Rail Simulators and Parallette Trainers

[Nick Romero]

Among the most challenging and dreaded skills to train in all of parkour are rail precisions. My aversion to these high risk jumps has, on the bright side, kept me intact and away from any major rail accidents. This security though has come at the cost of undertraining, lagging skills while firmly clinging to all the related mental blocks.

With this awareness I have sought places and ways to safely train rails with little luck. This was until I was last in Seattle training at NWCrossFit with Rafe Kelley and saw their sets of wood-mounted iron pipes specifically designed for rail skills. I was amazed, and grateful I found an answer. I was also inspired -- inspired to construct a set for myself:





Simply designed and very stable, these pipes give the feel of handrails and are only inches off of the ground.

Determined to improve my planche game as well, I decided to make a set of parallettes, or parallel bar trainers. These are made of PVC pipe, are strong and stable, and are easy enough to diy:

[Koalapuff]

Niko, that is an awesome idea! That is exactly what I need since I'm such a scardy-cat. Nice work - those look really sturdy too.

[SafeNSure]

...those Parallettes are interesting; I have access to a similar equipment:

Can you give some pointers on how to use them (aside of obviously push-ups/dips, and balancing handstands that I wouldn't do anyway...)?
TY!

[Nick Romero]

American Gymnast has a decent parallette training guide (registration free but required):

http://www.american-gymnast.com/tt/index_163.cfm

Sit exercises are great; v-sits, l-sits, tuck sits, straddle sits... Grounded pushups and dips are obvious, how about planche pushups??



Handstands are a must! Progression is key. Go into them slowly, come out of them slowly, use a wall :)

[SafeNSure]

...planche pushups! LOL!
I think I'll use the Rail Simulators for those, that way, when I'm crashing on my face, the ground will be closer!
:D

(...but thanks!)