Urban Freeflow

traceurFascinated by a new urban sport (perhaps sport is too controlled a word?) called Le Parkour, aka Park-Core, aka free running, aka Urban Freeflow. The idea is simply to move the human body through the environment as quickly and as fluidly as possible. There are good videos all over the net, although I’ve never seen so many 404s, slow servers and broken footage – must be something about the laissez faire atmosphere of the activity. Most of what you see is like skateboarders without the boards – 20-something men bouncing off walls, slithering under obstacles, doing hand plants from tall rails. I’m looking forward to seeing the art form mature, for Jackie Chan-like style and grace to become part of the improvisation. For someone to take it to a more Zen-like level, as opposed to the hardcore headspace of the skate crowd.

Update: See also House Gymnastics

Music: Koop :: Soul For Sahib

12 Replies to “Urban Freeflow”

  1. I love the idea of this! Back in the 1960s, the Situationist philosopher Guy Debord came up with the idea of the “derive” — a sort of undirected meandering through the urban or suburban landscape. The idea was that you could create your own city by following your own paths, instead of the ones marked out for you. “Le Parkour” seems a great update of that idea, except in 3 dimensions instead of 2 — and with buff young athletes instead of Galoise-smoking cafe-dwellers.

    btw, I could be wrong, but I think “pars-course” is French for “obstacle course.”

  2. Sorry but this just looks like skateboarders who either cannot skate or lost their boards or the cops took their boards or cannot skate.

    In college I would watch people messed up on LSD and whatnot run around like chickens with their heads cut off climbing walls. This doesnt look much different.

    Either get your boards back or just stick to the path.

    rw

  3. The people who do this sport are far more adept at anything athletic than people who can’t skate. I myself have been actively pursuing le parkour for the past 2 1/2 years and have now found myself capable of doing things most people relegate to movies and comic books. Le Parkour will be around for a long time to come.

  4. Le Parkour rocks no doubt about it. After I saw Jump London I started it the next day. I admit I could not Skateboard but I find Freerunning alot more entertaining!

  5. URBAN FREEFLOW OR LE-PARKOUR.COM ARE THE ONLY PLACES YOU NEED FOR YOUR PARKOUR STUFF. THE SITE MENTIONED ABOVE THIS POST IS RUN BY SOMEONE WHO DOESNT PRACTISE PARKOUR IN ANY WAY AND DOESNT UNDERSTAND THE PHILOSOPHY. IN OTHER WORDS HE IS A KEYBOARD TRACEUR.

  6. Hi my name is Russell and i am 13. I live in a town called Yarm which is in the north east of England. I am in a parkour team called streetmonkeys we have a website called http://www.sm-pk.tk its pretty good it has 7 videos and another 2 on the way. :)

  7. I have been on your website and think it is rubbish, you think you are better than you are and you are not funny

  8. Listen lads..Parkour is for peole who cannot skate, bmx , snowboard, wakeboard, inline skate. its just gymnastics out ide..am i parkouring if i run for the bus??

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