One of the most prominent names in the global female scene is Kat, from Mexico. A key member of the Monosurbanos group in Mexico city, she first became known to many of us in Europe when she posted her first video on Youtube. Her strength and dynamic style along with a tidy set of technical moves stood out and started to draw some attention.
She has since gone on to develop those skills and is now a highly talented traceuse who displays not only a high level of commitment to her own training and development but also to that of others. She teaches both male and female classes and her enthusiasm and effort in creating girl jams and classes have led to a surge of interest from females in Mexico city.
In April this year, a new video appeared of Kat that displays some of the most fluid and dynamic action to be seen by any female practitioner today. She is an inspiration both locally in Mexico, and worldwide, to all us girls, and shows what can be achieved through dedication and discipline. Many thanks and happy training Kat!
- Girlparkour.com
How long have you been practising: 3 years now.
Name:
Maria Fernanda de la Torre (A.K.A. Kat)
Location: Mexico cityOccupation:
Student, traceuse
Tell us about you:
I'm 21 years old and I'm studying graphic design. Besides from Parkour I enjoy singing.
How did you get into parkour?
I was invited to participate in it by RoKk, he was a friend of mine and my capoeira instructor a few years ago, so told me about Parkour and asked me If I wanted to join because he thought I had the potential to be good at it, so I went to train and liked it so much.
How long have you been practising: 3 years now.
What does parkour mean to you in less than 5 words:
Physical and mental challenges and solutions.
Whats your best parkour related achievement to date: Watching my own physical and attitude progress and spreading Parkour to other girls to see how women are really starting to develop in this activity.
What is your favourite parkour move: I don't have one, because I think more about effective movement instead of thinking of one technique.
What advice would you give to other girls thinking of getting in to parkour? I would tell them to be constant. Instead of thinking about doing a movement or overcoming some obstacle they should think about training constantly and progress will come in time.
Kat's Debut Video
Kat's Second Video
Training Video by Monsurbanos featuring Kat
Big thank you to Kat and RoKk. For more information on the team, visit www.monosurbanos.com.
For all of Kat's videos check out our Videos page.
Carolin and Isabel from Germany are twins with amazing natural ability and a willingness to try anything parkour put in front of them . While their passion may drive them individually, the relationship between the sisters pushes each other to excel. Returning from injuries this year, the sisters were fighting fit during the Worldwide Traceuse Gathering and provided plenty of fire and laughs throughout the week. Good things come in twos!
- Girlparkour.com
1. Name
Carolin and Isabel Riffel
Frankfurt am Main, Germany
3. Occupation
Carolin: Student
Isabel:Student
4. Tell us about you
C: I am 17 years old and student in a gymnasium. before I started parkour I played soccer for 8 years and tried a lot of other sports. I love traveling and hanging out with friends for training.
I: I'm a 17 years old girl which loved doing sports all her life. As Carolin I've been playing soccer for a very long time. Another passion of mine is traveling. I love meeting new people and getting to know different cultures.
5. How did you get into parkour?
C: My sister watched some videos on youtube and was impressed. We found a forum of the local parkour community and went to a jam at the weekend where the boys showed us some stuff. Since that we are training together with the guys in and arround Frankfurt.
I: My first contact with parkour was on youtube. I've been really impressed by the movement and started to look for some information on the internet. That's how I found the homepage of team Ashigaru, who I'm training with now.
6. How long have you been practising?
C: I started parkour 1 ½ years ago but sadly had some breaks because of injuries. I think those injuries cost me some time while regeneration but they increased my will to move so much and taught me to be thankful for having a healthy body. They showed me that being able to move is not a matter of course and that i have to spend more attention on my body because he is my best friend - the one who will never leave me... he is the one, my soul will die with.
I: I've been training parkour for about 1 ½ years now.
7. What does parkour mean to you in less than 5 words
C: Everything
I: Finding my path through life
Carolin Riffel (Photo: Shi) Isabel Riffel (Photo: Shi)
8. What's your best parkour achievement to date?
C: There is not one best achievment but i think the best things have been the travels. It is fun to move to other cities and meet traceurs around the world. The last 1 ½ years have been the best of my life, I made a lot of good friends and every day with them is a great achievement.
I: I think training parkour made me a lot stronger physically and mentally.
Before I started training I've been really shy and had problems to show others the "real me".
Through parkour I earned a lot of selfconfidence and learned how to express myself through the movement. By doing parkour you learn how to handle your environment and to get over obstacles as you learn how to handle people around you and solve problems. I think parkour gives you a new view of live.
9. What is your favourite parkour move?
C: Aaawww that's difficult, I think there is no special move I prefer.
I: I don't have a favorite parkour move but I like doing runs because they give you a feeling of freedom and control (because you can move totally individually)
Carolin Riffel (Photo: Shi) Isabel Riffel (Photo: Shi)
10.What advice would you give to other girls thinking of getting in to parkour?
C: Don't let anything get you down. Sometimes there are times you don't see any progress and you feel weak in those times you shouldn't try to force your body to progress faster, just give your body the time it needs and you will see progression will come in time.
