Parkour and Its Benefits

What Is the LAUNCH Program? Meta Description

Tue, 27 May 2025 17:11:30 GMT

A New Kind of Support for Teens

LAUNCH is a group coaching experience designed to help teens:

Process emotions
Build confidence
Break unhealthy thought patterns

Over 8 weekly sessions , students learn practical tools for regulating emotions, setting goals, and developing a growth mindset.

The Curriculum Includes:

Hope vs. fear decision-making
Body awareness and regulation
Identity and belief transformation
Brain science explained simply
Mindset rewiring tools

Each student receives a workbook and participates in weekly challenges and discussions.

Ideal for Teens Who Are:

Anxious or withdrawn
Emotionally reactive
Lacking motivation or focus
Struggling with self-esteem

“Teens leave LAUNCH with the tools to handle emotions, take ownership of their future, and create change that lasts.”

3 Neuro Tips for Parents

Tue, 27 May 2025 17:09:53 GMT

1. Call Out Identity

Children live up to who they believe they are. Use phrases like:

“You’re a hard worker.”
“You bounce back quickly.”
“You’re a leader.”

Reinforcing a positive identity helps kids develop internal strength.

2. Teach the 5 Rs

We use the 5 Rs for Nervous System Regulation:

Rest
Rock
Roll
Rhythm
Repetition

These help reset the brain and body when emotions run high.

3. Shift from Fixing to Listening

Instead of correcting immediately, try: “Wow, that sounds frustrating. Tell me more.”

Validation opens the door for collaboration and growth.

"When kids feel seen and safe, their behavior naturally improves.”

Why Brain Science Belongs in the Gym

Tue, 27 May 2025 17:07:54 GMT

Movement Is Medicine

At Parkour East Texas, we use parkour not only to build physical strength, but also to foster emotional stability and mental growth .

Modern kids face enormous stress and overstimulation. Our programs help rewire the brain for:

Confidence
Focus
Emotional balance

How We Use Brain Science

Cross-body movements support whole-brain integration
Repetitive sequences develop motor memory and regulation
Challenge-based learning fosters resilience and problem-solving

We also train our staff in **NeuroCoaching techniques** that go far beyond sports instruction.

The Result?

Kids who:

Handle setbacks better
Build positive habits
Feel empowered from the inside out

“When you combine movement with mindset and science, you create a playground for transformation.”

5 Ways Parkour Helps Neurodivergent Kids

Tue, 27 May 2025 17:05:04 GMT

1. Regulates the Nervous System

Parkour’s natural movements support the vestibular and proprioceptive systems , helping kids feel more grounded and emotionally balanced.

2. Promotes Cross-Body Movement

Movements like crawling, rolling, and climbing support brain integration (corpus callosum development), boosting cognitive function and focus.

3. Builds Confidence Through Success

Our progressive structure ensures that every student experiences small wins that build motivation and self-worth.

4. Provides a Healthy Risk Outlet

Parkour helps kids understand calculated risk , developing their ability to make decisions, assess safety, and try hard things in a controlled setting.

5. Encourages Emotional Expression

Movement is a powerful tool for processing emotions. We teach kids to express frustration, excitement, and joy through healthy physical outlets.

“Parkour empowers kids to feel in control of their bodies, minds, and emotions—especially those who experience the world differently.”

3 Things Every Teen Needs

Tue, 27 May 2025 17:02:15 GMT

1. Safe Community

Teens need to feel:

Safe to be seen
Safe to fail
Safe to be themselves

At Parkour East Texas, students know that their best effort is enough . They are seen and celebrated without comparison.

2. A Growth Process

Many teens feel overwhelmed by expectations. They need a framework that breaks big goals into manageable milestones.

We teach students:

How to move from “I can’t” to “I can”
To value feedback and persistence
That real growth takes time and repetition

3. Healthy Mindset Tools

When kids lack tools for regulating emotions and mindset, they can spiral quickly. That’s why we teach:

Confidence-building habits
Resilience through movement
Tools for calming the mind and body

“When kids have the tools to process emotions and setbacks, they don’t just survive—they thrive.”

Introducing the Rise-N-Lead Internship

Tue, 27 May 2025 17:00:34 GMT

What Is Rise-N-Lead?

The Rise-N-Lead Internship is a leadership training program for Level 3+ students who are interested in coaching, public speaking, and developing life skills.

