners seek only the skills to do a good show (for their friends and the socials media showcase), giving more importance to the looks than to the essence of the discipline.
LOTZEN ADD UM PARKOUR
The difference between the two and the similarities? (like group training experience sharing)
The method. In classes you have a coach who takes the responsibility to help you in the apprenticeship, who selects a method to follow for your security and better perception about your body, mind, environment and movement. Both ways try out with creativity, challenges, etc, but in one you have a guide who can help you to search your way and train safely, while in the other way you have to search with trial and error without critical help.
Also with a coach the training should be a truly complete and without skipping steps or skills. But when you train alone you run the risk of leaving behind issues that do not seem important to you or you do not like, leaving incomplete the training and development. It doesn’t always has to be like that, but usually happens, especially with the younger people.
What is a quality training for you?
The comprehension of what you do. Understand why and how. For me this is the key to have a quality training and the way to find the best method of work of each. Conscious and balanced training.
I only wish that people enjoy training, but with respect. Self-respect, respect for the others, friends or not, respect for the environment, for the neighbors, for the discipline, for those who were are, and will be.
Competitions and competitiveness in Parkour?
I don’t like the competitions and neither the competitiveness. I think I understand them in their commercial and show sense, and I know there are people who will really compete and others who will not, but for me it’s not the way to promote and teach what is really Parkour. Parkour is more, much more than what is shown in a competition, and we can not reduce it to specific skills to judge. Also, I’m coach, and I believe everyone can practice and learn without comparing with others and be better or worse, so I can’t transmit this idea and then, clap one competition or promote them. I don’t believe in the parkour competition.
“Very comfortable, good design and inspirational quotes. But the most important to me, behind the Skochy brand there are a good spirit and good people”
-What would you will like from Skochy to make?
Chau Belle, Williams Belle and Stephane Vigroux t-shirt!!! 🙂
DANI SAMPAYO
COACH
Lotzen ADD