I: When you're starting your training most of the guys your training with will be boys. So just don't be shy. Don't be intimidated because they are stronger then you, progressing faster or could possibly laugh at you. You're just training for yourself and not for anyone else. Don't let anything get you down. Just keep on trying :)
10+1.Personal thoughts, comments, goals, dreams..
C: I would like to thank everybody i met during the last 1,5 years of my training and that have become more than just training partners, but good friends and also extended family. After a few injuries I started to question myself and the things I was doing. But good friends helped me with some advice, that I would like to share with others...
In Parkour there are 2 different sorts of fear. Positive fear protects you and shows you that something is dangerous and that you have to be careful, or that you are not ready to do this.
And there is negative fear caused by doubt. It can make you lose control over your body during a move. You have to learn to separate the positive from the negative fear and trust in your abilities and skills. During the training you should have a clear/free mind.
Don't think about the things you have to do or the maths exam etc.. . Focus on the things you are doing in that moment and do it with passion. Mistakes are often cause by a deficit of focusing/concentration.
Also I would like to thank Shi for doing a great job with this page. I wish all the traceurs and traceuses a great training, take care, Carolin
I:This spring I had a really serious injury (basal skull fracture). Due to this injury I had to take a break for about 3 month. During this time I realized that I've been claiming my body too much and that it's just been a matter of time until my body couldn't take it anymore. That's why my goal is to become a lot stronger and prepare my body better. Also I want to work a lot more on my basics and runs to make my movements smoother and more controlled.
Carolin's summer video 2008
Carolin's winter 2008/09 video
Thank you to Carolin and Isabel for their great answers and we wish them lots of strength and longevity in their training.
Team Ashigaru's website is www.ashigaru.de
Team Yonetsu's blog is yonetsu-da.blogspot.com
Marie Skou
Marie is just about the simple things in life: training, learning and spreading the love of parkour with her team Streetmovement in Denmark. If you ever meet Marie, she is the one who is happy to go off and train herself or train with others, but always happy to practise and improve. In short, Marie is awesome which is why she's featured in this profile.
- Girlparkour.com
1. Name 
Marie Skou
2. LocationCopenhagen, Denmark
3. Occupation
Studying Physical Activity at Copenhagen University
4. Tell us about you
I'm training because I find it very important to challenge myself, to keep playing, to see possibilities instead of obstacles and because I can do it wherever I want, whenever I want and I like to feel strong and in control of my own body. I never do my own movies because I'm training for my own sake and I think it changes the focus from the feelings, the moment; to the result instead of the way. I like to train with others, but I do also train alone. I like to travel and train new places with new people. I believe in this kind of movement, and I enjoy teaching others to do the same! It's really important for me that it's fun to train and that the community is supporting each other and not competing.
5. How did you get into parkour?
I was so lucky to go to a sport academy where a had the subject: Streetmovement (parkour). So I had 6 month of hard and focused training to start with, and I got to know a lot of others who are training here in Copenhagen.
Streetmovement Girls Training Session
6. How long have you been practising?
Since February 2008
7. What does parkour mean to you in less than 5 words
Mind-balance, strength, meaning, opportunities.
8. What's your best parkour achievement to date?
I've have started a girls team, together with a other girl, Sussie, in Copenhagen. In that way we have inspired a lot of girls to start training.
Streetmovement Girls Training Session
9. What is your favourite parkour move?
Double-lazy and other rail-stuff.
10. What advice would you give to other girls thinking of getting in to parkour?
10+1.Personal thoughts, comments, goals, dreams.. I hope I'll stay training and developing my whole live. I hope that there will be another girls gathering next year...
Thank you Marie, good luck with the training and hope to see more of you soon :)
For the latest info on girls' training in Denmark, join the page Streetmovement Girls
Check out Streetmovement at www.streetmovement.dk
Isa
As the lady administrator of the PkGirlz group in association with the Monkey's School, Familiare and Legion Del Mandril in Bogota, Isa is no stranger to Colombian traceur and traceuses. Through PkGirlz, there are regular updates training sessions, photos of the local traceuse scene and video links to inspire and support. Isa contributes to her local community with the goals of providing support to developing traceuses and teaching a responsible method of training. Good job and we are proud to feature Isa of PkGirlz!
- Girlparkour.com
1. Name
Meliza Aponte Vasquez "Isa"
2. Location
Bogota, Colombia
3. Occupation
English Student
4. Tell us about you
My name is Isa, I'm an English student and I'm 19 years old
5. How did you get into parkour?
I knew about parkour because of Madonna's video "Jump", I looked for it on the internet and on the search I discovered it was parkour :) So first I thought there weren't any groups in my country but then I found the parkour forum of my country and got the information through it, then I started to train with a group of guys and went to a R.T. (it was funny because I didn't make any sport activity so my physical resistance wasn't too good) and afterwards I started to go to train once a week and it was hard but with time and dedication I have lived the process of training parkour :)
6. How long have you been practising?
I've been practising for 2 years and seven months
7. What does parkour mean to you in less than 5 words
The essence of movement
8. What's your best parkour achievement to date?
I must say that every trace I have made and each movement I do because I have to get through a process, sometimes short, some times long to get to a point in the process... and also to support the PkGirlz group in my country because when you start is good to have someone to be there to support you.