Interns attend **monthly leadership meetings**, help coach classes, and work toward leading parts of class under supervision.

What Interns Learn

Public speaking and communication
Problem-solving and creativity
Time management and professionalism
Personal growth and goal setting

Interns also begin preparing for an eventual **ADAPT Level 1** coaching certification—should they pursue a career in parkour instruction.

More Than a Job—A Launchpad

This program helps students:

Step into leadership roles with confidence
Build a coaching identity
Practice service and humility
Inspire others through mentorship

“One of the best ways to learn is to teach. Rise-N-Lead turns students into role models, preparing them for life and leadership.”

Benefits of Open Gyms

Tue, 27 May 2025 16:58:52 GMT

What Is Open Gym?

Open Gym is a 1–2 hour session where students get to choose what they work on. It’s an informal training time filled with opportunity, community, and creativity.

Why Attend Open Gym?

Practice specific skills at your own pace
Explore new movements and challenges
Interact with coaches for feedback or inspiration
Deepen your connection with the parkour community

A Creative Outlet

Unlike structured classes, Open Gym allows students to:

Develop their own “parkour vision”
Train freely in a safe space
Try new skills in a low-pressure environment

Community and Connection

These sessions aren’t just about training—they’re about building relationships. Coaches and students often play games or just hang out, reinforcing the sense of belonging that defines Parkour East Texas.

“Open Gym is where friendships are built and confidence is unlocked through self-driven exploration.”

Access

Available to **unlimited members**
Upgrades available for 1x/week members

What Is Parkour East Texas?

Tue, 27 May 2025 16:57:03 GMT

More Than a Gym—A Movement

We are a mobile and gym-based parkour program focused on teaching youth how to move safely, grow in character, and find joy in challenges.

What to Expect

Each week, students meet with a coach at a designated park or at our Kilgore gym. Class structure includes:

Warm-up
Skill work and review
Games and challenges
Team activities

Classes are built to be fun, inspiring, and challenging—meeting every student where they are.

What Your Child Will Learn

To embrace the growth process
To value effort over perfection
To collaborate and lead within a team
Safe and efficient movement techniques over, under, and through obstacles

Where We Offer Classes

We proudly serve youth across East Texas, including:

Home base: Kilgore
Satellite locations: Nacogdoches, Marshall, Carthage, Lufkin, Tyler, Lindale, and Canton

We’re also raising funds to launch a gym in Nacogdoches and expand community events throughout the region.

“Our goal is to make quality parkour instruction accessible and empowering for all East Texas youth.”

A Glimpse Behind the Curtain: Why We Coach

Tue, 27 May 2025 16:54:22 GMT

The Heart of Parkour East Texas

Behind every jump, vault, and game is a coach with a purpose. Our team is passionate about more than just teaching movement—they’re here to inspire growth.

During one of our weekly professional development meetings, we asked our coaches a simple question: *“Why do you coach?”* Their answers say everything about the culture we’re building.

In Their Own Words

Coach Anthony:

“I coach for the joy of watching people grow in skill and confidence. I coach to build community. Parkour has changed my life, and I want others to experience that too.”

Coach Aschton:

“I love seeing kids develop. Coaching is my way of motivating others and sharing my love for parkour.”

Coach Cotton:

“Parkour gave me confidence and purpose. Coaching lets me help others find the same. Seeing students succeed and return each week excited is the best part.”

Coach Abbey:

“I coach to help young people recognize and use their God-given talents. I want to be a light for my students and foster a space for athletic and personal growth.”

Coaching with Purpose

Each coach at Parkour East Texas is committed to creating a positive, character-focused atmosphere. We believe in:

Mentorship over instruction
Growth over perfection
Encouragement over competition

Why Parkour?

Tue, 27 May 2025 16:50:43 GMT

Parkour Is More Than Movement

It’s a mindset. A way of viewing the world. A method of developing resilience, humility, and strength.

Growth Through Grace and Grit

We teach students to:

Accept imperfection without shame
Celebrate individual learning styles
Turn challenges into growth opportunities

In parkour, everyone progresses at their own pace. There's no scoreboard—just progress.

Creativity Without Constraints

Unlike gymnastics, parkour has few rules. Students learn safe movement principles and then express themselves freely using their strengths and creativity.

Community That Lifts You Up

Parkour creates a family. Students build confidence not only in movement but also in relationships, emotional stability, and self-belief.

