History of Parkour

Parkour, in its current form, arose in the 1980’s in the suburbs of Paris where David Belle, credited as the founder of the practice, grew up. The roots of parkour can be traced to Georges Hébert and his Méthode Naturelle” (Natural Method) which he developed through the late 19th and early 20th centuries.. Hébert developed a way to train the body and spirit based on his experiences as a French naval officer. He observed indigenous cultures and their athletic prowess despite a lack of formal training, and concluded that movement based on natural human movement patterns was ideal. He was also influenced by his experience assisting in an evacuation effort during a volcanic eruption, which reinforced his belief that athletic skill must be combined with moral courage and selflessness. His teachings became the basis for the French military’s physical training system. David Belle’s father Raymond Belle was a military firefighter and educated in the evolution of Hébert’s teachings. David was inspired by stories of and conversations with his father as he developed parkour along with childhood friends and relatives including Sebatien Foucan and the Yamakasi.