Parkour Without Borders

ISSUE 3

PARKOUR

WITHOUT BORDERS

BREATHEPK.com

Breathtaking Parkour

BREATHEPK.COM

ISSUE 3 B R E AT H E P K IN THIS ISSUE PAGE 06 Letter From The Editor

PAGE 08 Destino A Perú

PAGE 14 Facility Showcase

PAGE 18 PKBC Photo Exposé

PAGE 25 Athlete Showcase

PAGE 26 London Calling

PAGE 28 Facility Showcase

PAGE 32 Motivation

PAGE 36 Facility Showcase

PAGE 39 Breathe Into No Limits

PAGE 42 Sustainable Bodies

PAGE 48 Greece Photo Exposé

PAGE 52 Athlete Showcase

PAGE 56 Athlete Showcase

PAGE 60 Parkour For Change

PAGE 64 Parkour Semantics

PAGE 69 Stairs Training Tutorial

PAGE 72 Breathe Recipes

A conversation between our two editors and how collaborating made miracles.

A brief overview of Amanda “Panda” Voll and the success she’s had despite serious injury.

No Limits has taken the outdoor practice indoors with a little help from the community.

How Josh “Bullet” Brauer landed a gig in a Speed Stick commercial in Romania.

Stairs are your friends.

In a foreign country, Riley Fedechko found the last thing he expected.

Epic training and sad goodbyes were had by Panda on her London Tour.

A quick look at how Breathe Parkour brought new life to a local facility.

Yoann “Zephyr” Leroux talks about his involvement in multiple communities.

From filming to leading, Rene Scavington talks about how Parkour came into his life.

From suits to sweats, 2J Pantoja adds some flare to the Edmonton Parkour community.

Crystal May shows off her parkour inspired yoga poses.

How PK Nakusp changed one boy’s life and opened up multiple doors.

Energize, Sustain, Recovery

COV E R P H OTO ATHLETE: RILEY HILTON LOCATION: FORBIDDEN CITY, BEIJING, CHINA PHOTOGRAPHERS: STEVE NAGY&FRANKIE SKRIPAL

04 . BREATHEPK.COM . IN THIS ISSUE

An inside look at the events from the 7th annual Parkour BC jam.

Here are some tips and tricks to finding your motivation and keeping it.

A look at some of the sites of Greece from a Traceur’s perspective.

A rose by any other name.

CONTRIBUTORS Publisher BPK Industries Production Director Matthew Talbot-Turner Photo & Design Editor Frankie Skripal EDITORS Steve Nagy Robert Hill ASSOCIATE EDITOR Zoë Klintberg WRITERS Riley Fedechko Taylor Lambert Amanda “Panda” Voll Grant Cree Matt Talbot-Turner Kurtis Broeders Josh “Bullet” Brauer Crystal May Jim Sinclair Ian Holmes www.irrationalfitness.com

Anjali Shah Yoann “Zephyr” Leroux TRANSLATORS Julien Naggar Sarah Burchnall PHOTOGRAPHERS Deejay Lee-Fifield Heather Riley Maryna​ Dakhno

marynadphotography.wix.com/inspired

Bar Perry Photography

www.barperryphotography.com

Rebecca Sykes

www.sykedphotography.com

Micky Wall Ashley Holland Steve Nagy Ashley Wee Colin Ross Beth Jusino Jonathan Stakiewicz www.JCstudios.ca

EXTRA CONTRIBUTORS Calnan’s Naturals & Organics www.calnans.ca

Rene Scavington Morgan Hill 2J Pantoja www.2jpantjo.com

CONTRIBUTORS . BREATHEPK.COM . 05

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR(S) This issue of Breathe Magazine was put together a bit differently than issues in the past. Editorship was handed down to multiple people, and Breathe took some time to redefine itself and grow into something new. Previous Editor Steve Nagy and current Editor Robert Hill decided to sit down and discuss what Breathe has been up to, the Breathe team and what inspired the idea of Parkour Without Borders.

ATHLETE: STEVE NAGY LOCATION: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA WAR MEMORIAL PHOTOGRAPHER: STEVE NAGY

Rob: Hey Steve, why don’t you explain how you became a part of the Breathe team in the first place?

Steve: I was originally brought on to help with marketing through my company [Where’s Nagy], but Matt and Frankie [co-owners of Breathe] went off on an adventure to China to rediscover what Breathe was for them, and they asked me to carry the torch while they were gone. I scoured the world for interesting stories, but after a while it became clear that I needed someone with a writers’ touch to help put it all together. You [Robert Hill] were the perfect fit for the role of Editor. You helped me with a couple of particularly difficult articles, and over time it became obvious that you should take on a larger role with Breathe.

R: It sure was exciting to be asked to be a part of the Breathe team. I loved the first couple of issues and had been wondering what was going on with the magazine. When we started

06 . BREATHEPK.COM . LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

working together, I expected to create the next issue from scratch, but you had over two issues worth of material organized and ready to go.

S: The hiatus of the magazine was a necessary break.

Breathe as an organization was beginning to grow, and we needed to step back and assess what direction we wanted to take. We’ve actually been very busy over the last two years with events, clothing, a talented team of athletes, and more recently, a gym. With Matt and Frankie’s return from China, it was time for Breathe Parkour Magazine to make its triumphant return.

R: Things have been non-stop since Matt and Frankie got back. Working with the three of you [Steve, Matt, and Frankie] has literally been a life-changing experience. You’re all so motivated and ambitious and intelligent about the choices you’ve made. It’s a pretty big honour to work with you, and a little bit intimidating.

S: You’re included in that as well. When we first met, I was directed to your website [www.parkour365.com], where I saw firsthand how motivated you were yourself. Training every day for an entire year and writing and filming your experiences showed me that you love Parkour, love writing, and would be a perfect fit for this team.

R: Aw, thanks Steve. Why don’t you explain how your initial vision for this issue came to fruition?

S: Sure. This issue was inspired initially by Matt and Frankie being in China. We were communicating across the world, and the idea of Parkour as a global community began to emerge.

Different cultures and national borders began to lose their clarity, and movement as a language began to sharpen. We started to collect articles from all over the world, and so the theme of Parkour Without Borders became a great choice to work with.

R: We have articles from Peru, London, China, France, Greece and other countries. We have translated a couple articles into different languages to make them more accessible. And we even…actually, why don’t you mention the exciting news, Steve.

S: So with this theme in mind, we teamed up with Young Pioneer Tours and have been granted access to train in North Korea.

Now that’s a border, and obstacle, that could not have been surpassed if it wasn’t for Parkour.

R: I was stunned when I first heard about this. But that just goes to show that with hard work and dedication, there is no obstacle that can’t be overcome.

Rob & Steve, sung in harmony: We hope you enjoy the new Breathe Magazine. Keep an eye out for some of our other projects over the coming months.

Breathe is back, and this time it’s not going anywhere.

Wait. It’s going everywhere.

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR . BREATHEPK.COM . 07

T o see s o m e o f the Li m a T ra c eurs i n a c ti o n , c h e c k o u t t h i s Yo u T u b e PAG E h t t p : // w w w . y o u t u b e . c o m / u s e r / l i m a t r a c e u r s / v i d e o s P ara v er a l g u n o s d e l o s T ra c eurs d e Li m a e n a c c i 贸 n , v e a e s t e v 铆 d eo d e Yo u T u b e h t t p : // w w w . y o u t u b e . c o m / u s e r / l i m a t r a c e u r s / v i d e o s

DESTINOA

P eru

Th re e t h i n g s g i ve yo u p e r s p e c t i ve : M o u n t a i n s , O ce a n , a n d a sw i f t k i c k to t h e j u n k . _ To that saying I’d have to add Destiny.

