-->Parkour: The World Is Your Playground
Flying Over Buildings for Fun and a Killer Workout
You’ve probably seen Parkour and just didn’t know it. If you’ve watched Matt Damon careen through the Bourne Ultimatum or Daniel Craig chase a bad guy in the most recent James Bond flick, then you’ve seen some of the best Parkour guys in the world. To them, the world is literally their playground as they zip over buildings, handily climb drain spouts, and easily vault over park benches.
As a former gymnast, I tried a Parkour-themed workout in New York City at Club Equinox. I was met by a team of Parkour experts, headed by David Richard Thompson, Co-Founder of the World Freerunning & Parkour Federation. I was guided through my workout by World Freerunning Champion Tim Schieff. We raced along balance beams, forwards and then backwards. We jumped from step riser to step riser first close together and then further apart. I learned to leap in the air and stop on a dime (sorta), and my favorite which included jumping over a padded “roof line” first by sliding over on our butts and then, as I got better, pivoting off of one hand as I cruised over the obstacle.
It. Was. So. Cool.
And I was totally sweating like a pig. My heart rate elevated right away as my body moved in a way it clearly wasn’t used to. If you remember when you were a kid and that fabulous day you spent playing in the woods, just tumbling around and having a good time; that’s pretty much Parkour.
It was developed as a sport in France about 20 years ago and Parkour literally means “obstacle course” in French. If you have a martial arts or gymnastic background you’ll definitely have a leg up, but really anyone in good health can give it a go.
The experts leading the class know how to break things down so you start off with simple skills and build at your own pace. They expect people to be at different levels in the class and it’s all good. Of course, the ultimate Parkour class is outside, running through a park, or meeting on a rooftop. Look here for area classes and how you can participate.
I loved the class; I felt strong, graceful, and had so much fun. It was amazing to challenge myself in a whole new way and the instructors were so great they made sure I felt successful as I progressed.
I’ve embedded a video so you can see what they do.
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