No fear: A traceur crawls along the edge of a wall, at the top of a building in Jakarta. Courtesy of Parkour Indonesia
You may have seen one of them flitting past you somewhere in town, leaping from one point to another (usually high above you) or getting through and over obstacles with incredible agility and speed.
You may have even seen some of them jump from jaw-dropping heights, only to casually land like feline creatures, perform a body roll and then continue on running.
No, these people are not crazy or suicidal. They are practitioners of Parkour, a physical discipline of French origin that has gained a considerable following as the next hottest sport.
The word “sport” needs to be approached with caution, however, as Parkour is more than an activity involving physical exertion: It is a way of thinking, a way of life, a philosophy.
Many practitioners of Parkour, called traceurs, insist that the physical aspect of it — running, jumping, vaulting, rolling — is only complimentary to the primary goal of Parkour, which is continuous self-development.
To put it simply, Parkour is a state of mind that should run continuously in the background even when you are not practicing it, rather than a set of actions.
So what exactly is Parkour? In layman’s term, Parkour is the art of getting from point A to B in the most efficient manner, using your body’s natural resources as a means of transport and a tool to negotiate the environment.
Think of it as skateboarding, where skateboarders negotiate obstacles by “flowing” over, across or through them, but without the board.
Efficiency in Parkour means you move in a way that covers the most ground while avoiding injuries. The basic idea is to reach the finish line as quickly and as efficiently as possible, as if you are trying to escape from something or someone.
Describing the movements of Parkour is not easy as the discipline combines elements from martial arts, dancing, acrobatics, running and even the military.
Furthermore, although Parkour does have a range of specific efficient moves, due to its emphasis on “escape”, there is no rule dictating what move should be used in a particular situation.
If a traceur can escape efficiently by slithering on the floor, then this is an accepted Parkour movement.
You can be sure of one thing, though. To watch a traceur move is like watching poetry unveil right before your eyes. The combination of a traceur’s grace, fluidity and dynamics is truly a feast for the eyes.
The opening scene of the 2006 James Bond film Casino Royale, the extended chase between Bond and villain Mollaka, sums up Parkour quite nicely.
Mollaka was played by Sébastien Foucan, a co-founder of Parkour and creator of Free Running (spelled “freerunning”).
You may have seen one of them flitting past you somewhere in town, leaping from one point to another (usually high above you) or getting through and over obstacles with incredible agility and speed.
You may have even seen some of them jump from jaw-dropping heights, only to casually land like feline creatures, perform a body roll and then continue on running.
No, these people are not crazy or suicidal. They are practitioners of Parkour, a physical discipline of French origin that has gained a considerable following as the next hottest sport.
The word “sport” needs to be approached with caution, however, as Parkour is more than an activity involving physical exertion: It is a way of thinking, a way of life, a philosophy.
Many practitioners of Parkour, called traceurs, insist that the physical aspect of it — running, jumping, vaulting, rolling — is only complimentary to the primary goal of Parkour, which is continuous self-development.
To put it simply, Parkour is a state of mind that should run continuously in the background even when you are not practicing it, rather than a set of actions.
So what exactly is Parkour? In layman’s term, Parkour is the art of getting from point A to B in the most efficient manner, using your body’s natural resources as a means of transport and a tool to negotiate the environment.
Think of it as skateboarding, where skateboarders negotiate obstacles by “flowing” over, across or through them, but without the board.
Efficiency in Parkour means you move in a way that covers the most ground while avoiding injuries. The basic idea is to reach the finish line as quickly and as efficiently as possible, as if you are trying to escape from something or someone.
Describing the movements of Parkour is not easy as the discipline combines elements from martial arts, dancing, acrobatics, running and even the military.
Furthermore, although Parkour does have a range of specific efficient moves, due to its emphasis on “escape”, there is no rule dictating what move should be used in a particular situation.
If a traceur can escape efficiently by slithering on the floor, then this is an accepted Parkour movement.
You can be sure of one thing, though. To watch a traceur move is like watching poetry unveil right before your eyes. The combination of a traceur’s grace, fluidity and dynamics is truly a feast for the eyes.
The opening scene of the 2006 James Bond film Casino Royale, the extended chase between Bond and villain Mollaka, sums up Parkour quite nicely.
Mollaka was played by Sébastien Foucan, a co-founder of Parkour and creator of Free Running (spelled “freerunning”).