Tres cosas le dan a usted perspectiva: Las Montañas, E l O cé a n o, y u n a p a t a d a rá p i d a e n l o s g e n i t a l e s . _ A e ste dic ho he te nido que a ña dir, Dest i n o .

_S T O R Y B Y R I L E Y F E D E C H K O

P H O T O S B Y D ee j ay L ee - F ifield & H eather R iley T ra n slatio n by S arah B u rch n all

Mother Nature has always filled me with a great sense of awe. It’s her sprawling spaces: the deserts, mountains and oceans that overcome me, which is lucky because we’re famous for geography in my homeland of Canada. Just mention “Banff” and you’ll get a few breathy expressions of “oooo, pretty”, in reply. But even with a backyard of towering Rocky Mountains and wide open prairies we don’t have some of the touches that classic adventures are made of. That’s why I fidgeted in my seat. In minutes, my plane would be touching down in a nation comprised of three drastically different ecosystems: the sandy dunes of the Sechura and the northern tip of the Atacama deserts, the soaring peaks of the Andes, and the lush Amazon rainforest. Peru. I was excited to experience every edenic inch. Little did I know that my greatest adventure wouldn’t take place in the forest, but in Lima’s urban jungle.

Clouds covered the Peruvian capital as the three of us arrived. I was traveling with an uncommon mix of compatriots: my mom and girlfriend. After a hard night of flying, the three of us enjoyed a luxuriously late start to the day. It was nearly noon when we wandered into one of Lima’s beautiful cliff-side parks, overlooking the Pacific ocean. Hundreds of Limeans were playing soccer, walking their dogs, and running.

We watched the human flurry until our bellies cued us to leave in search of food. I remember walking away from the park, listening to the music someone was playing behind me. I hummed along, absent-minded to the tune. Catchy. It took me a few more steps before I recognized the song. I stopped.

Never had I heard that song played by anyone who didn’t practice Parkour. It was the overture to the famous YouTube video, Storm Freerun: Volume 1.

My mind raced. Then it stalled a second. Wait! I am in the middle of the street. I frantically scanned my surroundings and noticed two things: 1. I was a safe couple inches from traffic (Phew!); 2. There was a group of sweatpant-clad young men in the park across the street. They looked like traceurs. I mean, they were garbed in the traditional sweats and bright t-shirt combo and laughing like they were having the time of their lives.

One of the taller guys was wearing a speaker-laced backpack from which the unofficial anthem was playing. The clues were adding up, but I still wasn’t sure if these guys were traceurs--it would be far too lucky. I mean, it is remarkably rare to accidentally run into traceurs in my hometown of Calgary, Canada – where I know the spots to look -- so running into some on my first day in Peru would be unfathomable.

DESTINO A PERU . BREATHEPK.COM . 09

A s if to reply to m y s k epticism , one of them did a side flip .

I was so excited as I sprinted toward the strangers. With each stride my mind cluttered with hundreds of questions I wanted to ask, but immediately ran into a rather large and inconvenient roadblock: I don’t speak any Spanish beyond the classic touristism, “Hola!

Buenos Dias.” I came upon them awkwardly and uttered, “Parkour?” At that moment, I felt unbelievably foreign. I had red hair and a whiter-than-sour-cream complexion in a place where brown hair was enough to be exotic.

I languished in the silence. Then, thankfully, a smile broke and sent a shock of laughter through the crowd. Smiles burst out in all directions and they welcomed me into the group like an old friend. Apparently they had gathered I did, “Parkour?”

I quickly explained why a brash Canadian had raced into their group. Luckily, I was able to avoid bilingual charades as the tall guy with the backpack, Diego, turned out to be both the leader and fairly well-versed in English.

Through him, I gushed over how awestruck I was to chance upon them. With that, my luck doubled. It turned out that the group-- the Lima Traceurs--were just starting a jam, with an extra spot in their ranks that could only be filled by an unexpected Canadian traceur. What a coincidence! I waved frantic goodbyes at my mom and girlfriend, who were all too happy to ditch me, and I was off to my first Peruvian Parkour jam.

10 . BREATHEPK.COM . DESTINO A PERU

T hat d ay I was prou d to be a traceur The Lima Traceurs never took anything too seriously (including the odd concerned citizen telling them to be careful). As we vaulted, flipped and rolled, my suspicions were soon confirmed that the Lima Traceurs were, plain and simply, awesome.

I left Peru the next day and waded through desert sands, scrambled up Andean faces and hooted with the Amazonian jungle birds - but nothing could outshine the euphoria of my encounter with the Lima Traceurs. I hadn’t meant to meet them, nor even base my trip on Parkour, but the team welcomed me as if I were an old friend.

I had always imagined that Parkour could serve as a sort of universal language of collaborative movement, but this was the first time I got to experience that first hand. It was amazing to have a connection with these people with whom I could barely communicate, except through the movements of our bodies.

It proved to me that the Parkour community really is global. That day I was proud to be a traceur.

S miles

burst

o ut i n a l l

directions

a n d the y welcomed

me into the group.

DESTINO A PERU . BREATHEPK.COM . 11

C omo en respuesta a mi escepticismo , uno de ellos hizo un movimiento lateral .

La madre naturaleza siempre me ha llenado con un gran sentido del asombro. Son sus extensos espacios: los desiertos, las montañas y los océanos que me superan, lo cual es favorable porque somos famosos por la geografía en mi tierra natal de Canadá. Los Extranjeros pueden saber muy poco sobre nuestra nación, pero menciona “Banff” y obtendrás algunas expresiones entrecortadas de un “oooo, lindo”, como respuesta. Sin embargo con un patio de altas montañas rocosas y praderas amplias, no tenemos algunos de los toques naturales de los que las aventuras clásicas están hechas.

Es por eso que me puse nervioso en mi asiento; El avión estaba saltando por el aire en la vía a uno de los parques más grandes de la naturaleza. En cuestión de minutos estaría aterrizando en una nación compuesta por tres ecosistemas drásticamente diferentes. Las dunas de arena de la Sechura y el extremo norte del desierto de Atacama resaltaban las altas cumbres de los Andes, mientras que el paisaje del este está pintado con la abundante selva Amazónica. Yo estaba emocionado de experimentar cada centímetro edénico de Perú. Pero no me imaginaba que mi mayor aventura no tendría lugar en el bosque, sino en la selva urbana de Lima.

Las nubes cubrían la capital peruana, mientras tres de nosotros salíamos de nuestro hotel. Yo estaba viajando con una mezcla poco común de compatriotas: mi madre y mi novia. Este no es posiblemente el par de compañeros de viaje mas ideal pero el éxito del viaje es un testimonio de lo bien que estas dos mujeres se tratan (y lo ansiosas que estaban para pasarla bien sin mí). Después de una noche dura de vuelo, nosotros tres estábamos disfrutando un comienzo del día lujosamente tarde. Era casi mediodía cuando caminábamos desde el vestíbulo del hotel hacia uno de los hermosos parques de los acantilados de Lima. Tenía vista al Océano

12 . BREATHEPK.COM . DESTINO A PERU

Pacifico y estaba vibrante con actividad. Aprovechando el fin de semana, cientos de limeños estaban jugando fútbol, ​​caminando a sus perros y corriendo. Vimos la oleada humana hasta que nuestros estómagos nos indicaron que saliéramos en busca de un lugar para comer. Recuerdo que cruzamos la calle, alejándonos del parque, escuchando la música que alguien estaba tocando detrás de mí.

Yo tarareaba, distraído con la música; era pegajosa. Me tomó unos segundos para reconocer la canción. ¡Me detuve! Nunca antes había escuchado esa canción tocada por ninguna persona que no practicara parkour.

Era el preludio de los famosos vídeos de YouTube, Storm Freerun: Volume 1. [En texto diferenciado mas pequeño] Ver video de Storm en breathepk. com/magazine [crear vínculo digital] Mi mente se estancó por un segundo. ¡Espera! Estoy en el medio de la calle.

