What determines a practitioners skill level

[kingtheking]

I know we all consider ourselves beginner because everyone has something to learn =), but what do you guys/girls think determines a traceurs / traceuses skill. is it how long the can kong, the drops they can take, the amount of vaults they know, their ability to flow...???

[SafeNSure]

...frankly I consider the "we are all beginners" mentality mainly an insurance policy substitute, that is supposed to keep me safe-er.

Other than that, while I recognize when individuals have different (=superior) technical abilities, power, stamina, endurance, and/or general physical conditions, I tend to focus, and eventually analyze -and sometimes appreciate- my own skills; in particular their growth, their plateauing, or their regression.

Since that's the case, I'll be determining my skills according to their matching with Parkour's general goal: overcoming obstacles in one's path using only the human body, while abiding to speed, safety, longevity, efficiency criteria necessary to achieve the utility goal (etre forte pour etre utile - be strong to be useful)...

Which means that, given the same itinerary A to B, my skills are better if I cover it quicker, safer and/or in a more controlled way, and if, once that is maximized, I can increase the distance between A and B, without compromising in speed, safety, etc.

[hillexallen]

I don't like to categorize skill level too much, but I think we can tell by watching someone move how lkong they've been training for and how hard they've been training. I don't we really need to set certain standards for "beginner", "intemediate", and "advanced", even though we use those terms a lot.

[Kirill]

Yes. TOTALLY agree!

Well put too....

[hillexallen]

Ok, I think that the things that you must have to be a "skilled" traceur are:

1. Agility (aka "flow")

2. Speed

3. Strength (mental and physical)

[Seng]

To add to the list of skills to develop to be considered, I would add:

4. pedagogy

Utility comes not only from personal development.

[SafeNSure]

5. Endurance

6. Vision (spatial)

7. Risk evaluation

8. Coordination (different from agility)

9. Timing (pace and rhythm)

[Kirill]

I am opposed to skill levels all together...

I consider a traceur a traceur....

Nothing more, nothing less.

Of course they can be good/bad people

Havent met many bad ones lol.... !

[technique]

I need a +2 dex ring, and 1900 xp to level.

[Seng]

I think you're looking at (DEX+STR+WIS)/3 (that's right, I said WIS, not CON), so you might want some +2 str bracers and a +1 wis toque to go along with that.

[hillexallen]

WTF???

[marisa]

lol, nerds. XD

(I miss gaming.)

[SafeNSure]

I think I know and understand where you're coming from, Kirill, and -in philosophical terms- I agree with you, that a certain traceur -because of skill level, popularity, being the Founder, or in the founders' group, or having a smart online marketing engine, i.e.- is not better than another traceur, and "doesn't have more value" (as, of course, any other human being...).

BUT: back to KingTK's question, I do believe that a parkour practitioner skill level exists and can be assessed comparing different characteristics.

This carries a lot of value for a variety of reasons, among which I can think of "representing parkour" in given situations (example), recommending, teaching, vouching for a safe/controlled environment towards third parties (i.e.: worried parents...), etc...

Even for the supreme goal of parkour...
Picture yourself in an emergency situation running for safety from a building, or from a burning and sinking cruiser on open ocean (great example: movie Poseidon)...
In a group of self rescuing wanna-be-survivors whose lead would you follow? Whose suggestion would you trust?
The guy that just yell at you "...just go for it! Jump the damn elevator well!!!..."?

I would trust the guy/gal the I believe has (or demonstrated), a higher level of any -or a combination- of the following:
1. Agility (aka "flow")
2. Speed
3. Strength (mental and physical)
4. pedagogy (including: experience of training with and motivating others/beginners)
5. Endurance
6. Vision (spatial)
7. Risk evaluation
8. Coordination (different from agility)
9. Timing (pace and rhythm)

It doesn't carry ANY value to describe if the individual is a "better" human being.
It demonstrates that his/her tracing skills are at a level that I consider trustworthy, more that the guy/gal yelling...
"More', a.k.a. "better"...

Better skill level.
;)