“Parkour is an incredible therapy for kids with ADHD, Autism, or low self-esteem. It helps them feel strong, capable, and connected.”

Value from Team Challenges in Parkour

Tue, 27 May 2025 16:49:11 GMT

Developing Communication and Critical Thinking

At Parkour East Texas, our team challenges are more than fun—they’re tools for growth. Students learn:

To consider how their actions affect others
To solve problems creatively
To value teamwork and diverse strengths

Building Confidence in a Safe Environment

These low-risk team-based exercises provide real-life lessons in:

Social interaction
Patience and grace
Collaboration and encouragement

We call our students "teammates" because we’re all working toward the same goal: becoming a little better every class.

Celebrating Individual Strengths

Challenges are designed to let every child shine. Our instructors spotlight different strengths in each activity, helping students:

Feel seen and appreciated
Strengthen their self-worth
Find joy in helping others

“Our team challenges allow emotions and thoughts to surface, creating powerful moments for awareness and growth.”

What We Are About at Parkour East Texas

Tue, 27 May 2025 16:46:28 GMT

Helping Youth Grow Through Parkour

At Parkour East Texas, we focus on preparing youth for success in life—mentally, emotionally, and physically. We use parkour not just for fitness, but as a method to build character and life skills.

Most people want to be great at something, but few embrace being bad first in order to become great. We teach kids to value the learning process, celebrate mistakes, and pursue challenges with grit and humility.

Learning Through Failure

Our coaches guide students through challenges by breaking movements into progressive steps. This helps kids:

Build confidence
Learn that failure is necessary for growth
Embrace the struggle as a sign of progress

Success in life requires us to stretch beyond our comfort zones. Parkour gives kids early exposure to this powerful truth.

Receiving Feedback with Humility

We help students develop critical thinking skills and the ability to self-assess. Instructors provide constructive feedback, and students quickly see results by applying it. This mindset carries over to school, relationships, and future workplaces.

Students learn that:

Feedback is a tool for growth, not criticism
Improvement comes from curiosity and action
Self-assessment boosts resilience and confidence

A Place for Every Child

Our inclusive community welcomes children of all abilities. Students, including those with ADHD or other neurodivergent traits, find a safe space to explore, express, and succeed.

Parkour becomes a personal journey of self-discovery and transformation. Everyone improves at their own pace, and our program celebrates individual progress.

“We help students believe that messing up is GOOD because it shows we’re pushing boundaries and growing.”

Build Confidence in Leadership: Learn to Guide Thoughts

Mon, 21 Apr 2025 13:00:00 GMT

Our Rise-N-Lead internship helps individuals develop confidence in leadership through helping them learn to guide their thoughts. We understand that a huge part of coaching is having the courage to step up and lead someone else. This is why we help our interns learn to guide their thoughts.

The first step in helping an adolescent learn to guide their thoughts is helping them become aware of what is actually going on in their head. Often an individual does something and doesn't realize why they did it. Our Internship is designed to help interns guide their awareness to what is going on in their head so they can then take control instead of being held captive by their thoughts.

The second step we work on in guiding thoughts is teaching the interns how to choose thoughts that would promote confidence and positive results. This is a small shift that produces immense results. Once an intern learns to do this in a coaching setting they can take these skills and apply them to any other area they are struggling with low confidence in!

Supporting the Corpus Callosum's Development: Fundamentals of our Early Childhood Pre-Parkour Program

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 13:00:00 GMT

The Corpus Callosum becomes stronger when it is used. Because of how the brain processes, motor activities call on the Corpus Callosum to be activated. When we add strategic cross lateral movements, we ask the Corpus Callosum to work even more! The more the Corpus Callosum is asked to work, the more neuro pathways the brain creates. The more neuro pathways in a Corpus Callosum means a stronger connection between right and left brain. This helps give a child stronger full logic reasoning skills and helps their brain develop more fully. Every stage of development is critical in a child, but there is no time like early childhood when the brain is rapidly growing and developing. The lack of stimulation at this age can create lasting negative impacts for a child through all their life.