Frenéticamente observé a mi alrededor y me di cuenta de dos cosas: 1. Yo estaba a un par de pulgadas de la seguridad del tráfico (Phew!); 2. Al otro lado de la calle había un parque en el que se encontraba un grupo de jóvenes vestidos con ropa deportiva.

Parecían traceurs.

Quiero decir, ellos estaban vestidos con los tradicionales uniformes de pantalones y camisetas de colores brillantes... y se reían como si estuvieran teniendo el mejor momento de sus vidas.

Uno de los chicos más altos llevaba una mochila con un altavoz atado de la que el himno no oficial, Storm Freerun estaba sonando.

Las claves se fueron sumando, pero yo todavía no estaba seguro si estos chicos eran traceurs – hubiera sido demasiado afortunado.

Quiero decir, que es muy raro para mí tropezar accidentalmente con traceurs en mi ciudad natal de Calgary, Canadá - y yo conozco todos los sitios donde buscar - por lo que tropezar con algunos en mi primer día en Perú sería incomprensible.

E se d í a y o estaba orgulloso de ser un traceur

Como en respuesta a mi escepticismo, uno de ellos hizo un movimiento lateral.

Yo estaba tan emocionado que grité algo no inteligible a mi madre y a mi novia luego corrí para alcanzar a estos extraños. Con cada paso hacia ellos mi mente se llenaba de cientos de preguntas que quería hacer pero inmediatamente me encontré con un obstáculo bastante grande e inconveniente: yo no hablo español. Me acerqué a ellos y pronuncié torpemente, “¿Parkour?” En ese momento, me sentí extranjero. No puedo recordar la última vez que me sentí tan marginado. Yo tenía el pelo rojo y una tez más blanca que la leche en un lugar donde el pelo castaño era casi suficiente para ser exótico. Era dolorosamente obvio que yo no hablaba ni una palabra de español más allá del clásico turista “¡Hola! Buenos Días”.

Yo languidecía en el silencio. Luego, por suerte, una sonrisa rompió un par de labios sellados y envió una corriente de risas a través de la multitud. Sonrisas estallaron en todas las direcciones y me dieron la bienvenida al grupo como un viejo amigo. Al parecer, ellos tuvieron la impresión de que yo practicaba Parkour.

Por los próximos minutos yo expliqué por qué un joven insolente, pelirrojo de Canadá había corrido en su grupo. Por suerte pude evitar las señas ya que el tipo alto con la mochila resultó ser el líder del grupo y bastante bien versado en inglés. Su nombre era Diego. A través de él, dije lo asombrado que yo estaba de tropezar con ellos al azar. Y con eso, mi suerte se duplicó. Resultó que el grupo - que se llaman a sí mismos los Traceurs de Lima - estaban empezando una practica y habían abierto un puesto extra en sus filas que sólo podía ser cubierto por un traceur inesperado de Canadá. ¡Qué casualidad!

Envié frenéticos adioses a mi madre y a mi novia quienes estaban muy felices de deshacerse de mí por unas horas para explorar la ciudad por su cuenta, y yo estaba en mi primera práctica de Parkour Peruana.

I am still in touch with nearly all of the traceurs I met in Peru: Diego, Paul, David, Alejandro, Johan G., Johan R., Javier, Karina, Lorenzo, and Xtan. All of them are great guys (or girls) and I would gladly welcome them into my home if they ever came to Canada. So if you happen to be in Lima, look these guys up. It may be one of the best things you do in Peru.

Los Traceurs de Lima nunca toman nada con mucha seriedad (incluyendo el extraño ciudadano preocupado diciéndoles que tuvieran cuidado). En esta comunidad, Parkour, significa pasar buenos momentos y divertirse. El ambiente hace todo más fácil. En un momento, un hombre cayó al suelo con un aterrizaje imperfecto saliendo de una vuelta delantera en el aire. Todo el mundo corrió inmediatamente en su ayuda y desde lejos, parecía como si él se hubiera partido el tobillo. El ambiente tenso quedo pesado por un segundo hasta que rompió con risas. Su tobillo estaba bien.

S eguimos y

saltando ,

rodando .

dando

F inalmente ,

yo

vueltas estaba

convencido que los T raceurs de L ima son sencillamente impresionante y que el P arkour es el mejor deporte del mundo .

Salí al día siguiente y caminé entre las arenas del desierto, conocí rostros andinos y canté con los pájaros de la selva amazónica pero nada podía superar la euforia de mi encuentro con los Traceurs de Lima. Yo no tenía la intención de reunirme con ellos ni siquiera basar mi viaje en Parkour pero el equipo me ha acogido como si yo fuera un viejo amigo de su tierra. ¿En qué otro deporte podría usted aparecer, sin hablar una palabra de la lengua nativa, y ser aceptado al instante por la comunidad?

Siempre había imaginado que el Parkour podría servir como una especie de lenguaje universal del movimiento cooperativo, pero esta fue la primera vez que realmente lo pude experimentar personalmente. Fue increíble tener una conexión con esta gente a quien nunca había conocido antes, y con quien apenas podía comunicarme, excepto a través de los movimientos de nuestros cuerpos. Esto me demostró que la comunidad de Parkour es realmente global.

Todavía estoy en contacto con casi todos los traceurs que conocí en Perú: Diego, Pablo, David, Alejandro, Johan G., Johan R., Javier, Karina, Lorenzo, y Xtan. Todos ellos son buenos chicos (o chicas) y yo con mucho gusto les daría la bienvenida a mi casa si es que alguna vez ellos vinieran a Canadá. Así pues, si alguna vez usted está en Lima, busquen a estos chicos, puede que sea una de las mejores cosas que usted haga en Perú.

DESTINO A PERU . BREATHEPK.COM . 13

WHO: RENE SCAVINGTON (owner) & TOM COPPOELA (instructor) LOCATION: ORIGINS PARKOUR AND FREERUNNING FACILITY, VANCOUVER PHOTOGRAPHER: STEVE NAGY WEBSITE: WWW.ORIGINSPARKOUR.COM

O rigins P arkour and A thletic F acility opened back in S eptember of 2 0 1 2 , and has since be come

one

of

the

premiere

parkour

facilities

in N orth A merica . W ith 1 0 , 0 0 0 square feet to train in - and not a space wasted - it ’ s become a staple within the Vancouver parkour com munity. A fter hosting the first N orth A meri can P arkour C hampionships earlier this year , you can expect O rigins to continue to grow as

an

international

parkour

organization .

B reathe was able to sit down with co - founder R ene S cav ington to talk about how parkour came into his life , and the origin of O rigins .

14 . BREATHEPK.COM . ORIGINS

F

R

O

M

FILMING TO

LEADING _I N T E RV I E W BY breathe parko u r

P H OTO S BY steve n agy & B ar P erry P hoto g raphy T ra n scriptio n by T aylor L ambert

How many years back did you get into Parkour?

Why did everybody stop, and why did you keep going?

Rene: A little over nine years ago. Late 2003

Rene: What happened was, we needed

is when I was introduced to it, and 2004 is

organization, we needed a website, we

when I started going out and filming guys,

needed some things happening in the

and gradually I started to get into it. By the

community... One of the big things was we

time all [the original] guys quit is when I

wanted to start having sessions every week,

started to organize things, because no one

and we still do. That was five or six years

was taking up the reins to do it.

ago, and we’ve continued to have a session

How did you make that leap from being the guy behind the camera?

Rene: Oh, very slowly. I’m a bitch. I’m afraid of everything.

