A sunny winter Sunday on London’s Southbank where couples are
strolling, collectors check out second hand books and the young and
beautiful “yah” about foreign films over take-away coffees. There are
also a bunch of people running about, jumping on, over and off the
concrete that is the urban landscape along the river Thames. This is
not a bunch of kids skylarking but a group of people known as
Free-runners or Traceurs who are attending an organised “jam” to share
their skills and meet other likeminded individuals who indulge in this
pursuit.

You may be familiar with
Free-running – also known by its French name, Parkour – after seeing
the documentary Jump Britain screened repeatedly on various channels
over the last few months. A beautifully edited piece of work, the
documentary highlights big jumps between ludicrous and dangerous
spaces, but pointed out time after time that these were professionally
co-ordinated stunts and performed only by experts. The average
Free-runner seemingly has no interest in this and all information
supplied by various organisations and pioneers of Parkour never ceases
to stress that big jumps is not what it’s about. So what is it about?
When trying to find information about Free-running it seems a bit
confusing, is it a sport, an art (as in martial), a philosophy? In
search of answers I met up with a bunch of Free-runners down at the
Southbank who agreed to try and explain what this enigmatic activity is
all about.

The general consensus is that is a
combination of all of the above and it means different things to
different people. As Zebrox explained some people do take it seriously
and the philosophical element can be important “…but if you can’t be
bothered with the philosophy, then it’s just sport”.

Lau went
on further to explain that it can be a great confidence builder “Like
when you do something that (at first) you didn’t think you’d be able to
do”. All the guys seemed to be attracted to it for different reasons,
Ash for example got involved because he was rubbish at skate-boarding,
others just because it looked cool and fun.

It’s also an
attractive sport because you only need a decent pair of trainers and
the right attitude, no fancy labels involved or masses of equipment,
you do your research and then go for it.

The most
important element to Parkour is safety. Not just when leaping tall
buildings but in all aspects. When starting out, especially if getting
involved on your own, Ash stresses “It’s important to know your
limits”.  Zebrox backs this as he is a firm believer that “…you
should listen to your survival instincts, (they) will tell you (when)
not do it, you’ve really got to work within your limits until you build
confidence.”

The aim of Parkour is to create a
“run”, a sequence of Free-running techniques or moves that flow through
the space you are using. A Traceur will use the structural elements
surrounding them, including stairs, banisters or pylons, and create a
fluid run incorporating them (picture street-skating without the
decks). A run can sometimes be spontaneous, but as Zebrox explains
“Before you go for a run, you have to check everything to make sure
it’s not slippy and there’s no glass…” Highlighting again that safety
is paramount and Free-running is more often than not well-planned to
prevent injury.

This is a thoroughly
“attitude free” pursuit, and this open-mindedness is actively promoted
via websites organising jams and workshops. Watching the participants
on the Southbank, it was great to see positive interaction and genuine
good will and helpfulness toward one another. No one laughed when
someone didn’t pull off a particular move, but there were rounds of
applause when someone did master something they had been trying to get
right.

With such varied ages and backgrounds, it is, sadly
uncommon to see such unity amongst a bunch of strangers on the streets
of London.

One thing missing from the scene though
was females. Whilst there were a few teenage girls keeping up with the
guys, it is at this stage a male dominated pursuit, but I was assured
by my chaperones that this situation is rapidly changing and more and
more girls are giving the guys are a run for their money.
 
Free-running
is steadily growing in popularity, attractive to all kinds of people,
and with the masses of recent publicity, something that is only going
to get bigger. Sponsorships are already beginning, top sports brands
are getting involved, using it for promotion and there have been many
recent features television programmes. It would be a shame if the
non-competitive element is overshadowed in the future, but the purist
attitude of most participants makes this seem unlikely.