Freeing a Child From the Stress to be Good Enough

Mon, 07 Apr 2025 13:00:00 GMT

Our Parkour program focuses on the mindset of "Fit to be Useful". This concept means we are seeking to get better (mentally and physically) so we can help others. When we focus on becoming better with altruistic motives, it removes the focus from "Am I good enough?", "Is the other kid better than me?", and "Did I win?". This is why we do not focus on comparison or competition. When we do have tasks and there is an element of racing or competition it is presented in the atmosphere of seeking to become better and using the push to help us do our best, not to help us figure out who is the best.

Too often kids are weighed down by the stress to perform and be good enough. Removing this element frees a child to relax. Sometimes a child has already automated a stressful response to any situation that asks the question "Am I good enough". They often bring this mindset with them to parkour. The beautiful thing about the mind is neuro pathways that aren't used do not continue to be strengthened. So if a child comes to parkour with an automatic stressful reaction and fear of being good enough, participating in an environment which repetitively asks them to fire another thought process of "How can I help others" helps to reduce the strength of their old automatic thought of "Am I good enough?".

Depending on the kids age and how solid their automatic response of stress and fear of being good enough is in their brain, this can be a long journey or a quick switch. Our coaches are trained to spot negative mindsets and help a child rewire how they talk and eventually how their brain processes.

Seeing Challenge as Good: Fundamentals of our Early Childhood Pre-Parkour Program

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 13:00:00 GMT

Our Early Childhood program helps young developing brains interact with challenges in a positive environment. This builds a foundation of seeing challenge as good. As a child accomplishes hard things they have never done before, this builds a foundation of proof to the child that "I can do hard things and I can be successful even when I don't get it on the first try." I will never forget my daughter's face the first time as an early 1 year old when she stepped up on a 4-inch block all by herself. Her hands when in the air and she celebrated a brand new accomplishment. The shear joy on her face was contagious. This is what our program is all about, creating wins for the child to build confidence and positive self-esteem. This lays a foundation for how they will interact with challenges for the rest of their life!

Finding Breakthrough From Stress

Thu, 27 Mar 2025 05:00:00 GMT

Often the way to breakthrough and freedom is through the challenge, not avoidance of the challenge. The very thing that can bring release is often that ONE THING we just really, really want to avoid.

When talking about stress this often looks like a person wants to avoid what makes them feel stressed so they avoid leaning into the stress. They just know they feel stressed and they wish they weren't, but that's the extent of their understanding.

However, the exact opposite is true. Breakthrough from stress comes when we are willing to get uncomfortable and understand why our brain is finding a certain situation stressful. Why is our brain interpreting something as a need for adrenaline release? Uncovering this answer is the key to breakthrough from stress.

Because our brains want to keep us safe the process of finding the answer to why our brain finds a certain situation stressful is not as easy as it seems. Our brains want us to stay safe and that means if we normally get stressed in a situation then continuing to get stressed is "safe". This is why patience and time is important.

In our Parkour Programs we gradually chip at the root answer to "what is causing my stress" with unintrusive and playful ways. When coaches start shifting the view point of challenge, failure and progress, it allows thoughts to begin surfacing in a child. It allows comments to start coming out. It allows awareness to start being drawn to the brain and what it is doing to trigger negative responses that often bring stress.

In our internship we dive in more deeply to awareness of thoughts. With older teens I, Hannah, offer a one-on-one Neuro Coaching program to dive head on to stressful thoughts and what is causing them. There is a scientific process that allows us to quickly rewire the brain to trigger less stress within 67 days!

Neuro Pathway Growth: Fundamentals of our Early Childhood Pre-Parkour Program

Mon, 24 Mar 2025 11:00:00 GMT

Our Early Childhood program focuses on helping children as young as 12 months old and as old as 4 years old create neuro pathways that will help them for the rest of their life.

As we introduce movements a child may not have been exposed to yet, this helps them create new neuro pathways in their brain with all the coordination, problem solving, and vestibular input the new movement requires.

By introducing new movements a child now has new ideas in their mind and can explore movement more creatively on their own at home. A toddler only knows about things they are exposed to. By exposing them young to new movements we create extra movement "files" in their brains and give them the foundation to explore more.

Reduce Effects of Dyslexia and other Learning Difficulties with Parkour

Thu, 20 Mar 2025 13:00:00 GMT

Stress causes a reflex reaction that triggers the eyes to "move peripherally so they can take in as much of environment as possible." ( Smart Moves , Hannaford). This means if a child finds school stressful (common among children with dyslexia) their body will trigger a response that makes it even harder to focus and track the words on the page.