I was bodybuilding at the

every Sunday... That’s really helped to build a community because it gives them the same time and place for people to show up.

easily, but I was just afraid... Parkour’s easy

What are the hotspots around Vancouver and the greater Mainland area?

for me to start doing on a regular basis and

Rene: There are a lot of smaller locations

train every day of the week because I found

that kind of have complications for jams and

that there was no ridicule that I found in other

bigger groups... For the (weekly) Sunday

time. I found I could pick up stuff relatively

sports. I was trying to start breakdancing at the same time... I’d make up stuff and, ‘No, that’s whack.’ Maybe it was the people I was

sessions, we usually stick to the main parks.

There’s Andy Livingstone (Park) and Coal Harbour... We also go to the Vancouver Art Gallery, Coopers’ Park, and we’re thinking

trying to do it with, but it just wasn’t a good

of actually spreading out more now into

experience. Whereas Parkour, people were

Burnaby and some of the other cities to

a lot more encouraging. No one, at the time,

take advantage of some of the larger spots

knew what they were doing. I don’t know

there that are actually public parks.

what it is like for new people now, but at the time, because no one knew what they were doing, it was easy for someone to come in.

And

the city of Vancouver is actually building, or supposed to be building, a Parkour park right next to the PNE Playland.

Are there designs drawn up yet?

with gymnastics gyms. Parkour Visions (in

Rene: Not yet. I’ve been working with them

Seattle) came out, and I asked them, ‘How

a bit. Not as much as I’d like to, I’d like to get

do you compete with gymnastics gyms?’

Obviously you’re still in a state of creating the gym. Is it ever going to be a final product?

in there more... It was actually my girlfriend

And one of the things they said to me was

Rene: No. I already have another $3,000

who got a hold of the city when we were

that gymnastics gyms are all foam and

project that I want to get on as soon as

talking about getting a gym, and then the

sprungfloor. And they had tools that were

possible. Every single time a video comes

other initiative was, ‘Let’s see if we can get

built for Parkour, and that got me onto the

out for another gym, it’s just raising the

a park.’ So she spent a lot of time one day

right track and the right philosophy.

bar. ‘Oh, we’ve gotta do that.’

more individual and expressive sports and

Obviously the community is pretty welcoming of all this; but is there any kind of a philosophical problem with moving Parkour indoors into a training space?

activities that aren’t always team sports.

Rene: There’s still a lot of complaints from

They see the benefits in that. From there, I

people about the marketing of Parkour,

waited a bit after talking to some guys and

and turning it into a sport, or turning it into

What do you see as the progression now for both the gym and the Parkour community of Vancouver? And, obviously, the greater community—you’ve got people here today from Germany, Florida, all over Western Canada, up from Seattle, Colorado...

then all of a sudden I got contacted by the

a competition. As far as making a gym for

Hastings Park project manager, and we’ve

it, though, no one complains because you

been having meetings ever since.

have a place to train. I think people are

hunting down people and making some noise... She got me in contact with the right people that basically try to coordinate and facilitate different sports for the city. The city of Vancouver is looking to facilitate

How did this gym space come about?

Rene: I never considered gyms for the longest time. We had so many gymnastics gyms in Coquitlam and Burnaby. You could pretty much go to a gymnastics gym drop in every night of the week, and I just didn’t want to compete with that... I wanted a park. I wanted to teach classes and have a space for that, but I never imagined anything this big, and I never imagined that something small would be able to compete

past that. I had heard things years ago, but not a single person has come to me since I opened it and said, ‘This is a bad thing.’

Rene: We’re just trying to make it bigger and bigger every year. We planned everything last minute this year... It’s easy to say you had the best competition, too. There are people here from Seattle watching it and taking note and saying, ‘Okay, they planned this a little better than we did.’

People

Do you think that Parkour has become mainstream enough that people are looking for gyms as a place to start?

just keep improving it. People can make

Rene: Absolutely. A lot of people don’t

trying to do, just keep raising the bar.

better Parkour gyms... I like that there’s no standard, no one’s set the bar yet, the bar just keeps getting raised. That’s all we’re

want to do Parkour because they’re afraid to go outside and they’re afraid to get their hands dirty. You make a place like the gym, and then you push them outside.

Th i s i n te r v i ew h a s b e e n e d i te d a n d co n d e n s e d .

“

”

T hat ’ s all we ’ re trying to do , just keep raising the bar .

ORIGINS . BREATHEPK.COM . 17

PKBC7

Daniel Arroyo doing cat in Andy Livingstone Park as part of PKBC 7 PHOTOS: Steve Nagy LOCATIONS: Andy Livingstone Park, George Wainborn Park, Keefer Place, Origins PK in Vancouver, BC

18 . BREATHEPK.COM . PKBC7

PKBC7 . BREATHEPK.COM . 19

20 . BREATHEPK.COM . PKBC7

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22 . BREATHEPK.COM . DESTINO A PERU

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PERFORMANCE WEAR

Full line of Breathe Performance Wear now available GET YOURS AT WWW.BREATHEPK.COM

_STORY BY

AMANDA PANDA VOLL PHOTO BY BAR PERRY

Athlete Showcase

-VOLLING PANDA

Where there is no struggle, there is no strength.

- Oprah

Amanda has been training Parkour and freerunning for over 5 years now. In 2009, she was struck by a car and sustained a dislocated spine, serious hip damage, and a concussion. This resulted in over nine months of physiotherapy and a fresh start to how she viewed Parkour. Amanda’s recovery and immersion in Parkour has led her to become one of North America’s strongest female Parkour athletes. She is a female mentor for the WFPF (as well as an Affiliated Athlete), has been a role model for both men and women in her local community, spearheaded a project to save a historical training site in Calgary called Century Gardens, and continues to grow as an athlete, teacher, and mentor. You can reach Amanda through her Facebook account at https://www.facebook.com/Panda.Voll?fref=ts

SHOWCASE . BREATHEPK.COM . 25

London Calling Amanda “Panda” Voll

Recently, I made a last-minute journey to London in search of inspiration. I’d never travelled anywhere foreign alone, so this trip was one of the most intimidating experiences of my life. My mind raced as I waited for take-off. Where would I train?

Who would I meet? If I got into trouble would there be anyone to help me? Taking a deep breath, I applied the concepts of Parkour and focused on the moment. With this in mind, I was able to spend the 9-hour flight filled with anticipation.

After passing through security, I hopped on the easyBus to Earl’s Court Station and waited for Peter McKee from Parkour Generations. Then the unthinkable happened; I discovered that I had no cellular service and no way to get in touch with Peter!

Panic welled up inside me. I was at the point of questioning why the hell I had decided to take this trip in the first place, when a man from the Metropolitan Police Museum poked his head out of the front door and called out, “You alright there luv?” He happily invited me into the museum to use his phone and computer and I successfully connected with my first London contact.

After an English breakfast, we headed out to Elephant and Castle. This is an old abandoned villa with a brick courtyard full of railings and even a former playground area. The walls were filled with character and history, and I was heartbroken when I learned that it is set for demolition. My heart dropped again when I saw security guards approaching. However, when Pete explained that we were doing Parkour, they simply reminded us to keep an eye on our bags. How refreshing! Parkour isn’t as widely known in Canada so I’m used to always reassuring people of our good intentions. It was lovely to be met with immediate understanding.

We trained at Elephant for several hours, but jet lag made my depth perception hazy and brought on dizzy spells. I pushed through it, training as much as I could. After all, I was in London. The whole city is like a cathedral for the disciples of Parkour. Afterwards, Peter brought me to a Parkour Generations class that was being held at a community center. I assisted here and there but I was so jet lagged that I eventually

16 . BREATHEPK.COM . FLYING ACTORS

flopped down on a yoga mat and fell asleep.

After Generations, I met with Edina Curpas, the girlfriend of Paul ‘Blue’ Joseph - a freerunner from the Storm Freerun team. We went to the Tate Museum and viewed some original Picasso paintings, then to some Parkour spots around the London eye. I’m so grateful that Edina had offered to put me up for a few days; she is one of the most amazing women I have ever had the honour of meeting. We spoke about our lives and realized how much we had in common. I’ve found that very often the most genuine practitioners, with truly unique movement and style, tend to draw motivation from a history of hardship.

