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What if you saw the building walls and other urban obstacles around you not as barriers, but as tempting challenges? Parkour practitioners and free runners do just that, putting into practice things most of us just associate with the movies. In real life, however, veterans practice these amazing arts of travelling quickly and smoothly through cities.
Parkour emphasizes efficiency of movement, while free runners focus on fluidity and elegance. Parkour has its origins in gymnastics and martial arts, combining movements from each and applying them to urban settings. Free running evolved as an offshot of parkour, adding elements of harmony and style to basically strict utility.
Many of the movements shown in pop cultural images and videos look simple but, perhaps unsurprisingly, are the culmination of a great deal of practice. Wall jumping, rolling and long-distance landings require careful shifting of body mass that, in turn, helps practioners absorb impacts that seem impossibly dangerous. Like the urban exploration of abandonments, these activities are at times also illegal.
In recent years, more and more references to parkour and free running have emerged in popular culture. In fact, many people have seen parkour in movies without realizing the stunts are being performed without digital editing or other behind-the-scenes trickery. Know of related links or resources? Feel free to add them below!
Previously: Parkour in Film and Television
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33 Comments
September 10th, 2007 at 4:52 pm
i fucking love this site. you guys rock.
September 11th, 2007 at 5:06 am
Ahh I love free running videos!
September 11th, 2007 at 12:37 pm
Nice article. I was amazed by the opening scene in Distict (Barrio) 13, the movie shown above, and never knew that the fluidity of movement had roots in anything other than a film maker and his imagination. Thanks for the info.
September 11th, 2007 at 1:27 pm
That would be sooo useful for urbex! Now I just have to get into shape…
September 11th, 2007 at 1:49 pm
Your site really entertains the artist and creativity in all of us.
September 11th, 2007 at 2:17 pm
I think I may know a related resource. I think Parkour or l’art du déplacement (as well as BASE jumping) were actually practiced by a few people long before they had a name for it. Check out here at http://individualathome.wordpr...../09/12/36/ for a short youtube with Burt Lancaster (who also co-produced the film) as Captain Vallo, the eponymous pirate. Isn’t that an early Parkour? :)
September 11th, 2007 at 4:49 pm
@Elvis: yup, there are some great ones on YouTube too
@Unabsolute: indeed, all of that filming was done without the typical Hollywood trickery, and is one of the best film examples or parkour (though others are linked to above)
@Al: urbex and parkour would definitely go well together :)
@What: thanks!
@giL: LOL, yah, it is definitely parkour-esque at the least - there are certainly many examples that could be considered related to parkour in its many forms
September 11th, 2007 at 7:09 pm
Hey guys,
Nice to know it has a name. My 9 year old gymnast does the wall climbing thing, but hasn’t got the building jumping down pat just yet ;-).
Thanks.
September 11th, 2007 at 7:16 pm
That is so freaking intense. I think I know a guy who does something like that.
September 11th, 2007 at 11:59 pm
There’s a little bit of parkour in the latest Bond flick as well. Definitely not as long, creative, or as breathtaking as some parkour videos I’ve seen, but cool to see it in mainstream media nonetheless :)
September 12th, 2007 at 1:19 am
Go check Die Hard 4.0 for more, amazing fight scenes using this technique, by a french actor/athlete.
September 12th, 2007 at 2:29 am
This is some amazing stuff, check http://www.samparham.com this guy rocks!
September 12th, 2007 at 5:21 am
No Sh*t U have to be in prime shape to do any style of free running, jumping (geez, I’m tired already) & acrobatics. I saw free running, jumping and leaping in Paris, and on a TV show. I believe free running orginated in Paris.
September 12th, 2007 at 7:31 am
Man,i would love to do this..
September 12th, 2007 at 8:31 am
I think i should try the same as this guys:-). Really cool
September 12th, 2007 at 8:08 pm
makes Xtreme Games look timid.
they need to add this as a category….
September 13th, 2007 at 6:48 pm
Wow!
September 20th, 2007 at 4:18 am
Totally cool pics…
I’m a budding photographer myself.. i keep a photo-log at Badoo of some of my pics, I’m thinking of upgrading my camera to an SLR, based on my style is there anything anyone hwere could recommend?? My link is below.
http://neilb.badoo.com/entry/7/
September 21st, 2007 at 10:22 pm
im based in toronto , can sombody plz telme of n institute or club teaching parkour in toronto.desprately need ths info.thanx.
September 21st, 2007 at 10:22 pm
im based in toronto , can sombody plz telme of n institute or club teaching parkour in toronto.desprately need ths info.thanx….
October 7th, 2007 at 8:18 am
I believe there was a movie based around this jumping about 2 years ago, But i forgot the name. It was filmed in the UK .. I THINK!
I am too chunky to try any of those moves!
January 22nd, 2008 at 2:22 am
Am in Paris this weekend (Jan26th08)…anywhere I can check anything to do with parkour out??? Please!
February 29th, 2008 at 5:41 am
This is one of the best and clearest articles on between parkour and freerunning, especially their differences and their history. I’m so impressed.
April 10th, 2008 at 7:41 am
that was some cool stuff there mate
May 4th, 2008 at 10:47 am
troppo bello le parkour la prima volta chelo visto mi sono meravigliato subito dopo ho provato a imitarli riesco ma non quanto l’oro io sono anche alleato perchè faccio arti marziali quindi riesco tranquillamente be comunque e stupendo vedo di poter iscrivermi ciao
June 10th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
Im a traceur (person who studies/performs the art of parkour). Im only 15, and have been training since the age of 10. If your interested, americanparkour.com is a great place for anyone in the US who is looking for more info on parkour. If you have any questions, contact me at jdr_parkour@comcast.net. Id be glad to answer any of your questions on anything relating to the art.
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