If you’re not one to let anything get in your way, why not turn your ducking and diving into a super cool art movement, otherwise known as the urban sport of Parkour.

Originating from France, Parkour (meaning ‘the art of moving’) is the physical discipline of overcoming any obstacle within your path by adapting your movements to an urban environment.

Any urban space is a Parkour playground and the ‘traceurs’ who practice it all deem different cities around the world to have the best environment due to their unique public structures, buildings and rails. By focusing on moving from one point to another as fast, smoothly and efficiently as possible, using the abilities of their body to surpass any obstacle, traceurs achieve complete freedom both physically and mentally. It’s the efficiency and simplicity of the flow of Parkour that sets it apart from the somewhat similar but more acrobatic urban sport of Freerunning.

Even the celebs are at it, with Hollywood hunk Jake Gyllenhaal learning from the master himself, David Belle, who created Parkour, in order to get super fit for his action role in Prince of Persia: Sands of Time.

But please don’t try this at home without first getting some training at a Parkour class or workshop and then you’ll begin to see your city in a whole new way… Let us know if you give it a go!

Image by Marco Gomez
Foto: Kaouê Guimarães
www.flickr.com/photos/kaoue/