Edi and I originally planned to visit a spot called Junkies Jungle where the Parkour Generations crew was supposed to meet, but first we checked out the Vauxhall walls. Here, to my surprise and delight, I caught a glimpse of the great Sébastien Foucan! He is a role model of mine - a founder and ambassador of freerunning. He recognized me from our Facebook conversations and introduced himself. I was beside myself with excitement and awe! Especially when I found that a whole pantheon of living legends surrounded me. This included Kie Willis and Timothy ‘Livewire’ Shieff, who especially liked my panda t-shirt (Panda is the nickname given to me by my mother, which she used until the day she passed).

I also met Niall Jacob, an amazing traceur with a tremendous amount of flow to his movements, who had generously agreed to put me up for a few nights.

Next, I trained in central London with Mat Armitage from 3RUN. Mat was a great help in improving some points in my training. The most significant point for me was the importance of focusing on potential, not limitations. Afterwards, I met with Ashley Holland from Storm Freerun and another well-known traceur, Bobby Gordon-Smith. We started playing on the IMAX spot as well as some other places around the London Eye just as the sun was setting. When the beauty of the place caught up with us, we stretched out and stared at the stars and the blue lights of the eye, just enjoying life.

I spent the following day saying my goodbyes. Sore and tired, a part of me was happily thinking of my own bed and returning to my community at No Limits in Calgary, but the other part of me remained wistful. All these amazing experiences made me long to know what it would be like to live and train in such a Parkour haven. I hope that one day I’ll be able to return and find out. Thank you, London. You have an undying place in my heart.

FLYF R E E P K P A R K www. flyfreerun . com www. facebook . com / F ly F ree C o S herwood P ark , A lberta

“ P arkour I S G R E A T B E C A U S E I stay fit by doing what I love , ”

says

2 J . “ I t ’ s a challenging and satis fying

workout.

tantly,

it

A nd

benefits

more me

impor -

mentally

because it ’ s a good stress reliev er

that

boosts

my

confidence . ”

2J Pantoja (“Please, just call me 2J,” he says with a smile) is a 25-year-old mover and shaker in Edmonton who is passionate about two things: marketing and Parkour. He’s blended these two interests to create exciting new opportunities for those who also love the sport.

As a former Marketing Manager at Plush Marketing, 2J worked for an employer who totally supports his involvement in Parkour. In fact, his employer encouraged him to stay active because it’s good for business. “He told me, ‘If you slow down physically, you’ll slow down mentally,’” recollects 2J, who started working at Plush three years ago - around the same time he discovered Parkour.

An affiliated athlete with the World Freerunning Parkour Federation, 2J first learned about the sport when he watched a YouTube video featuring David Belle. Even though he was a competitive skateboarder, this type of human movement blew him away and he hungered for more. He started consuming YouTube vids and, of course, had his jaw drop when he saw Sébastien Foucan use freerunning to outrun and outwit 007 in Casino Royale.

F R O M

SUITS TO

SWEATS S T O R Y B Y Gra n t C ree P H O T O S B Y R ebecca S ykes

28 . BREATHEPK.COM . FLY FREE

Although 2J considers himself a traceur, he doesn’t draw distinctions between freerunner, tricker, or anything else, because “it’s all about movement.”

“It’s like moving with art,” explains 2J. “Whether you’re dancing or tricking or doing Parkour or freerunning, or break dancing, I think it’s all in the same family. The movement itself is more important.”

Asked if he has a background in gymnastics or martial arts, 2J laughs and says his background is curiosity. When he sees something he likes, he wants to learn it right on the spot. Although it’s fun learning

“

communities from across Alberta by jamming together.

Borrowing from his marketing experiences, he put out some feelers for an all-Alberta jam on July 7, 2012.

The response was overwhelming.

“I expected maybe 30 people,” recalls 2J. “I marketed it and created a brand and to my surprise, almost 70 people showed up from six different cities.”

Some participants drove seven hours for the one-day event. They trained for a couple hours at each of three venues, then packed up and drove to the next place.

“Location is a huge thing for a freerunner, so training in

M Y F R I E N D S S AY I T ’ S A M A Z I N G H O W I G O F R O M S U I T S TO S W E AT s . I L O V E T H AT B A L A N C E , A N D T H E FA C T T H AT I C A N D O B OT H ” on his own, he enjoys sharing his Parkour training with others. He recalls wondering, “Why doesn’t a Parkour community exist yet here in Edmonton?”

After jamming last year in Calgary one 12-hour day with other Parkour practitioners, that question drove him to establish a community in Edmonton. He applied his marketing skills to create a brand with a logo and t-shirts, and got the word out on Facebook and YouTube. Making videos is one of his hobbies, so in 2011 he shot, edited and posted short videos on YouTube.

He pumped one out every week. Soon, people noticed.

“They saw my videos and it took off from there,” he says. He’s still posting new videos and also makes regular posts on Facebook to update everyone about weekend jams in Edmonton, which attracts anywhere from eight to thirty people. All this helped build the momentum 2J needed to formally establish the Edmonton Parkour & Freerunning Community. “I chose the word ‘community’ very carefully because it’s more welcoming,” 2J explains. ”Everybody starts somewhere, so when you say community, it’s not your team versus another team--that creates separation--we don’t want cliques, we want one big community.”

And big is what it’s becoming.

Since 2010, he’s organized outdoor community jams at various parks in Edmonton every Saturday afternoon. These have been so well-received that they led 2J to share the positive experiences by founding Parkour Alberta (PKAB), which he created with the help of enthusiasts in other cities. The intent was to link

”

a new [area] is like discovering a new heaven,” says 2J. “And that’s what PKAB is about, to showcase Parkour in different Alberta cities.”

The participants at the PKAB 2012 summit were traceurs, freerunners, trickers, breakers and gymnasts.

“Several people stopped and asked what we were doing because they were interested to see 70 people flying like bats through the air,” says 2J. It was such a great experience that 2J is determined to collaborate with other Alberta communities to host PKAB-style events every year. He credits his marketing background for creating buzz for what became a successful jam. “My friends say it’s amazing how I go from suits to sweats,” smiles 2J. “I love that balance, and the fact that I can do both. Those are two things I’m passionate about: Marketing and Parkour. I’m glad to be doing both almost on a full-time basis.”

He also teaches Parkour four evenings a week at two different gyms in Edmonton. Many of his students (typically 14- to 26-years-old) attend the weekend jams to show their stuff and learn more. He started teaching at Ortona Gymnastics Club in Edmonton, which has one of the biggest gymnasiums in Western Canada. On November 10, 2012, he officially opened FlyFree in Sherwood Park, Alberta. It’s a 25-minute drive east of Edmonton, and is located inside the SALTO Gymnastics Club. It is 11,000-square-feet, with 20-foot ceilings, and includes an impressive array of gymnastics and parkour equipment.

FLY FREE . BREATHEPK.COM . 29

Working with the SALTO management team, 2J designed the new facility by creating a floor plan and detailing the equipment needed for the 500-square-foot Parkour training area.

These new features include 10-foot and 12-foot obstacles - the taller of which is affectionately known as the Breathe Parkour Tower. It’s a modest beginning, he notes, but so was the 10,000-square-foot Origins Parkour Facility in Vancouver, B.C. when it was first conceived.

“Getting this new facility in Sherwood Park is a milestone for the whole community,” says 2J, who encourages others to come experience it.

“There’s something here for Parkour beginners, intermediate and advanced [practitioners]. And there’s also something here for pros. We’re going to continue to grow and in future PKAB jams, I’d like to feature our new place.”

