Parkour

Getting from Here to There Has Never Been So Graceful
By Kyle Tucker

Imagine combining the spirituality of yoga with the intensity of urban skateboarding. Now, take away the skateboard and the mat, because in Parkour the only thing you need is yourself. Parkour, also known as free-running, is a sport that meshes artistry with efficiency of movement with the sole purpose of getting from point A to point B in the “best” way. Think Jackie Chan running away from bad guys, using graceful movements to maneuver around complicated obstacles.

Until just a few years ago, Parkour was almost exclusively a European past-time, originating in the suburbs of Paris in the 1980s. Its spread throughout Europe, particularly in the UK, has inspired recent movies such as District B13 and Jump London, showcasing some of the sport’s best talent. Parkour’s incremental growth is evidenced by its recent appearance in the US.

Chris Lévesque, a pioneer of the sport in New England and Founder of New England Parkour, explains his first experience with the sport. “I was at an arts festival in Portland [ME] where this guy Dan, also known as “Ducked Monkey,” put on a presentation of what Parkour was about.” Ever since that day 2 years ago, Chris has been immersed in the sport. In addition to running a website dedicated to Parkour, he organizes “jams” and other Parkour get-togethers on weekends ~ all the while trying to get in about 4 days a week of practice.

He is particularly impressed by the Central MA Parkour scene, citing it as the largest in NE. Chris notes that the urban setting of Worcester is a bonus as it provides ample opportunities for interesting obstacle-laden Parkour runs. His group has held several jams at WPI, Clark, and Northeastern (Chris’s alma mater). Additionally, the growth of Parkour in lively college-oriented areas such as Worcester is setting the stage for the sport’s further expansion by tapping into the internet savviness of locals. Since ‘04, with the help of his website, Chris has seen Parkour go from being virtually non-existent in the U.S. to having over 200 members involved in his NE-based club alone.

The rapid growth of Parkour however, is not without its growing pains. There remains some debate within the wider Parkour community about emphasizing efficiency of movement versus showing off with tricks likely unnecessary flips. Chris sides more with the purest intentions (efficiency) of the sport, yet is quick to reiterate that efficiency and aesthetics are not mutually exclusive. “You don’t ever think about being graceful, it’s just a byproduct.” He explains that if you were being chased by someone with a gun you might run in a way similar to Parkour, swinging, vaulting, and rolling so as to get through obstacles as quickly as possible while at the same time (if done well) remaining graceful.

The connection between proficiency and elegance parallels many East Asian martial arts. Jeet Kune Do, a fluid fighting style developed by Bruce Lee, is similar to Parkour in its mental, philosophical, and spiritual underpinnings. Emphasis of both is on clarity of mind, achieved through meditative techniques reminiscent of Buddhist and Taoist traditions. Such mental clarity is supposed to enable the fighter or runner to quickly adapt and flow through a changing environment, allowing greater improvisation on the spot to meet unforeseen obstacles.

The first step to becoming an expert Traceur (someone who practices Parkour) is learning the basic moves and practicing them frequently. Just as Bruce Lee needed to throw a thousand simple punches before he could improvise effectively, a Traceur needs to learn a dozen or so core moves before he can move like Jackie Chan. Some of the most integral maneuvers include a shoulder-oriented roll following a large downward jump (so as to take the impact off your joints), an effective cat leap (jumping and clinging onto a vertical concrete wall is not as easy as it looks), and a number of properly-placed precision jumps and vaults. Practicing the small list of core techniques will give you a great introduction to the sport while opening the door to the greater possibilities of innovation and improvisation.

There are many online resources to learning the basics of Parkour. You can google it, check out Wikipedia’s extensive entry, or visit Chris’ site, . One thing to keep in mind, though, is that performing the Tic-Tac (running off a wall) is not to be tried until you meditate and practice MORE than just a little!