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Step 1
Squat on your knees and place your hands on the ground, similar to the quadruped stance of a monkey or gorilla. This is the basic position of the monkey walk. From here, you can easily move into any number of different positions, adopting a fluid style which conforms to the philosophies of parkour and free running.
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Step 2
Shift you weight onto one arm and one leg, rolling your body from side to side while you keep one hand on the ground. This helps stretch your muscles and increase the blood flow into your arms and legs.
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Step 3
Stretch your legs in different warm-up moves while keeping your hands planted firmly on the ground. The monkey walk will allow you to incorporate yoga stretches into your warm-up as well as traditional running stretches to your legs.
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Step 4
Perform traditional push-ups and squats from the basic position. These calisthenics are considered basic building blocks for parkour and can be easily worked into a monkey walk.
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Step 5
Twist your torso and move your arms while keeping your legs on the ground. Make sure you loosen the muscles in your chest and torso when you perform the monkey walk, as well as in your limbs.
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Step 6
Practice rolls on both shoulders before returning to the basic position. Rolls are important in parkour because they help you land without injury, and the monkey walk allows you to practice a few as part of your warmup.
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Step 7
Jump up and down a few times. As you do so, pull your knees up into your chest, and when you come down, point your toes and land on the balls of your feet. This makes for a few practice landings, getting your feet into condition and letting you know if any muscle aches or twinges may prevent you from landing safely in a more challenging leap.
