So you just got out of the theater after seeing Paul Walker’s penultimate film and were really impressed by the stunt work and that French guy who played Lino. You came to the right place. That stunt work was based off of parkour and that French guy, was David Belle the man credited with founding parkour years ago.
So what’s Next?
That’s up to you! Do you want to continue down the path you’re on or do you want to change who you are and train your body to be the best it can be? Do you even know why you looked up parkour after seeing Brick Mansions? Any answer is okay. We’re here to help. Continue reading for more information.
What is Parkour?
What parkour is and isn’t has been a manner of debate since it found its way to the internet in the early 2000’s. One of the earliest definitions went something like this…”Parkour is the discipline of moving the body from point A to point B in the most efficient way possible.” This was problematic because people debated if flips counted as parkour and what was really efficient.
What we do know is that Parkour has been around for forever. Parkour as we know it today can be traced back to Georges Herbert to David Belle’s father to David Belle and the Yamakasi. That is a HUGE over simplification but you have time to learn more if you want to. Besides the most important thing is to start moving!
At American Parkour we decided to focus on that aspect of parkour. We like to concentrate on what moving can do for mankind!
At it’s center, the discipline of parkour is about crushing self-doubt by learning how to focus on improvement, by challenging yourself to be better than you are, by connecting with other people in similar mindsets that want nothing more than your success.
The rewards of training parkour are immense:
- Improved physical health thanks to a high level of movement and activity
- Massive amounts of body control: agility, balance, and power
- Mental strength through problem solving, repetition, and increased confidence
- Self-respect from accomplishing the seemingly impossible and “superhuman”
- Be a part of the community of incredibly supportive, fun, and respectful people: friendship with other traceurs!
Parkour training revolves around two very important things: progression and repetition. You don’t start trying to jump across a 10-foot gap, from the top of a railing to another. You start by jumping in place, where you stand. And you do it over and over until you’re comfortable enough to jump a little higher, push a little further. That’s how we all started—even “superhumans” like the people on our performance team, the Tribe.
Parkour is a discipline. It’s hard work. It’s consistent training. There’s no secret shortcuts. We aren’t born “superhuman”, with globs of confidence, coordination, and mental toughness. We train into it. We learn to overcome obstacles. We learn to see the opportunities. We strive to help others, so that their success becomes our success.
What is American Parkour?
American Parkour is a community of like minded people that want to expand the discipline in the best way possible. To do this we offer classes, make tutorials, put on demonstrations, throw parkour meetups called jams, and many other things. Many of our Ambassadors teach for free in public places around the United States. Check out this video. It really showcases who we are and why we do what we do.
If you want to learn more about us check out this page. It should answer any questions you have.
How do I Get Started?
That’s a great question! You already have. All of us have been using our bodies since we were born. Now you’re going to start using it differently, better!
You should check out our getting started page! It’s a good overview and has more resources to help you succeed.
What are Other Good Resources?
YouTube was one of parkour’s first homes. Parkour videos are some of the most creative and exciting you’ll find. They can give you inspiration or teach you a new technique. Check out APK’s channel.
The APK Facebook is a great place to contact us if you want to ask a question. We will do our best to answer any question you have!
When Can I Start the Building Jumping?
Jumping off buildings is dangerous and is best left to professionals. There is nothing you can do on a roof that can’t be done on the ground. Brick Mansions and District B13 (the movie Brick Mansions was based on) had great stunt work and YouTube is full of great videos that take place on roofs. That’s not for everyone. Part of parkour is knowing your limits. You’ll know when you’re ready to be on a roof. After training for a while the answer is usually Never.