Student spotlight: Matthew

Matthew came to us after his mother heard about OYT from a co-worker. After the first lesson, Matthew was hooked on Parkour! He had natural ability and an abundance of energy. He has taken to instruction well and has reached Level 2 in our Parkour program. With the support of his family, Matthew will gracefully maneuver through any obstacle in life.

Matthew executing a "tic tac" on, then off a tree.

European Tour: Zamosc, Poland

While on a tour throughout Europe we made a stop in Zamosc, Poland to teach two dance workshops and give a lecture at the local University. The dance workshops focused on individual growth and we introduced a few new skills. The lecture focused on creating a happy and positive life by expanding on your hobbies and turning them into a source of happiness as well as income. The weekend was filled with positivity and new friends.

Inactive Teens at Risk for More Behavioral Problems

TUESDAY, Oct. 14 (HealthDay News) -- In adolescents, physical inactivity is associated with emotional and behavioral problems, suggests a Finnish study of more than 7,000 teenagers who took part in a survey that assessed their levels of physical activity and mental and emotional health.

Boys who reported less than one hour of moderate to vigorous physical activity a week had more symptoms of anxiety, withdrawal and depression than boys who were more active. Inactive girls had similar problems, and were more likely than inactive boys to also report sleep problems and rule-breaking behaviors.

Both inactive boys and girls were more likely than active peers to have social and attention problems.

"Adolescence is already a complicated and sometimes difficult stage of life -- emotionally, mentally and physically," study author Marko T. Kantomaa said in an American College of Sports Medicine news release.

"Compounding that with negative mental and emotional effects brought on by physical inactivity does not help young people ease into adulthood. Physical activity could be a highly effective and relatively easy way to help that transition and could, in addition, lead to establishment of lifelong healthy habits," Kantomaa said.

The researchers noted that a growing body of evidence suggests that an increase in physical activity helps reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety in both adolescents and adults.

"It seems that there is a psychological and physiological connection that, when operating together, help explain the beneficial effects of exercise on mental health," Kantomaa said.

The study was published in the October issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.

Student Spotlight: Jett

Jett came to OYT a little shy and full of energy. His father was a mentor to me as a young man, so it was my pleasure to coach his son in Breakdancing and Parkour. After our first lesson Jett would run from the car to start his weekly lesson. We split the hour lesson, staring with Breakdancing and ending with a fast paced Parkour lesson. Jett showed extreme disciple and was a joy to coach. He made vast improvements during his time with OYT and I know he will continue to grow healthy and happy.

European Tour: Zagan, Poland

I must say that Zagan, Poland has the largest number and most talented young dancers that I have seen in all my travels. Nearly the whole town showed up to our two day dance workshops and I was impressed the whole time. The town greeted us with open arms and plenty of smiles. Gumar of Zagan helped make the whole thing happen and I truly appreciate his help.

The benefits of Parkour

In the world of health and fitness, if there’s anything that France has done, it is introducing the sport of free running (also known as ‘Parkour’) which is beginning to gain a lot of popularity and acceptance. While the objective of ‘parkour’ is to be able to find a path from point A to point B as quickly and efficiently as possible. As this involves negotiating with obstacles, one has to develop a high level of fitness to do so.So, here is a list of benefits that one can avail of when training using the form of parkour:

Benefit #1: A full-body workout leaving you in great shapeSince everything is about ‘movement’, this involves one having to ‘move’ every part of their body (i.e. cardiovascular exercise), finally resulting in one getting fitter and fitter by the day. Since this also involves negotiating with obstacles, speed and the ability to be ‘water-like’ (a Bruce Lee-ism) while doing so can count for a lot as well.

Benefit #2: Think on your feetSince this form of exercise involves negotiating obstacles that require one to make choices to very quickly, this results in practice for the mind as well, as it makes one to think on their feet. In turn, with each success that you achieve in negotiating an obstacle, you begin to trust your choices, as instinctive as they might be.

Benefit #3: A can-do attitude that leads to greater confidenceWhile most people would avoid jumping a fence but finding an easier path around, traceurs would think of the most efficient way by which one can negotiate this obstacle based on the training that he or she has received. And it is this can-do attitude that can lead to greater confidence that can spread to other areas of your lives.

Article via Medical Daily

Elbow Burn

When practicing the art of B-boying (break dancing), there are many burns that indicate which moves you've been practicing. I was proud to notice that Devi-Dev had earned his windmill burn on his elbow. I showed Devin mine and let him know that he was on the right path. If you'd like to earn these windmill burns, check out the very helpful tutorial by VincaniTV below.