WFPF

I'm a freerunner! I do parkour!

Oh? How do you mean, you do parkour?

Well.... I mean, I'm in shape. I exercise, I can do pushups and pullups and situps and things like that.

That makes you an athlete, I guess. But what about that is parkour?

It's not just that. I can run too, and for longer each time. It gets easier every time I do it, too.

That sounds like progressive training, and I've heard that's an important part of parkour. But isn't parkour more than just running?

I practice rolls and precisions too. And things like cat grabs and tic-tacs, for climbing up walls – and vaults, for getting over stuff quickly.

Those are basic techniques associated with parkour training. But is that really parkour?

I practice a lot. I look at videos online of tutorials and things, and try to see what I'm doing so I can learn the move right. I train with friends, and if I'm not sure about a move, I back off. I don't want to stop my training because of a twisted ankle or a sprained wrist.

Then you're practicing safe training, and I know that's very important for parkour, or for any sport really. So, does that count?

I used to do breakdancing, tai chi, rock climbing, other sports that taught me how to use my body and be aware of what it can do.

So you've studied movement, but that's still not all there is to parkour.

I know myself better now, mind, body, and spirit, where they connect and where the edges are to each, and where they could still go. I see the world around me differently, because of my training. I don't see stairs and sidewalks and walls, I see the paths that I can take across them, on surfaces that most people wouldn't even look at twice. I do the same thing with daily stuff, too – when I'm working on a problem or get hit with something unexpected in my life. It's like I don't have to follow a set path anymore, I can think things through and see what other paths I can take. If something blocks my way, I figure out how to get around it. The only thing that's certain is, I can always keep moving forward.

Did I get it right? Now can I say I'm doing parkour?

Yeah, kid. You got it. You're doing it right.