Biomechanics of Parkour: The Vertical Wall-Run Technique

Undergraduate Honors Thesis

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Citeable URL: https://scholar.colorado.edu/concern/undergraduate_honors_theses/f4752h26q

Abstract

In this study of the Parkour wall-run technique, we investigated the foot/hand forces applied during the vertical wall-run, the changes in height and vertical velocity throughout the maneuver, and the height contributions gained from the ground step versus the wall step(s). For this study, we recruited 10 advanced-level Parkour runners (the “pros”) and 10 novice-level Parkour runners (the “joes”). Each subject ran 6-10 trials up the wall, attempting to attain the maximum height possible. From our data results we were able to compute the runners CoM height and the runners CoM vertical velocities throughout the wall-run maneuver, track the calculated values of each trial in terms of both time and runner trajectory, and then make comparisons of the height contribution of the vertical jump impulse off of the ground and the vertical impulse exerted on the wall. From these results, we observed that the runners counteracted their downward gravitational acceleration by applying a vertical frictional force on the wall, and the runners were able to effectively achieve a final peak height that was approximately 1.5 times greater than had they jumped without using the wall.

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