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Parkour (pär'kôr), in its purest
form, has been around since the dawn of time. From jumping
over boulders to swinging through treetops, moving from point
A to B and the need to clear obstacles has always been around.
In the early 1900's Georges Herbert conceived what he then
called the "Natural Method" by setting up man-made
obstacle courses in order to get people to train their entire
bodies in the most natural way possible. Using nothing more
than the same types of structures we can now find in the Army-Style
obstacle course. It is believed that the jungle gyms we see
in children's parks today are directly contributed to these
early training methods. Although this method is purely devoted
to physical training and toning of the body, this is believed
to be the first major influence towards forming the discipline
that we now know as Parkour.
However it was only in the 1980's that Parkour, as we know
it, really started to take shape when a group of teenagers,
which was headed up by David
Belle and amongst others included Sebastien
Foucan, started to take what was then only "Childs
Play" into something a bit more daring and onto the streets
of Lisses, Paris. By the 1990's it's seeds had started blossoming
and a new discipline was born: Le Parkour!
To move fluidly through your environment using the surrounding
structures as an obstacle course. Quite simply, a new art
of movement!
Now, almost 20 years later, Parkour has grown into a phenomenon
that many have seen but few are willing to try and just about
EVERYONE is talking about! Films have been made using elements
of it (Les fils du Vent, Yamakasi, Jump London & Jump Britain,
Banlieue 13, Taxi 2, James Bond - Casino Royale), countless articles have been written up,
adverts been done, and STILL the popularity of it is growing.
All around the globe people have started to practice this
new art by simply watching other people's videos online, and
discussing the various techniques in Forums and Chat Rooms.
However, during 2003 the phenomenon reached an all-time high
when Jump London was released onto Channel 4 TV in the UK.
Parkour South Africa was born a few months later.
Thousands around the world have taken up the challenge,
and the numbers keep rising each year, and the main reason
behind its success is that it is more than just an extreme
sport. It becomes a way of life. To move through obstacles
becomes a way of thinking, and to challenge surroundings becomes
a lifestyle.
With the landscape as our canvas and Parkour
as our paintbrush... we create masterpieces.
To practice is to grow, to grow is to know, to know means
knowledge, and knowledge is wisdom!
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About Parkour - A FAQ
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