He’s grateful to members of the SALTO Gymnastics Club, particularly Kelly (the Executive Director) and David (the Competitive Director) for their help in making his dream become reality. 2J is convinced there’s enough interest in Edmonton and area to train indoors at the new facility, especially during the cruel winter months.

“This is more than just a Parkour park, it will become the community’s home because nothing like this has existed here before,” says 2J. “And these guys at SALTO Gymnastics are really helping to put things together.”

2J has a message for anyone who has participated in a PKAB jam: “See you every year!

It doesn’t matter where you’re from, if you live in Alberta or anywhere else, you’re welcome to participate!”

L ocation I s a huge thing for a freerunner

M O T I VA T I O N

Finding It & Keeping It

T he co - foun d er of B reathe P ar k our , M atthew T albot - T urner , recently got back from an 1 8 month trip to C hina where he went to refocus his life towards what was important to him . W hile there , he found it harder than ever to find that ever elusive motivation needed to turn dreams into reality. A fter months of struggling , he was able to find six factors that helped him along his path .

32 . BREATHEPK.COM . MOTIVATION

Athlete: Matthew Talbot-Turner LOCATION: Photos around China and North Korea PHOTOGRAPHER: Frankie Skripal

6 tips to finding and staying motivated ( no matter where you are or what you ’ re doing ) .

Have One Goal

Get Inspired

When deciding what’s important to you, choose one thing that takes priority in your life. This is important because it will be the focus of your time and energy. Sure, you’ll still do other things–how boring would life be if you did nothing but cook all day?– But when push comes to shove, something has to win out, and this will be what you’ve set up as your absolute focus. No one can commit all their energy and focus to more than one thing. Despite what people will tell you, multitasking is a myth. So sit down and be honest with yourself. What’s important?

Are you going to be the first person in history to achieve your goal? Probably not. Even if you choose to be the best at something, there is always a “current best” you’re trying to improve upon. Use that to inspire you. Other people are achieving unbelievable things every day! Watch a YouTube video. Hang out with people better than you. Read blogs (or your favourite PK Magazine). Inspiration comes in many forms, so be ready to look for it in every facet of your life.

When he stepped off the plane, he wanted to learn Kung Fu, cooking, start a new company, travel, gain weight and train Parkour. Matt ultimately had to prioritize and pick one thing that was his complete focus. For Matt, that thing was Parkour.

Matt’s inspiration came from many places, but he found a special focus by revisiting what drove him to Parkour in the first place: surrounded by a controlling environment, freedom was in his movement.

MOTIVATION . BREATHEPK.COM . 33

Find What Excites You This goes one step further than the step above because you have to take what has inspired you and then build it up for yourself. Inspiration is something that grows in your heart and in your mind; excitement lives in your fingertips and the soles of your shoes. The best way to do this is through visualization - see yourself accomplishing what you want to do. Just try to stop yourself from training after you’ve dreamt of your newest goal all through the night! Now that you have only one goal left in your mind and you’re revisiting all your old inspirations, let the excitement grow inside you.

Matt gets excited when introducing Parkour to people. “I wanted to get my message into a publication that people would read and, hopefully, become inspired themselves.” Once that idea was in place, and he got excited about it, it was just a matter of time. “I don’t expect to be on the cover, but I’m thrilled to have educated and exposed people to the sport.”

Let the Anticipation Become Too Much “There’s no time like the present” can be great advice, but there’s also merit in procrastinating. It might sound counter-intuitive, but if your goal is long-term, you might find it beneficial to put it off for a bit. Not too long mind you, as you don’t want to forget about your goal all together! Choose a date in the near future to begin your goal and start thinking about how amazing it’ll feel to take those first steps. Tell your friends about your goal. Write about it in your blog. Make yourself accountable. Use the other points you’ve adopted to work yourself into a furor until you just can’t sleep, then begin with all the energy of a bullet from a gun.

This was tough for Matt, but he knew it was important. So, to keep himself from training, he tucked his runners into the back of the closet and dressed in nothing but suits and ties for a week. “It felt awesome to lace up the sneakers at the end of that first week. I had so many ideas in my head that I ran for hours that first day back, and I could have gone for many more.”

“ I n s pira t ion

is

s ome t h ing

t h at

grow s in y o u r h ear t and in y o u r mind ; e x ci t emen t live s in y o u r finger t ip s and

the

s ole s

34 . BREATHEPK.COM . MOTIVATION

of

your

s h oe s . ”

Think About It This probably sounds stupid. You’re already building anticipation, finding inspiration and excitement, and you’ve settled on one goal. How could you not be thinking about it? Easy: Monday you spend all your time building yourself up for it, then something comes up on Tuesday and you forget about it. When you come back to your goal on Wednesday, it suddenly doesn’t seem so important. Don’t fall into this trap! Set up some kind of visual reminder so you force yourself to remember how amazing this accomplishment is going to be!

Once it became his goal to train, his world became engulfed. From notes on his door reminding him to take his runners to reminders on his phone and computer about great training spots, there were always cues pointing him back and directing his thoughts to what was important.

Get Support Find a community of like-minded individuals and let them push you. In this day and age, there’s no excuse to not have a support network in some form or another. There are local communities, online communities, Facebook, and groups for everything from quitting smoking to learning to wake up earlier. People who are trying to accomplish the same thing as you—or those who already accomplished it—are a great source for motivation.

Going from a tight knit community in Calgary that constantly pushed his training to having no one even know what Parkour was made this difficult for Matt. “I had to find my community back home and ask them to stay on me. They were still there; I just needed to change my form of communication.”

M oti vation comes an d goes , but if y ou use

these

goals

6

much

tips ,

you ’ ll

easier .

find

G ood

focusing

luck

and

on go

your train !

MOTIVATION . BREATHEPK.COM . 35

Taking the OUTDOOR

PRACTICEINDOORS

How No Limits AFC Confronted the Obstacles of Bringing Parkour Into a Gym

O pening the I

a

gym

biggest

have

the

ever

seems

been

challenge faced .

thought

starting

has

S ure ,

alone

any

of

venture

daunting

to

most,

but building a gym from a

grassroots

community lenges yond

had

far , our

P arkour

far

chal be -

expectations .

How do you take a discipline that by its very definition promotes freedom of movement in an outdoor environment and then put it all inside?

We’ve faced criticism in the past for constructing an environment that we designed instead of training strictly in the urban jungle. But our main purpose has always been to provide a place for people to connect and create. Period. The gym itself is a hub for the community; it’s a place to share ideas, explore new training techniques and then empower people with a strong support system.

We also give newcomers an entry point into Parkour so they can engage with the rest of the community from the beginning. The power of creating a place for networking has led to amazing side projects that we never even imagined: performance teams, video projects - even this magazine you’re reading! These things may have eventually formed on their own but having everyone in one place made it all happen much faster.

LOCATION: No Limits Parkour And Freerunning Facility Photographer: Frankie Skripal

_S T O R Y B Y K u rtis B roeders P H O T O S B Y Y Y C T H E P arko u r C omm u n ity

36 . BREATHEPK.COM . NO LIMITS

LOCATION: China Town Walls and Stairs, Calgary Alberta Photographer: Frankie Skripal

“

you can always face a challenge in one of two ways : choose to treat it as a barrier and let it limit you , or use it as a stepping stone .

LOCATION: Century Gardens, Calgary, AB Photographer: Ashley Wee

”

Three Tenets of No Limits Alternative Fitness Concepts (AFC): Mixed Movement

Our philosophy has always been to promote learning from many disciplines. We encourage people to step outside of Parkour to find new ways of interacting with the world. We have always envisioned a gym that mixed movements and training philosophies so that people could truly carve their own path. To us, Parkour is not just about carving a path in the physical sense, it also means finding your own way in life.

We like to push people to explore. I’ve personally gained a lot of insight into my own training by exploring martial arts, yoga, circus arts, gymnastics, crossfit, military training and more. As leaders in the community we need to have the humility to admit that there is always something else to learn.

