Parkour Chaos

As you’ve probably already gathered from this section of the site I am a big advocate of chaos training. Training with constantly changing demands in ever dynamic environments is essential in the development of adaptability and flexibility. I recently received a link to a Youtube movie that showed the training preparation for the actors in The 300 (thanks Frank). Each session was completely different but extremely challenging. The body improves at a much faster rate with constantly shifting demands.

The thing I have been most taken with as we’ve explored PK and free running is the naturally chaotic environment that these athletes peform in. In the case of PK, getting from A to B in the most efficient way possible and dealing with what you encounter as it happens is inherently chaotic. The point being, that the very activity itself embodies the principles of chaos training.

The ultimate challenge for the exponent of Parkour would be to be able to move from A to B in the most efficient and effective way possible, that is, the naturally correct way.

“You have to learn how to push the rock where it wants to go.”
One Arrow, One Life (OAOL)

“When I later discussed these difficulties with (the Master), he explained that my approach was too intellectual; that I was relying too much on my ego – that is, my conscious mind – to figure out which way the stone ‘wanted’ to move.”
OAOL

It is an important thing to appreciate that Parkour embodies the pure essence of chaos training. What is chaos training really? You will remember from ‘Spread the Insanity’ issue 10 our discussion of the Japanese terms ‘ri’ and ‘ji’. Ji will vary from situation to situation, that is, the specific manifestations of the underlying principles.

“The specific manifestations of the principle will vary from rock to rock, from terrain to terrain So, too, will the specific techniques for determining the proper direction...”
OAOL

But ‘ri’, the underlying principles, remain the same. AND THIS IS WHY WE DO CHAOS TRAINING. To discover the underlying principles in all things that transcend specifics. To ‘throw away the ego’ and become one with the specifics of the moment is to embody ‘ri’. The proper action would then be readily apparent, as a burst of intuition. To do something without ‘ri’ is to force a result. To do things without ‘ri’ is said to be doing things without love for the material at hand. To do things in conformity with ‘ri’ or the naturally correct way is to feel oneness of self with them.

To experience ‘ri’ is to experience the path of least resistance. As we get better and better at adapting within the moment, our adaptation will become seemless, that is achieving the mind-set we call Psycosis – when no gap exist between intuiton and action. When our mind remains in fluid motion along with our actions and we become what we are doing we find ‘the silence’ inherent within all things.

We do chaos training to create more and more chaotic environments so that we improve our ability to adapt within the moment to the point where it is not adapatation as such but rather the naturally correct way to ‘be’ within that moment. Since this is not contrived motion or thought we are in fact able to experience the silence or truth of the very living moment itself.

For thos of you seeking to throw yourself down the rabbit hole that is chaos training, I highly recommend Parkour as a way of moving beyond the chaos and experiencing truth.