Fear never goes away, so do it afraid.

Fear is the one thing that unites all Parkour athletes. 

Fear of heights and a fear of serious injury are rational. Parkour is a risky sport undertaken on terrain we are conditioned to avoid. Just take a look around any urban environment and you will be hit with a barrage of signs that deter you from taking any training outside: No Trespassing, Do Not Climb, Do Not Go Beyond This Point… to disobey is to commit to danger. Parkour athletes see these signs as a thrill, not a threat. This is what sets us apart from the mould. Most people run away from what we run towards.

Coach Cole, looking at a scary jump in Madrid 2025

Society is fear avoidant. Most young people spend less time outdoors than ever before, and we risk losing the benefits of risky play for children altogether if we continue to limit and put boundaries on what the human body can learn, do and bounce back from through minor injury and accidents. Without calculated risk in childhood, the more fear and more injuries we are vulnerable to, which can impact our mental and physical health. Even the Mental Health Foundation has identified the irony of avoiding risk: 'Many parents are nervous…but they are more likely to be involved in a serious accident while at home, as well as being more prone to physical and mental ill-health through lack of exercise’.

The simple explanation for this is- without actively putting your body through the motion of the movement you want to achieve, you will never learn how it feels in your body to land… and fall.

Known in the community as “Mental Game”, all of us have our own demons to beat when faced with a challenge. The good thing is, it’s exactly the fuel you need to progress.

The battles we face when training are the real enemy, not others around us. It’s easy to be put off by comparing yourself with someone who can do what you can’t, but it is a waste of energy which can be better invested in the hard work of facing your fears.

The jumps I have been scared to send I would stand and look at for ages, hands on hips, climbing up and back down over and over. Preparing my body to lock in and send a jump, hesitating too long… the wait before a jump is a literal deadweight in my legs and I am rooted to the spot. This would hold me back for weeks. But the sense of achievement once I am on the other side is the best feeling in the world. It is worth the effort of facing the fear.

Sometimes, the fear is based on past experience. Previous injuries, a bad bail, preparatory jumps not going to plan, returning to a challenge after failing can all create demons we need to face to regain the trust we have in ourselves and our skills. This is normal, and fear will always be there, telling your body what you can and can’t do. Truly, your body knows its own limits. That is one thing we can learn from young children before we place fear in them. They learn by falling over and over and over again how to walk, run, climb and jump. I think there is a lot we can learn from them.

Parkour is a sport that builds resilience and confidence, but only by doing what scares you. Sure, you can create a perfect line using the moves you have drilled and know well, using low walls and minimal distance to avoid any chance of a slip up. I would argue that this is an important part of the style and flair of parkour as a form of self expression through movement, but it isn’t what builds a parkour athlete, and it certainly won’t push you to unlock your full potential. 

To risk a fall is to risk injury. But the greater risk is to your own confidence and progress in the sport. Staring down a jump is staring down the monster of your own making. The only person who can fight it is you. Society has no say in what you can achieve and may actively deter you from your goals. Listen to your body and trust your skills. Take the leap and take on the fear and show them what you’re made of. It truly is worth the risk.

Go send,

Demi

References

Mental Health Foundation. (2024). In the Face of Fear. Www.Mentalhealth.Org.Uk. https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/explore-mental-health/publications/face-fear