Obstacles are Opportunities

The first year we opened, things were tough. We didn’t really know all the aspects of running a gym and all we could do was gather as much information as we could. It was like starting a new job and having no one there to tell you what you were supposed to do! Have you ever tried writing your own job description? It’s a good exercise for sorting out what’s vital and what’s not.

One thing I learned from my experiences with Parkour was that you can always face a challenge in one of two ways: choose to treat it as a barrier and let it limit you, or use it as a stepping stone. The idea of turning obstacles into opportunities is what has allowed the gym to thrive. Nothing is insurmountable as long as you focus and act with complete determination. We hope to pass this philosophy on to everyone we influence so that they can achieve great things.

Early on, people were pessimistic about the survival of the gym. After all, it came from a grassroots movement when Parkour was still fresh and unknown. There were days I, myself, was sceptical, but we kept pushing past what we knew and things just kept working. It’s amazing just how many doors have opened since we put ourselves out there.

We’ve succeeded in putting over 2000 people through our programs while building a strong community in Calgary, which has allowed us to evolve and stimulate growth in each other.

Pursuing your Dreams

The gym has been a dream for us since we started training. Many had thought it was only that: a dream. Because we trusted that it was possible we’ve had the rare opportunity to create something truly unique. To me, Parkour is all about creativity. Since we’ve opened the gym our creativity has had no bounds! We can define what Parkour means to us and I believe that is the very heart of the sport.

Never run away if you have the chance to change something. I’ve met so many people who are always searching for someplace better to be: a different city, a new career or relationship…but often there is an opportunity for you to create something right here.

Don’t be afraid to push yourself even when it’s uncomfortable. The only way to become comfortable is by putting yourself in an unfamiliar situation – again, and again, until it’s second nature. You will get better.

I guarantee it.

38 . BREATHEPK.COM . NO LIMITS

We have always envisioned a gym that mixed movements and training philosophies

so that people could truly carve their own path.

LOCATION: Millenium Park, FUZE Festival Photographer: Frankie Skripal

BREATHE INTO

NO LIMITS _S T O R Y B Y M atthew T albot - T u r n er

I used to be an unhealthy person, both physically and mentally. My social life was on life support (work, video games, sleep, repeat), I was physically weak and debatably malnourished (110 lbs. at 5’8”), and I was in a destructive relationship. Things were bleak, but in a rare moment of clarity I found Parkour, and nothing has been the same since. I joined an outdoor class offered through No Limits AFC, loved it, sucked at it, and my desire to improve changed my life. I ended my relationship, got involved in the Parkour community, trained all the time, and became stronger than I’ve ever been in my life. When No Limits opened a gym, I immediately registered in their first class.

Being a student at No Limits, and eventually an instructor, inspired me to start a Parkour magazine, Breathe Parkour, and this magazine has grown into a multi-faceted organization. We organize events, promote athletes, publish a magazine, and set up Parkour-specific travel. As Breathe evolved, and our relationship with the gym grew closer, it made sense to help each other out.

In April of 2013, we came into No Limits to breathe new life into the gym, so to speak. This put us in a position to institute changes that the Parkour community wants, but that there hasn’t been time for in the past. We immediately set up a community communication board in the gym asking what the people who train there want to see (and as of the date this magazine goes to print, we’ll have adopted all 15 primary changes requested). We have also tightened up safety in the gym through the repair or replacement of certain pieces of equipment, as well as reorganizing the space. Over the last four months, we’ve installed more new pieces of equipment than the gym has seen in four years, implemented our Friday Night Jam Parties (with live music/ DJs and lights), and we’d like the No Limits space to continue growing as a vibrant place where anyone can come to live and tell their own Parkour story, to nurture the next generation of athletes into future leaders of the sport, and to set the standard for Parkour gyms around the world.

All of our efforts have not gone unnoticed by the community, which is a great indication that we’ve put the gym on the right track. We’ve had larger class sizes and more new members than ever before, as well as returning members of the community whose interests have come back around to the gym. Breathe itself has grown as well, from being just two people, blindly leading each other to that first issue of the magazine, to a talented team of athletes, media creators, editors, and marketing specialists. The future is an exciting place for Breathe as we continue to grow. I can’t go into details, but we have some big things planned for Breathe as an organization, so stay tuned!

BREATHE AND NO LIMITS . BREATHEPK.COM . 39

Athlete: Riley Hilton Photographer: Steve Nagy WHAT: Backflipping in the nighttime rain outside the Olympic Aquatics Centre. Beijing, China

Sustainable Wh at : S h o u l d er Stan d (s ar va n gasan a) B e n e f i t s: P u rif ies b l o o d t h rou g h i m p rove d circu lation f ro m yo u r feet to yo u r h e art. Restores e n e rg y. Stren g th en s s h o u l d e rs an d b ack.

St i m u l ates th e th roat ch a k ra.

BODIES _ Crystal May / BPk Crystal May is a Yogi

ba sed in Ca lga ry, Ca n ad a whose pra c tice ha s t aken her clear around the world.

Afte r com ple ting 20 0 a nd 50 0 -hour te ac h er tra ining certific ate s at World Consc ious Yo g a Fa m ily in Albe rta an d a 1 50 -hour a dju ster s tra ining course, h er study ha s re ce n t ly pushe d her tui t io n a nd tea c hing to In d i a.

~ Care to l ay o u t yo u r m at wi th Cr yst al M ay? S h e c u rre n t l y te a c h e s

at S o u l Hot Yo g a i n Ca l g a r y, A lb erta . ~

As I stood on my mat in the birthplace of yoga in the wee hours of the morning, I stared in amazement as our yoga teacher encouraged one leg at a time behind his head. He then crossed his ankles, reached his arms through his legs and began drumming his glutes for comedic relief.

All the while his legs stayed twist-tied round his neck in Dwi Pada Sirsasana (Feet-behind-head-Pose).

We laughed and surrounded him in curiosity to see how he could possibly get out of this tangle. I was struck by so many questions: Was he uncomfortable or in pain? How long had he been dedicated to his practice to reach this stage? Could I do it?

Anatomically, it’s a very advanced pose. The amount of muscle tension, flexibility and breathing space that is required in his joints alone – hips, ankles, knees and shoulders – is enough to send most of us running for the Himalayas. Not to mention the flexibility required in his quads, hips, gluteal muscles, back and side body. It must have taken years to accomplish.

On its own, it was a very impressive demonstration of a strong yoga practice, but as I watched it took me a moment to re-ground and realize I was witnessing one of the most legendary Swammis in India, who was in the process of celebrating his 103rd birthday.

“ P a r ko u r,

like yoga, is a discipline

of

active

compression

& extension.”

SUSTAINABLE BODIES . BREATHEPK.COM . 43

“He

behind

then his

through his

crossed head,

and

glutes

reached

began

for

his

ankles

his

arms

drumming

comedic

relief.”

Wh at : P low Pose ( Halasan a) B e n e f i t s: P u rif ies b lood by e levating the h i p s ab ove th e h eart. Stim ulate s 6 out o f t h e 7 ch akras.

C a u t i o n : C an p u t a lot of stra in on your n e c k cu t tin g of f b lood f low a nd oxyge n.

As a dancer, soccer player and yoga teacher I’ve been made acutely aware of the amount of pressure and strain my joints and muscles have sustained over the years. And yet, throughout my 26 years of activity, no one has gone beyond warm-up stretching to offer a plan for maintaining a healthy, sustainable body. This is especially true of dance, in which it is generally accepted that one’s body will expire. It wasn’t until I found yoga that I learned how in control of our own aging process we actually are.