Helping a child reduce stress and learn to control their emotions in stressful situations is a powerful tool to support students with dyslexia and other learning difficulties.

Parkour helps children interact with situations that could be seen as stressful in a positive environment. Walking on a rail or taking a jump you have not done before can spike fear and trigger stress in a child. This gives the coach a wonderful opportunity to walk the child through focusing, deep breathing, and logical thinking skills that will help lead them to overcoming the physical task at hand. This does two things 1) builds proof in the child's mind that they are capable and that they can do hard things and be successful and 2) gives the child a fun environment to practice controlling their fear, stress, and emotions which builds a foundation that can be pulled from in other less exciting environments like school and learning to read.

The Mind and Body Connection

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 13:00:00 GMT

The mind and body are not two separate things that develop on their own. They are two very connected elements that play a vital and intertwined role in the development of a child. A strong body creates a healthy environment for a mind to thrive and grow.

As a child moves and plays and learns new physical skills their brain creates neuro pathways that allows their mind to learn more academically. As a child runs and raises their heart rate they increase their cardio vascular health which helps their body provide enough oxygen to the brain so it can process mentally.

Hannaford shares in Smart Moves that "A coordinated series of movements produces increased neurotrophins (natural neural growth factors) and a greater number of connections among neurons." This means with movement the brain can actually be stimulated to create new growth and more connections. We can give our children tools for developing more mentally and academically by helping them lay a ground work of neural growth through movement.

Supporting our kids academically is closely tied to supporting them physically.

Why Regular Use of the Corpus Callosum is Important

Thu, 13 Mar 2025 11:00:00 GMT

The job of our brain job is to keep us alive and safe. To simplify things our brain makes neuro pathways in areas that it things are important. It decides if something is important based on how much we use it. The more we trigger a neuro pathway, the more the brain knows that particular thought, process, or action is important. Over time it builds a neuro pathway that puts that thing it deemed important into automation.

This is why when we start learning how to read it is hard and awkward and slow. But as we grow and learn to read it becomes something we just do without even thinking about it.

How this applies to a child's brain development is things they do rarely are not seen as important to the brain. AND things they do regularly and repetitively are seen as VERY important to the brain. This is why regular stimulation of the Corpus Callosum is important. Regularly challenging the brain to use both sides of the brain through cross lateral movement and asking the brain to strengthen neuro highways tells the brain "Hey, communicating between the right and left brain is important, please build more pathways here". Having a strong Corpus Callosum is a huge contributor to learning how to read and write, developing logical reasoning skills and a huge way we can support children with Neurodivergence.

We pack our Parkour classes full of cross lateral movements that stimulate immense amount of work in the Corpus Callosum in a fun atmosphere!

For more information about the Corpus Callosum and how that impacts children with Neurodivergence go to https://www.parkoureasttexas.com/blog/the-power-of-strengthening-the-corpus-callosum-for-children-with-neurodivergence

Parkour and Neuroplasticity

Mon, 10 Mar 2025 13:00:00 GMT

Parkour is way more than jump on things and run on roofs! Actually, running on someone else's roof without permission is trespassing! Parkour is about learning how to become the best version of yourself you can be. On the first look it looks like learning to overcome physical challenges and develop physical strength. Under the surface however it is about building neuro networks that promote positivity and the ability to make the most out of any situation (no matter how challenging it may seem).

Parkour isn't about being perfect, but instead about becoming a little better than you were yesterday.

Parkour isn't about making the challenge easy enough so you never fail, but instead embracing challenges that stump you because they are a beautiful opportunity to learn something new.

Developing neuro networks goes far beyond physical and positive mindset areas. The neuro networks parkour helps children develop can actually reduce the effects of learning difficulties a child is experiencing in school. These networks can help a child who struggles to focus develop neuro pathways that will help them focus more.

Our coaches regularly implement specific movements that target growth in the Corpus Callosum (the part of the brain that helps the right and left brain communicate). Stimulating neurological development in the Corpus Callosum is critical to a child's brain developing fully. Growth of neuro pathways in the Corpus Callosum can also reduce the effects of learning difficulties.

Because our brains have neuroplasticity we can actually CHANGE the neuro pathways over time. This is why we love Parkour. Week after week youth (and toddlers) can come train their brains to have neuro pathways that promote a lifestyle they (and their parents) want to work towards.