What Is Parkour?

"If two roads open up before you, always take the most difficult one. Because you know you can travel the easy one." ―Raymond Belle

Parkour is a holistic training discipline using movement that developed from military obstacle course training. Practitioners aim to get from A to B in the most efficient way possible. (wikipedia)

This urban sport was created by David Belle and his friends in France in the 80's. David Belle was inspired by his father who was sent to a military orphanage when he was very young. He worked really hard in order to survive there and enhanced his skills with the help of his military education. He thought training was not a game but something vital which enabled him to survive and to protect the people he cared about. David realised that he wanted to be trained as his father and "le parkour" came up. It became popular in 90's with the help of media (such as movies videos...)

Parkour is a sport which developes by the interaction between human and environment. The body moves through the walls and obstacles in the urban space. It is an independent response to metropolitan life, an approach to urbanization.

Traceur Dylan Baker says "Parkour also influences one's thought processes by enhancing self-confidence and critical thinking skills that allow one to overcome everyday physical and mental obstacles".

This is a video i have found while searching. I think it could be helpful for the ones who are interested in parcour training because the motions can be seen clearly.

Since parkour has became popular worldwide there are a considerable amount of parcour athletes in Turkey.  Even there is a turkish parcour association.

 http://parkour.org.tr/ http://www.acrorun.com/

 

They encourage children for parcour training and give courses to them. They arrange activities to make parkour more common both for men and women. There are courses only for women athletes.

If I wanted to be a parcour athlete my grandmother would tell me to stop jumping over the walls and be a well behaved girl. Actually I am not really interested in physical activities that requires effort. Walking is the only activity I can do however I really respect the philosophy of parcour training and the athletes that perform amazing movements. I hope some day grandmas will like it too.