About the programme
Move well.
Then move fast.
Parkour is the art of getting from one place to another efficiently, using nothing but your own body. Children learn to vault, land, balance, swing, and climb, and just as importantly, to read an obstacle and judge what they can safely do with it.
At BGC it is taught indoors as a coached gymnastics discipline. Every obstacle is club equipment, every landing is matted, and every new skill is broken down and progressed rather than simply attempted. That is the difference between parkour in a gym and parkour in a car park.
Classes run on Wednesday and Sunday and last one hour. Beginners are very welcome; no prior gymnastics is needed and most children arrive with none.
Parkour is one of five recreational disciplines at BGC, alongside General Gymnastics, Rebound, tumbling, and recreational aerobics. All five are set out on the recreational gymnastics page.
The skills
What your child will learn
Parkour builds coordination, spatial awareness, and upper body strength faster than almost anything else we teach, largely because children do not notice they are training. They think they are playing.
It also teaches judgement. A great deal of a parkour coach's job is helping a child work out what they are ready for, and that habit transfers well beyond the gym.
Book a placeVaults
Safety vault, step vault, kong, and dash. Getting over an obstacle cleanly, with control on the other side.
Landing & rolling
How to absorb a drop through the legs, and how to roll out of one. The first thing taught and the most used.
Precision & balance
Jumping to a defined landing point and sticking it. Rails, beams, and blocks build accuracy and quiet feet.
Climbing & swinging
Cat hangs, wall runs, and bar work. Grip strength and the confidence to hold your own weight.
What to bring
Getting ready for class
Nothing special. Comfortable clothes your child can move in, and a water bottle. We provide the equipment.
The full kit rules for every recreational class are in the recreational welcome pack, and they are set by British Gymnastics rather than by us.
Clothing
Fitted sportswear, leggings, or shorts. Nothing loose or baggy, because coaches cannot spot safely through it. Hair tied up and off the face, and no jewellery.
Footwear
Bare feet or gymnastics shoes on the floor. Grip matters more than cushioning here, so no outdoor trainers in the gym.
Other essentials
A water bottle, not glass. Spare hair bands are always useful. Bags stay in the waiting area rather than coming into the gym.