Equilibrium is a must: A traceur walks on a pole in Jakarta. Courtesy of Parkour Indonesia
Freerunning differs from Parkour, as the emphasis is not on efficiency (escaping), but in the complete freedom of movement. It regularly features acrobatics and tricks such as multiple somersaults, back flips, vaults, lunges, scaling up a wall, spins and other stunts generally not efficient moves for escape.
Foucan created freerunning as he felt Parkour lacked creativity and self-expression, encouraging others to practice Parkour as they see fit without worrying about accepted norms. With freerunning, he has opened up the concept of “l’art du déplacement” (The Art of Moving) and offered greater freedom of interpretation to the many people thinking of starting Parkour.
David Belle, along with Sébastien Foucan, developed Parkour in France.
The principles of Parkour can help practioners find their own way in life as well.
The best news is Parkour can, contrary to its extreme portrayal, be practiced by virtually anyone, regardless of age, sex or body type. Very young or middle-aged persons can practice Parkour to the best of their ability.
Women or overweight people can become excellent traceurs if they put their minds to it.
Remember, Parkour is not about extreme sports and is non-competitive. It is about overcoming your fears and the mental challenge of what you think you are limited to do.
If you think you will never run past the two-kilometer mark, think again, and work hard to achieve this. And once you have achieved this, aim for two and a half kilometers the next day and keep going.
If you believe yourself to be the most unbalanced person on planet earth, practice balancing yourself on a rail again and again until you can jump from railing to railing, keeping in mind the safety aspect of it (if it isn’t safe, it isn’t Parkour!).
For practitioners of Parkour, its greatest appeal lies in the fact that it is open for individual interpretation: some treat it as no more than a fun challenge while others practice it religiously like martial arts. It’s really up to you to decide.
It isn’t a stoic sport such as golf where everything is analyzed to the minute detail.
And perhaps just as importantly, Parkour is perfect for a cramped metropolitan like Jakarta, its endless concrete jungle, and the sedentary lifestyle that comes along with big city living.
In Parkour, the whole city is a gym. You need only change your way of thinking and the way you see things.
In the words of Sébastien Foucan, “You just have to look; you just have to think, like children.”
Having said this, your office’s parking structure can become your gym during lunch. How cool is that?
Freerunning differs from Parkour, as the emphasis is not on efficiency (escaping), but in the complete freedom of movement. It regularly features acrobatics and tricks such as multiple somersaults, back flips, vaults, lunges, scaling up a wall, spins and other stunts generally not efficient moves for escape.
Foucan created freerunning as he felt Parkour lacked creativity and self-expression, encouraging others to practice Parkour as they see fit without worrying about accepted norms. With freerunning, he has opened up the concept of “l’art du déplacement” (The Art of Moving) and offered greater freedom of interpretation to the many people thinking of starting Parkour.
David Belle, along with Sébastien Foucan, developed Parkour in France.
The principles of Parkour can help practioners find their own way in life as well.
The best news is Parkour can, contrary to its extreme portrayal, be practiced by virtually anyone, regardless of age, sex or body type. Very young or middle-aged persons can practice Parkour to the best of their ability.
Women or overweight people can become excellent traceurs if they put their minds to it.
Remember, Parkour is not about extreme sports and is non-competitive. It is about overcoming your fears and the mental challenge of what you think you are limited to do.
If you think you will never run past the two-kilometer mark, think again, and work hard to achieve this. And once you have achieved this, aim for two and a half kilometers the next day and keep going.
If you believe yourself to be the most unbalanced person on planet earth, practice balancing yourself on a rail again and again until you can jump from railing to railing, keeping in mind the safety aspect of it (if it isn’t safe, it isn’t Parkour!).
For practitioners of Parkour, its greatest appeal lies in the fact that it is open for individual interpretation: some treat it as no more than a fun challenge while others practice it religiously like martial arts. It’s really up to you to decide.
It isn’t a stoic sport such as golf where everything is analyzed to the minute detail.
And perhaps just as importantly, Parkour is perfect for a cramped metropolitan like Jakarta, its endless concrete jungle, and the sedentary lifestyle that comes along with big city living.
In Parkour, the whole city is a gym. You need only change your way of thinking and the way you see things.
In the words of Sébastien Foucan, “You just have to look; you just have to think, like children.”
Having said this, your office’s parking structure can become your gym during lunch. How cool is that?
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