These are 8 different places where you can free-run well!

Free-running in a gym

During Minded Motion free-running classes, we mainly run in a gym. A gym is ideal for learning the basics of free-running. It is a safe environment because you can use mats that can absorb the impact. In addition, in a gym you often have access to a lot of material such as cabinets, benches, horizontal bars, trapezoids, etc. You can place all this wherever you want. So there are many different options and you can adjust everything to your wishes. Perfect for when you want to try a new trick or jump.

Training on spots

Free-running originated on the streets. The sport was conceived to be able to move from a to b as quickly as possible. Later on, tricks and flips were added and then the sport of free-running was born.

When you have mastered the basics of free-running, you can try your skills outside. Outside of free-running we do on the so-called 'spots'. These are places where there are many obstacles together. Obstacles that you often encounter at spots are walls, posts, bars, curbs, benches, lampposts, stairs, and so on. Spots can be found everywhere, so just look in your hometown. Nothing found? With apps such as 'urban jumpers' and 'city legends' you can find spots throughout the Netherlands.

Example spot. Amstel, Wageningen, Castle garden

Jumping over rooftops and tall buildings

These are the spectacular images you often see on television and the internet. However, this is not what the focus of the sport is on. Free-running takes place largely at ground level. Only professional free-runners who have been training for years regularly go on the roof. This is never without risk. So never just copy this!

Free running in a parkour gym

Nowadays there are also more and more parkour gyms in the Netherlands. These are a kind of gymnasium, but specially designed for free-running. Here you will find obstacles that you do not just encounter outside, for example bars to swing at (bars). parkour gyms have another great advantage, because you can always train there. Even when it is dark or raining outside. It is therefore definitely worth visiting such a parkour gym!

Free-running in a parkour park

The next in the list of places where you can free-run is also specially designed for free-running. I'm talking about a parkour park. This is an outdoor park with all kinds of walls and other obstacles that are suitable for training. There are already a number of parks in the Netherlands. For example, you will find parkour parks in Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Eindhoven and Breda.

Practicing local

If there are no parkour parks or gyms in your area, don't worry. There are also free-run places that can be found in every town or village. Because you can even Freerunning on a nearby lawn or in your garden! You can practice new flips or tricks here so that you can master them better and better.

Free-running in a playground

Another low-threshold option is a playground. You have these everywhere and are also suitable for free-running. Here you often find many obstacles together. Sometimes you have to be a little creative to think of what you can do, but there is always something to come up with. Just make sure you watch out for children playing, don't get in their way.

Training in a forest

You will also find a piece of forest in many places. This is not a very popular location for free-runners to train, but it is certainly possible. If you want to free-run here, your creativity will be put to the test. It is a good exercise to think about which moves you can do in a forest. For example, you can swing from branches or jump from tree trunk to tree trunk.

Free-running on a 'set up'

If you have ever been to a freerun event you are probably already familiar with a set up. As the word literally says, a set up is an arrangement that you can set up. During freerun events, very large set ups are often set up to train on. These often consist of scaffolding with platforms and rods (bars) to swing from. Every set up is unique, which makes it special to train on it. Minded Motion also has its own set up that we regularly use in the lessons.

Free running on the beach

Last but not least, you can also enjoy free-running on the beach. You can practice somersaults in particular here because the sand is often nice and soft to land in. You can also use the dunes to jump from.

In short, you can free-run almost anywhere as long as you let your creativity run wild. One wall or bench can be enough to entertain you for an afternoon. Have fun jumping!