9. What is your favourite parkour move?
On one side, I think that it is the catleap because it's a beautiful movement but even that every movement I'm able to do (and each movement I'm training so I can improve it) because it's a way to overcome the fear to obstacles and to show people that girls can do it to ;)
10. What advice would you give to other girls thinking of getting in to parkour?
I would advice them to start their evolution today, because every process and every evolution needs to have a starting point, and to enjoy their achievements and to take their "failures" as reflection points; also to not be rushed of hurried, because when you train with your heart you do it for life so ... why rush and get injured if you can take your time and enjoy what you do. And an important one! WARM UP AND COOL DOWN BEFORE AND AFTER YOUR TRAINING SESSIONS.
10+1.Personal thoughts, comments, goals, dreams..
Train for yourself and enjoy your trainings and evolutions. And thanks to Girlparkour.com for giving the worldwide female parkour girls lots of inspiration and information :)
Thank you Isa for the inspirational words and good luck with PkGirlz and your progress :)
For photos, videos and training sessions in Bogota, Colombia join PkGirlz
Read Isa's event review of the Girls' Jam in Bogota Colombia and you can find
an interview of Isa on Elektra's blog in Spanish
Olka
Some of you may have seen this Polish pocket rockets (small but powerful) youtube videos as one of the up and coming group of traceuses from Poland . Olka wants to be as good as the boys and we think that she can be even better. Meet Olka.
- Girlparkour.com
1. Name
Aleksandra Chola ( A.K.A Olka )
2. Location
Poland
Polska
3. Occupation
Student, Traceuse
Uczennica, Traceuse
4. Tell us about you
I am 15 years old, I teach in a school gymnasium where I am in the final year of my studies. In the future, I would like to join the army. In addition to practicing Parkour I am really interested in athletics, music, movies and computer games.
Mam 15 lat, Ucze sie w szkole gimnazjalnej, w której jestem juz ostatni rok. W przyszlosci chcialabym pójsc do wojska. Oprócz trenowania Parkour moim wielkim zainteresowaniem jest takze Lekka Atletyka. Interesuje sie równiez muzyka, filmami oraz grami komputerowymi.
5. How did you get into parkour?
I learned through my friend who showed me what is parkour is about, as well as his teamp sampler video. I really liked it and decided to start training.
O Parkour dowiedzialam sie poprzez mojego kolege. Wytumaczyl mi czym jest parkour i na czym polega. Pokazal mi równiez sampler swojego teamu. Po tym wszystkim Parkour bardzo mi sie spodobal i postanowilam rozpoczac jego treningi.
6. How long have you been practising?
3 years
3 lata
7. What does parkour mean to you in less than 5 words
Parkour is my way of life. With Parkour I develop myself physically and mentally. Training gives me great satisfaction.
Parkour jest moim stylem zycia. Dzieki Parkour rozwijam swoje cialo zarówno fizycznie jak i psychicznie. Kazdy trening daje mi wielka satysfakcje.
8. What's your best parkour achievement to date?
So far, I really achieved a lot. My greatest achievement was increasing the distance of my precision jumps to 10 feet and kong vault across long obstacles.
Do tej pory osiagnelam naprawde wiele. Najwieksza satysfakcje dal mi mój precission jump na 10 stóp oraz king kong vault przez dluzsze przeszkody.
9. What is your favourite parkour move?
Kong vaults, cat jumps and precisions.
King-Kong vault, Cat leap, Precission jump i Vertical :D
10. What advice would you give to other girls thinking of getting into parkour?
I advise all girls to not be afraid to try to start training Parkour. Training will give you strength and efficiency both physically and psychologically as well as self-confidence :)
Paragne przekazac wszystkim dziewczetom , aby nie baly sie spróbowac rozpoczecia treningów Parkour. Treningi dadza wam sile,sprawnosc zarówno fizyczna jak i psychiczna oraz wiare w siebie :) .Zobaczycie, ze po kilku miesiacach intensywnej pracy osiagniecie juz jakis poziom i bedziecie z siebie bardzo dumne. Wiec dziewczyny wskakujcie w adidasy i zaczynajcie treningi Parkour a gwarantuje wam, ze nie pozalujecie :)
10+1 Personal thoughts, comments, goals, dreams..
My dream is to achieve a high level of Parkour :). As good as the boys :D My second dream is (as explained in question 4) to get into the army in the future. Finally, I want very much to meet traceuses from around the world and I wish you, dear girls, success and perseverance in your future training :)
Moim wielkim marzeniem jest osiagniecie w Parkour bardzo wysokiego poziomu :) . Takiego, który bardzo dorównuje chlopakowi :D. Drugim moim marzeniem jest (jak wspominalam w pytaniu 4) dostanie sie do wojska w przyszlosci. Na sam koniec chce pozdrowic bardzo mocno wszystkie Traceuses z calego swiata i zycze wam drogie dziewczeta sukcesów i wytrwalosci w dalszych treningach :)
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