You're walking out of a multi-storey car-park and you suddenly realize that something big just flew over you, something that's too big to be a bird or a cat. You took a quick glance and spot a sneaker scooting off the ledge.
No, that wasn't Superman, Spiderman or any of our friendly neighbourhood Superheroes. That was in fact, a traceur (male) or traceuses (female) - people who practice the art of Parkour.
There's no doubt about it, Parkour is an art - the French call it l'art du deplacement, 'the art of displacement' in English - and it could be nothing less than that with the sheer effort and grace that practitioners embody. By definition, Parkour is the art of moving from point A to point B, overcoming any obstacle that comes in your way. Sounds deceptively simple doesn't it?
Then remember that 'any obstacle' includes everything and anything from railings, branches, that gaping space from the top of an underpass to the other side, nothing but metres of empty space from one building to the next. Being a traceur takes not only guts, but sheer mental strength as you leap from one building to another.
Parkour enthusiasts call the sport a search for self-knowledge and self-control because, as their philosophy states 'obstacles are not always what we imagine them to be.' From rural areas to the urban jungle, Parkour preaches the mastery of different environments and maximizing our own body's potential.
Founded in France by David Belle, Parkour in fact has a very practical usage aside from its mindblowing stunts. Belle claims that Parkous enables anyone to clear any obstacles in the case of an emergency - and it's no surprise as traceurs are required to move not only quickly, but with the least amount of energy possible.
Thus, most traceurs stress on the fact that flips and whatever fancy moves you see are essentially not part of Parkour. Why? It's simply a waste of energy and defeats the whole purpose of Parkour! 
Trivia! Parkour arises from the French military obstacle course called parcours du combattant - perhaps the Ministry of Defence should incorporate this into BMT, since Singapore's urban landscape poses quite a potential obstacle during battles.
Singapore itself has a growing Parkour scene, having its own online Parkour community at le-Parkour.sg. Singaporean enthusiasts exchange information such as good spots to PK (ParKour) and the best shoes to use when PK-ing.
If you're an aspiring traceur, or just interested in this discipline, visit the site and get the low-down on our local take of an international art-form.
Practising Parkour doesn't require a license, and the myth that it's illegal is unfounded as well.
One way to stay out of trouble, as many traceurs say, is to stay away from crowded areas (that means showing off at Orchard Road is a no-go) and private property. While slinking up drain-pipes at HDB blocks may be tempting, it isn't entirely advisable to do so as it might be construed as criminal activity. No one wants their cat-like moves to be mistaken for a cat-burglar.
For more adrenaline pumping Parkour 'stunts', you might want to give Luc Besson's (of Nikita and The Professional fame) 2001 movie The Yamakasi a shot! This film quite excellently demonstrates the potential Parkour holds, as a group of traceurs utilise their abilities to be modern-day Robin Hoods.
However, there is a slight difference between the 'original' Parkour and that practiced by the group as The Yamakasi places the beauty of the actions above efficiency, while 'true' Parkour does the reverse.
So the next time you think you've spotted some wall-climbing Superhero on the surface of your HDB building, think again. It's just a mere human - like the rest of us - who's chosen to push himself to the limit and overcome his own self.
For the traceurs, Parkour is more than a sport, it is a way of life. Hooked
Images courtesy of:
OddTopic.com
sfparkour.com
grooveking.com
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Sources
Written by Guest on 2008-08-26 23:59:01
Hi guys!
I"m actually doing a project for school on parkour and I would want to know who take the picture "Parkour1_grooveking".
D'ont worry I will not take it to make real stuff it's just for school but my teacher want that we have the sources and the artist of the images we take for Autor right.
Your stuff is amazing congradulation! Keep up the good work!
(Sorry if my english is a bit lack but i'm french so understand please) | Written by Guest on 2008-09-20 09:29:55
 | Written by Guest on 2008-09-28 16:39:23
 | Written by Guest on 2008-10-14 09:24:27
haha this sport ROKS | Written by Guest on 2008-10-14 16:47:22
| freerunninggeek
Written by Guest on 2008-10-20 13:34:22
 this beats the hell outta X-Box.. it fun as hell so get up and try it | Written by Guest on 2008-10-21 11:11:23
 | Written by Guest on 2008-11-03 02:50:52
its cool and rocks man | Written by Guest on 2008-11-05 08:45:09
| Hey im Dawn
Written by Guest on 2008-11-07 13:13:34
hey im dawn im 14 and i was wondering about the parkour and was hoping u could tell me some more msg me on myspace or my email .its dawnmarie08_14@yahoo.com . Thxx | Written by Guest on 2008-11-07 14:42:30
co robicie
| Written by Guest on 2008-11-13 04:42:41
 moia babka lepiei skacze ha ha przykrosic | Written by Guest on 2008-11-16 06:52:26
| Written by Guest on 2008-11-19 15:08:29
 queria praticar PARKOUR
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