Fall, Learn, Succeed, Repeat: Parkours Path to Unshakable Resiliance
How often can we reach new heights in life without first running into struggles or “failure”? When was the last time you felt real growth without initially feeling challenged?
We need to come face-to-face with adversity in order to see what we are truly capable of and unlock our potential.
So doesn’t that tell us that without challenging ourselves we miss out on opportunities to grow?
In today’s fast-paced world, many young people struggle with motivation, self-confidence, and perseverance. The rise of digital entertainment and social media has made instant gratification more appealing than the slow and often frustrating process of growth. They’re missing a key component of seeing their own potential: the opportunity to overcome obstacles on a regular basis. This is the opportunity we provide to our students at Urban Youth Park. We create safe and controlled opportunities to challenge the body and mind to overcome obstacles, literally and figuratively.
Parkour is more than what you see on the surface; it’s a philosophy of movement that encourages problem-solving, persistence, and adaptability. By consistently working to overcome physical and mental challenges, participants develop essential life skills such as resilience, perseverance, and confidence—qualities that will serve them well in school, sports, work-environments, and life as a whole.
The Problem: Lack of Motivation & Growth Mindset
Many youth today struggle with a fixed mindset—the belief that their abilities are set and cannot be improved. This mindset is linked to lower motivation, decreased self-efficacy, and higher rates of anxiety and stress (Dweck, 2006). Without regular exposure to challenges that require persistence, many kids avoid difficult tasks, fear failure, and struggle with low self-esteem.
A 2020 study published in the Journal of Adolescence found that youth who regularly faced and overcame physical challenges—such as in sports or adventure-based activities—developed higher levels of self-regulation, confidence, and emotional resilience (Opstoel et al., 2020). Parkour, which requires participants to fail, adapt, and try again, is a perfect way to develop this growth-oriented mindset.
The Parkour Solution: Building Strength Inside & Out
Parkour naturally encourages a growth mindset because failure is part of the process. No one lands a move perfectly the first time, and every stumble or mistake is a chance to learn. This process reinforces the idea that effort leads to improvement, a belief that has been shown to increase motivation and success across multiple areas of life (Yeager & Dweck, 2012).
Here’s how practicing parkour helps youth develop these critical life skills:
• Resilience: Parkour teaches kids to embrace failure as part of learning. Each time they fall, they get up and try again, reinforcing emotional and physical resilience.
• Perseverance: Mastering a skill in parkour takes practice. Whether it’s learning to vault over a wall or land a precision jump, repeated effort leads to progress. We celebrate perseverance just as much as the result.
• Confidence: Overcoming obstacles in a safe, structured environment builds self-confidence. As kids and teens see their own improvement, they gain belief in their ability to tackle challenges in other areas of life.
A study from Frontiers in Psychology found that engaging in structured physical challenges, such as parkour, led to increased self-confidence, problem-solving abilities, and reduced fear of failure in adolescents (Schnitzler et al., 2020). By providing a safe and supportive space for kids and teens to push their limits, young people have that chance to develop confidence that becomes a part of their character.
Join Us & Build Strength for Life
At Urban Youth Park, we’re dedicated to helping kids, teens, and families embrace challenge as a path to growth. Whether your child is struggling with confidence, motivation, or perseverance, parkour provides a fun, engaging, and scientifically-backed way to develop these crucial life skills.
Visit UYP and see the power of overcoming obstacles firsthand. Every day becomes a leap toward a stronger, more confident future.
Explore our website to find more information on location, scheduling, and trial-class offers!
References:
• Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. Random House.
• Opstoel, K., Chapelle, L., Prins, F. J., et al. (2020). “The Role of Sports and Physical Activity in Youth Development: A Systematic Review.” Journal of Adolescence, 82, 1-14.
• Schnitzler, K., Krüger, M., & Groppe, S. (2020). “Overcoming Obstacles: How Parkour Develops Psychological Resilience in Adolescents.” Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 1122.
• Yeager, D. S., & Dweck, C. S. (2012). “Mindsets That Promote Resilience: When Students Believe That Personal Characteristics Can Be Developed.” Educational Psychologist, 47(4), 302-314.
