What is PARKOUR?
Parkour is the physical discipline of training to overcome any obstacle within one's path by adapting one's movements to the environment.
- Parkour requires... consistent, disciplined training with an emphasis on functional strength, physical conditioning, balance, creativity, fluidity, control, precision, spatial awareness, and looking beyond the traditional use of objects.
- Parkour movements typically include... running, jumping, vaulting, climbing, balancing, and quadrupedal movement. Movements from other physical disciplines are often incorporated, but acrobatics or tricking alone do not constitute parkour.
- Parkour training focuses on... safety, longevity, personal responsibility, and self-improvement. It discourages reckless behavior, showing off, and dangerous stunts.
- Parkour practitioners value... community, humility, positive collaboration, sharing of knowledge, and the importance of play in human life, while demonstrating respect for all people, places, and spaces.
FreeRunning
Parkour and free running are a new sports where an athlete has to pass several obstacles. A parkour runner tries to pass all the barriers in his way as quick and simple as possible, while a free runner cares more about aesthetics and does a lot of acrobatics. A few years ago, parkour runners started to mix in acrobatics and that was when parkour running and free running separated. However, old school parkour runners never liked what free runners did, because flips look good, but don't serve the original purpose of parkour running; "Fast and simple overcoming of obstacles" Now flips from 5 meters to the street or cartwheels without hands while jumping from one building to the other are very common free running tricks.
By: Konstantinos Natas
