WHAT IS PARKOUR?
THE SPORT!
Parkour is the art of movement — using your body to overcome physical obstacles found in urban, suburban, and rural environments. It combines movements such as running, jumping, vaulting, climbing, balancing, and swinging.
THE ORIGINS
Whilst movements such as jumping can be traced throughout history, parkour as a discipline was developed in France in the late 1980s by practitioners David Belle, his father Raymond Belle, and their friends, who later formed the group “Yamakasi”.
Parkour then exploded in popularity in the early 2000s with the release of the Yamakasi movie. It later came to the UK through the influence of the documentary Jump Britain in 2003 and James Bond: Casino Royale in 2006. The sport continued to grow through viral videos, appearances in games and films, sponsorships such as Red Bull, and the development of competitions like Red Bull Art of Motion.
PARKOUR VS FREERUNNING?
Confused about the difference between the terms parkour and freerunning? The community can be quite divided in opinion, but they essentially share the same core.
Parkour is typically seen as focusing on functional movement rather than the flair that flips and acrobatics can add. A core philosophy in parkour is “be strong to be useful”.
Freerunning is an adaptation of parkour, often with a greater focus on self-expression through movement and turning obstacles into art using more creative or artistic flair.
However, it is important to note that the terms are often used interchangeably and can be considered synonyms for each other.
FAQ