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Parkour Jargon

Arm Jump

A movement going from one cat hang to another, typically, but not limited to, performed upward.

Back Roll

A backward flip on the floor. No airtime, just floor. In parkour, performed a bit sideways.

Butterfly

Vault going over an obstacle in a similar fashion to a cartwheel. Starting sideways, completing one full rotation using both hands on the obstacle, then landing on the other side.

Cat 180

Movement starting on one vertical surface in a cat hang, then jumping and pivoting from one wall to another in the opposite direction.

Cat Back

Movement starting on one vertical surface in a cat hang, then jumping and pivoting from one wall to another in the opposite direction.

Cat Hang

Hanging on a vertical surface with hands on a higher level and feet below pressed up against the surface. Typically performed with hands on the top of a surface.

Cat Pass

Staple vault. Feet go between hands. Hands lift off obstacle with feet still behind. Also knows as a kong vault.

Climb Down

Getting down from an object. Typically starting standing and ending resting with hands on the top of an obstacle with hips resting up against the obstacle, or in a cat hang.

Climb Up

Getting on top of an obstacle, typically starting in front support, then stepping one foot up at a time to get on top. Parkour has a thing about putting knees on surfaces. To avoid getting weird looks, use your hands, feet, and no knees.

Dash

Vault going over an obstacle, jumping feet first, hitting both hands on the obstacle at the same time to push your feet to your landing surface.

Descents

A “descent” generally refers to a particular movement where one drops from a higher ledge to a lower ledge first with their feet, then hanging on with their hands. This can also refer to parkour movements characterized by scaling down tall objects in general.

Dyno

A movement going from one cat hang to another, typically, but not limited to, performed upward.

Freerunning

Can be used interchangeably with "parkour", but generally means training flips and creative movements.

Gather Step

A take off technique using separated, but closely timed steps. Performing this includes utilizing built up momentum to launch into another movement.

Ghost Step

A jump taking off and landing on the same foot. Typically performed in conjunction with strides.

Glide

A bar swing performed with both hands and feet on the bar. Typically performed with hands between feet.

Kong

Staple vault. Feet go between hands. Hands lift off obstacle with feet still behind. Also knows as a cat pass.

Lache

Forward release without flipping from a swing on a bar.

Lazy

Vault using both hands while both feet travel to the side and over an obstacle, exiting feet first.

Plyo

Short for plyometric jump, this is a jump performed quickly out of another movement. Properly performing this movement includes utilizing the momentum from the previous movement, and taking off with both feet together.

Pre

Short for precision, this is a landing technique with both feet together, landing on the balls of one's feet.

Precision

A landing technique with both feet together, landing on the balls of one's feet.

QM

Also known as Quadrupedal movement, is crawling. …it’s crawling.

Roll

A flip on the floor. No airtime, just floor. In parkour, performed a bit sideways.

Running 180

A movement performed by running then stepping up a wall to an immediate jump in the opposite direction. This movement typically ends in a precision or cat hang.

Safety

Vault using one foot and hand to get over an obstacle.

Step

Vault using one foot and hand to get over an obstacle.

Stride

Running. It’s running. Big steps between obstacles.

Thief

Vault using both hands while both feet travel to the side and over an obstacle, exiting feet first. Sometimes differentiate from a lazy vault with the addition of landing on the inside foot.

Toe Shoot

A bar swing performed with both hands and feet on the bar. Typically performed with feet between hands. This movement and the movement Glide, are sometimes referred to as the same movement.

Turn

Vault going over an obstacle, landing in a cat hang position on the other side.

Underbar

A vault performed under a bar; Grabbing the bar and swinging feet first.

Vaulting

This term refers to quick movements going over objects using at least one hand for assistance. Different from climbing, vaulting is generally used on objects below head height.

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