Parkour - Free runing

November 25th, 2006

Parkour is a physical discipline inspired by human movement. It focuses on uninterrupted, efficient forward motion over, under, around and through obstacles (both man-made and natural) in one’s environment. Such movement may come in the form of running, jumping, climbing and more complex techniques. The goal of parkour is to adapt one’s movement to any given obstacle.


According to founder David Belle, the spirit of parkour is guided in part by the notions of “escape” and “reach”, that is, the idea of using physical agility and quick thinking to get out of difficult situations, and to be able to go anywhere that one desires. Free running, a closely related art emphasizing aesthetics, is most concerned with fluidity and beauty. For example, Sébastien Foucan, a free runner who trained with David Belle during the infancy of the art, speaks of being “fluid like water,” a frequently used simile for the smooth passage of barriers through the use of parkour.

To some people (particularly non-practitioners), parkour is an extreme sport, to others a discipline more comparable to martial arts. Some consider it a combination of the two, recognizing similarities between parkour and the stunts and techniques of Hong Kong martial arts star Jackie Chan (who gained his skills from being trained for Beijing Opera), whose fight and chase scenes take place in industrial or urban environments. Still others see it as an art form akin to dance: a way to encapsulate human movement in its most beautiful form. Parkour is often connected with the idea of freedom, in the form of the ability to overcome aspects of one’s surroundings that tend to confine; for example, railings, staircases, or walls, it also encompasses freedom on a non-physical level. The practice of parkour requires considerable physical and mental dedication, and many adherents describe it as a “way of life.”

some video of parkour:

Entry Filed under: Extreme sports, other, Video