Monsieur Belle Was, In Fact, In Pontefract!!

Just a lil post about the things I have acheived in the past few weeks and the stuff I am aiming for. Nothing really in terms of 'overall parkour,' just a few specific movements and things.

I got my A level January results back not more than two weeks ago and it turns out that I have already achieved an A and C in maths and further maths with the summers exams still to go, which to say I train ten times more than I study, is IMMENSE. That along with a decent result in physics, means I should be getting 3 As this summer (I say 'should' because if I put any effort in what so ever I will, just can't be arsed to).

Anyway on the same day as I got my results I went out training with Jim and although he hasn't trained properly for ages (like before xmas) because of illness, we both managed to complete some of our goals. Just things we had seen AGES ago and said to ourselves, "One day I will do that!"

I managed to do the 9 and a lil bit 'river gap' and the Playhouse and then do the cat pass to precision on a lower wall right next to the Royal Armories building (old brown walls with a cannon next to them). I was far more proud of doing that (even though I couldn't stick it nice) than I was of my exam results which shows where my heart lies I think :P.
I was looking at doing a similar one at Millenium Sq off a rail a few days ago and was nearing attempting it (even got my camera out ready) when some chavy girls turned up and started bugging me, so much so I couldn't nearly have enough focus to overcome the fear. Jim did well on that day as well, after such a long time out he took a while to get back into things but soon got his confidense back and even did arm jumps much greater than he did before and his cat passes had improved, so much so he ticked one of his boxxes by doing a cat pass precision on the red wall the other side of the river to the Armouries.

I did some more solo training around Cas a few weeks back and went back to the arm jump I had only stuck once previously (the one in the pic to the right>>) and didn't dare attempt the last time I was there. Needless to say after a few moments to focus, I stuck it like 8 times in a row and watching the footage back I compared it to the last time I did it and I have taken half a second off the time it takes me from hitting the wall to being stood on top of it, which I like as the wall isn't the best for climbups. On the same day I did a little precision practise and stuck an upwards precion I found quite hard to do just once preveiously, 15 times in a row (15X there and back).

As far as strength work is concerned I have almost lost strength after finishing the last of my creatine off a month ago (proof that it does REALLY work). I haven't gone down in weight with any movement but I am finding it harder to keep at the same level as before and generally haven't incresed my strength in a few weeks.

However the positive to comming off creatine means I loose a little mass due to water retension in my muscles and although I haven't moved up any weight in the gym I have finally managed muscle ups 'en force' (dead weight - without using any momentum) and I can now raise up from a full planche into a handstand with relative ease (basically raising from a press up position to a handstand keeping my body as straight as possible).

I also did the precision across the entrance of the Library (next to the art gallery) which is roughly 12 feet across and 4 feet down. The first time I did it, it was all about overcomming the fear and after 10 mins of preparing myself mentally by doing similar jumps with no gap to fall down and the likes off, I jumped almost too far and just bounced straight off the wall. It turns out to be easier than anyone expects and anyone that has done it will tell you that. The second time I did it I had much more confidense and I just floated a jump up and over to stick the landing amzingly considdering the size of the jump.

As for footage I have pretty much everthing I have talked about above on film and other bits that I am still yet to upload from my camera. When I do I will post a few short vids on here.

I have got enough footage now to make a sampler but I want to wait until I get certain things on film, some which I have done - just not on my camera, and soem I am yet to do, like the cat pass at Millenium Sq. It might take a few weeks before I get what I want but eventually I will realease a sampler.

On a side note:
I was Playing pool in a bar in Ponty last Thursday night, but had gone straight there from training in Leeds so I had my bag and cam corder with me, I showed a few guys some of the footage and it ended up being the talk of the bar resulting in me doing a backtuck in the middle of the place... Anyway, some lass was saying how her cousin knows someone who does it and I got interested thinking it would be someone local... She went on to explain how her cousin was some pro snowboarder and new the guy of the rush hour advert... I thought it unlikely but she carried on... She said how DB and her cousin were in the bar one evening and the cousin pointed out the fact that DB was on TV and stood right there at the same time... I didn't really believe this either but she went on to say how he spoke little English and described him pretty well making me believe monsieur Belle was, in fact, in Pontefract!!

Peace... And Chips