
Obstacle Course Ideas for Parkour Training
If you have watched American Ninja or World Chase Tag championship, then you must have realized that obstacle courses are cool. Not only are they good as competitive events but also as a training methods for parkour. There are many obstacle course ideas for your parkour training, so we compiled the 10 best and most creative ones for you.
Parkour and Obstacle Courses
Before we go to our list of obstacle course ideas for parkour, let's define a few terms first.
First, what is parkour? Parkour is an art form, movement, workout, exercise, and philosophy rolled into one. In basic terms, parkour is the art of displacement, or moving from point A to point B in the smoothest, fastest, and most efficient way possible. Parkour involves traversing obstacles by going through, under, over, or around them. As a physical workout, parkour involves running, jumping, leaping, climbing, and swinging. As a philosophy, parkour encourages overcoming life's obstacles, and self-improvement through incremental progression via training.
Next, what is an obstacle course? An obstacle course is a series of physical hurdles that an individual must overcome while being timed. These obstacles can include rope ladders, elevated ramps, crawlspaces, etc. An obstacle course may include climbing, running, crawling, jumping, swinging, and sometimes even swimming.
Overcoming Obstacles Together
Parkour and obstacle courses are perfect for each other because they share the same goals.
Overcoming Obstacles
Focus
Physical Conditioning
Mental Sharpness
Fairness and Sportsmanship
Progression and Self-improvement
Tips for Your Own Parkour Training
Here are some ways to build your own parkour training grounds:
10 Obstacle Course Ideas for Parkour Training
Here are then 10 obstacle course ideas that you can incorporate into your parkour routines. Just remember to have fun and be safe!
1. Zombie Run
Zombies as obstacle course ideas? Sign us up! In this event, everyone's favorite undead will serve as the obstacles. It means it will require participation from a lot of people (as "zombies"), but the more the merrier, right?
Like any obstacle course, the winning condition is to reach the finish line in the fastest time possible. The participants will wear a colored bandana. Along the course, they must avoid the roaming "zombies" and prevent them from snatching their bandana; otherwise they are tagged as "caught". You can set this event in a big space like a parking lot or a warehouse.
2. Zombie Tag
This is Zombie Run but simplified! This person can be played by 6 to 10 people anywhere, but we recommend a setting with a lot of obstacles like tables, cars, etc.
One person will start as the zombie (scream "Brainsss" for more drama). He will chase anyone and tag him. After getting tagged, that person will be "infected" and become part of the growing zombie horde. The tagging will continue up to the last "survivor". That survivor will then become the first zombie in the next round. One variation of this is "Aliens and Astronauts".
3. Lava Chase Tag
This is a classic chase-tag game and the perfect obstacle course ideas for parkour. It can be played in any playground, park, or any open spot.
Set up the course and decide which the "lava" areas are. One person will be the "it" who will chase and tag anyone. No one except the "it" can step on the lava or else they become the new "it". Another variation of this is called "Crocodile Swamp".
4. Monkey Tree Tag
This is the classic chase-tag with a few twists.
One, a person will be the "monkey" or "it" who will tag the other players. Two, the players cannot stay on the ground for over 3 seconds; otherwise they will become the new monkey. Three, the monkey CANNOT tag anyone up on a "tree" or any object above the ground.
Four, the players cannot stay on a tree for more than 10 seconds and must transfer to another tree. To prevent the monkey from "camping", he must not wait near a tree for over 3 seconds. In other words, this event is a non-stop chase-and-tag game that will test everyone's running, climbing and parkour skills.
5. Ultimate Chase Tag Course
If you want the ultimate test of your parkour skills, then we suggest this event.
This is basically a chase-tag game set up in a enclosed space full of bars, planks, and other obstacles. Two players - one is the "it" - will chase each other across and around this giant obstacle course. The tagged player will be the new "it".
For winning conditions, the person who stays as "it" for more than a minute loses. Or the player with the least number of it turns wins.
6. Alice and Rabbit Chase
Image Via Unsplash
There are many obstacle course ideas, but this one takes the beloved "Alice in Wonderland" story and turns it into an obstacle course game.
One person will serve as the "rabbit" whose goal is to reach the "rabbit hole" at the end of the course. He will be given a 5-second head-start to traverse the obstacles.
Another player, Alice, will chase the rabbit by following him through the same obstacle course. The player who can catch the rabbit, or reach the rabbit hole in the shortest time possible wins the event. One variation of this is called "Roadrunner and Coyote".
7. Parkour Drone Hunt
Of all obstacle course ideas on this list, this is the most competitive one. You need to set up a big obstacle course room with "player stations". We recommend 4 to 8 stations (4 corners + 4 sides of the room). Each station will have unique design of obstacles for the players to traverse.
The goal is for the players to catch a flying drone, which will pop out randomly in the middle area. After the drone has been caught, the players will switch stations so they will traverse a different course, which will add to the challenge.
8. Parkour Musical Chairs

Image Via Pexels
This is the classic musical chairs with a parkour twist.
Set up a circular set of obstacles. Put precision landings in the middle. Play a music (ask them to dance to it for more fun) and when you press pause, the players must rush to the middle and do precise landings towards it. Like the musical chair, the last person will be "out".
9. Progression Obstacle Course
These obstacle course ideas stay true to the progression and self-improvement principles of parkour.
All you need is an obstacle course setup (in a gym or warehouse).I f you don't have any, use the usual parkour "spots" like parks, streets, or any public space with lots of obstacles. The goal is for the trainee to follow a certain route and finish it. This first lap will be timed and the goal of the next lap is to beat his own time. Let him do this for 4 to 5 laps.
One variation is to set up "X" marks in specific spots along the course and time how long it takes for the trainee to reach each spot.
10. Classic Obstacle Course
Of course, nothing beats the time-tested classic. Just set up a challenging obstacle course (American Ninja-style) full of rope ladders, ramps, etc. and the players with the shortest finish time wins!
Conclusion
There you have it, 10 creative obstacle course ideas for using and training your parkour moves. These are just key ideas and you might develop a variation on your own as you play in each one.
Remember, the main goal of training is to improve, not to win. Some competitiveness is always welcome, but keep it fair and respectful.
And don't forget: be safe and always have fun!
Last update on 2021-02-24 at 20:52 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API