Parkour: Anything You Can Do, We Can Do Better!

by Meredith Penczek

It’s normal to see girls in gymnastics. Doesn’t every little girl want to be a cheerleader or a ballerina when she’s little? Well, more and more guys are starting to be seen in gymnastics. Even some of the guys in Paris have started meeting at Talents Unlimited for their own sessions, and they say that anything a girl can do they can do better!

There is a difference in the way many guys practice though. They don’t call it “gymnastics.” They call it Parkour. Parkour is a little different than regular gymnastics. Parkour is less restricted and is more of a freestyle sport. It is made up of a lot of running, jumping, balancing, climbing, and vaulting; and being able to do some flips does not mean it’s Parkour. Guys in Parkour have disciplined themselves enough so they can accomplish things common gymnasts would never think of or attempt.

“It’s like the freedom of it. You can basically do whatever you want,” sophomore Drake Wisemen said when asked why he did Parkour, and Jayce Cunningham said, “It’s something for all of our extra energy to go into or to just blow off steam.”

Parkour participants always look for ways of intensifying their sport via new tricks and styles; however, they don’t go so far as to show off, use reckless behavior, or attempt overly dangerous stunts. This is because none of them want to be hurt and out of it from injury or otherwise. They also demonstrate respect for all people, places, and spaces used in the sport.

Parkour has become so popular in America, there are now shows based upon it and whole websites about it. Jump City: Seattle is a show about professional teams of Parkour participates going head to head in the streets and rooftops of Seattle. Americanparkour.com is a website filled with information about recent activity in the Parkour community and has stuff to help kids starting out. For Drake Wisemen, it’s something more than just a hobby. “It’s like the art of movement, and I just love it.”