Parkour: The Early Years?
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"It's about creativity and freedom," says Tim Shieff, 21, of Derby, England. "I like it because you have no restrictions." Hmm...I like the sound of that but what's he talking about? The answer is: parkour.
"What if taking a morning jog didn't mean training for a marathon or wearing short shorts?" asks Cameron Lawrence at HowStuffWorks.com. "What if it meant creative, individual expression through acrobatic moves like leaping from walls and over gaps, ground rolls and precision jumping? Instead of running laps around the community park, you'd navigate through the city, making the urban landscape your personal obstacle course, a playground for strength, freedom, courage and discipline. That's the basic idea of parkour."
Watch the video below and you'll see that the keys to parkour success are familiar for anyone engaging in an athletic and/or fitness routine: Commit to your goals, follow your own path, and learn your limits.
"Our motto is 'Know obstacles, know freedom,'" says Victor Bevine, co-founder of the World Freerunning and Parkour Federation. "You learn to use obstacles in life as opportunities for growth and creativity."
In other words, just because we live in Asphalt Nation doesn't mean we can't find ways to still enjoy the great outdoors.
"Parkour originated with French naval officer Georges Hébert, who was impressed by the way African tribespeople moved through their environment," writes Violet Snow in the November/December 2009 issue of Energy Times. "He devised a system of physical education based on natural movements that he later adapted ... using obstacle courses to build agility, strength, courage and self-confidence."
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So, what's so green about parkour?
Are you kidding? Parkour is old school. No electricity, no computers, no treadmills, no giant health clubs, and few restrictions and rules. Parkour harks back to the type of unregulated play we enjoyed as children. The Situationists said "concrete breeds apathy" but not anymore. As Ah-nold sez:
"One hundred years ago we had to do everything with our bodies. We worked to get lumber and stones for building a house. We had to work with our hands, we had to run, we had to crawl under things, we had to swim. The efforts of everyday living kept the body in shape. But now, because almost everything is done with machines, people have become lazy."
(Parkour, of course, is strenuous and challenging. If you're unsure about your ability to participate, consult a health professional.)
More Ways to Work Up an Eco-Sweat
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