It is no mystery that Parkour can lead to massive pressure on the joints, upping the risk of strains and long term injury each time you land a drop, a cat or even push off a wall during a tac. Conversely,

44 . BREATHEPK.COM . SUSTAINABLE BODIES

the best lachés, precisions and vaults require the fullest extension of the body to develop power and reach. Parkour and yoga are both founded on a basis of active compression and extension. Adding yoga to your Parkour practice will help to create space in the muscles amd joints while releasing the fascial tissue surrounding each muscle of the body. This will create more room for oxygenated blood to fill the muscles thus providing better ability for quick movements and strength building. Your performance in the urban jungle will certainly benefit and it will change the way your body ages; namely, because the increased circulation will help your body to truly heal.

Wh at: F ire Hydra nt ( Ad h o mukha sva na sa na ) B en ef it s: Strengthens w rists , shoulde rs, an d spine. Stretc hes Achilles tendons, calves, ha m strings, an d hip flexors.

Wh at : P ig eo n Po se ( E ka Pad a Rajakap o t asan a ) B en efit s: Op en s up i n n er an d o u ter t h ig h s, h i p s, l ower b ac k, an d g lu t s.

St ren g t h en s t h e kn ees, an kles, an d sp in e.

In ad d it i o n , st retc h es t h e c h est , sh o u ld er s, an d q u ad s.

Wh at : E ig h t An g le Po se ( Ast avakrasan a) B en efi t s: St ren g t h en s w r ist s, sh o u l d er s, c h est , co re, b ac k, an d in n er t h ig h s.

Req u i res flexi b l e h i p s.

SUSTAINABLE BODIES . BREATHEPK.COM . 45

Yoga, like Parkour, affects the practitioner beyond the mat. Any discipline that is a cocktail of physical challenges and respect for the body’s vulnerability will have its mental effects. Through my practice I have honed my focus, learned to control my breath, and calm myself when rising to a challenge. It has also developed how I explore my sense of curiosity.

After class I approached my now un-pretzeled teacher. I asked him how he was able to gain so much flexibility and make it this far

What: Wheel (Cha kra sa na ) Be ne fits: Strengthens shoulders, elbows, wrists, qua ds, knees, a nd spine.

Cle a nses the inte rna l orga ns a nd ba la nce s a ll 7 c ha kra s.

46 . BREATHEPK.COM . SUSTAINABLE BODIES

along his timeline. He responded that he had been practicing yoga for almost 90 years, had a very healthy, simple diet and, he added, in a thick Indian accent, “Do not feel discouraged, Crystal, I have something you never will: ‘Indian Joints’.” At that time it seemed like an obscene excuse to write off capability with modesty or national pride. But the more I thought of my Swammi and his ‘Indian Joints’, the more intrigued I became with anatomy. Was there relevance in his casual explanation for how he could put his feet behind his head?

Wh at : C row ( Kag asan a) B en efit s: St retc h es co n n ec t ive t i ssu e in t h e b o t to m o f t h e feet . St ren g t h en s an kles, in n er s t h i g h s, an d co re.

Wh at : Cow Fa ce (Go m u k h a s a n a ) B ene f i t s : O pe n s u p t h e h i ps , a n k l e s , kn e e s , a n d s h o u l de r s .

St re n gt h e n s t h e s pi n e.

As I searched for the answer it became clear that the landmarks of your stretches can be mapped by the specific bone structure of your body.

For example, in Dwi Pada Sirsasana, if your hip socket is positioned in the front of the pelvis instead of to the side, the amount of space in the hip opening can be limited and make the pose more difficult--all due to the skeleton, not the flexibility of the surrounding muscles. The shape of the head and neck of the femur and its relation to the socket will further affect the space in the hip. In all, his pretzeling taught me to be conscious of the unchangeable parts of my body. Being from a country famous for flexibility, the genetic heritage of my Swammi allowed him an advantage over my Canadian skeleton. All the same, I was empowered by the knowledge because I could now adapt my practice to the specifics of my body.

In both yoga and Parkour it is very important to investigate what you bring to the table. Every body has unique limitations and shortcuts.

Luckily, both yoga and Parkour are individualized disciplines that don’t demand you conform to an exact style. Know your body. Adapt to it wisely. If you do so it won’t take you 90 years to feel the difference in your body; it may only take you a day, a week or a month. It may take you five years to twist-tie your legs around your neck, but it could only take fifteen minutes of yoga to change the way you approach Parkour.

Wh at : P i g eo n Po s e (Ka po t a s a n a ) B en efi t s: O pe n s u p i n n e r an d o u te r t h i gh s , h i ps , lower ba ck , a n d gl u t s .

St re n gt h e n s t h e k n e e s , a n k l e s , a n d s pi n e.

Where: Santorini, Greece Photographer: Patrick Chan Athlete: Kurtis Broeders 16 . BREATHEPK.COM . FLYING ACTORS

Parkour In

GREECE

FLYING ACTORS . BREATHEPK.COM . 17

Where: Rhodos, Greece Ruins of ancient Greek building.

Photographer: Kurtis Broeders Athlete: Patrick Chan 16 . BREATHEPK.COM . FLYING ACTORS

Where: Santorini, Greece Photographer: Patrick Chan Athlete: Kurtis Broeders

FLYING ACTORS . BREATHEPK.COM . 17

JOSH ‘BULLET’ BRAUER

So there I am, signing into Facebook, expecting the usual boring drivel, when I get slapped in the face with a pound of awesome. There was a posting on the Breathe Parkour page expressing intent to find a Latin American-looking fellow for a TV commercial. I had barely finished reading the post when my phone rang. It was Breathe’s co-founder, Matt Talbot-Turner, rushing to tell me about the job. He explained, very professionally, “Dude, you gotta take this! You’re definitely Latin-looking enough. Go for it!”

Within two minutes I was hitting “Send” on an email to the booker.

Five hours later I still hadn’t received a response. I was sure I had been snubbed.

Three days later, my life changed...

The casting agent’s email explained that although I had a “decently mediocre” look, they had no action sequences to prove my legitimacy as a traceur. Immediately, I called Amanda “Panda” Voll. She and I desperately filmed so that I could get a video to the agent by the next morning. Five hours in, I was on my way to editing. Seven hours later, I had an audition vid just barely good enough for critical eyes.

When I look back at that audition video, it makes me chuckle. But it also shows me how far I have come, not only as an athlete, but in editing and creative skills.

As the next seven days passed, I shaved my beard, filmed a quick callback video, slept a few hours and boarded a plane bound for Romania.

As soon as the tires touched down, reality kicked in. I swear the seat belt sign said, “It’s Go Time!”

When I surfaced from the baggage claim my chauffeur was waiting (chauffeur!). With 52 . BREATHEPK.COM . ROMANIA

him were my co-stars, Maximiliano Gallegos and Ariel Freiria. We shared a relaxing ride to the hotel, travelling warp speed through the centre of Bucharest. As soon as we stepped into the lobby we met Christian Inzunza, Executive Producer for Cinemagica Productions, who promptly threw us at a fitting crew.

The next two days were consumed by preproduction. Max, Ariel and the three other “Heroes” were deep in practice compiling flips, vaults and tricks. I was doing what stars do best: shopping. They must have bought out a dozen stores before finding something that made me look half-good.

Once I was prettied up, I got to rejoin the crew and other stars. There were some amazing spots--I mean, it’s Europe, the available architecture is great for everything…except climbing. There were cables and cords everywhere just waiting to tangle a traceur.

First day filming was the bathroom scene where I apply deodorant (at least 50 times), as well as filming the splicing heroes scene.

It was cool being on a sound stage where every corner had a different set: town, battlefield, bathroom. I know that doesn’t sound like much, but that still managed to run up a good 12 hour day.

For the second day of filming we got on set at around 5:30, giving me 3 total sleeping hours. We started things off with the final big flip (laid out front flip half twist) over...and over...and over. After 4 hours, we switched over to the scene with the dogs running down the stairs and the heroes attempting to stop them. The last half of that day was the shot at the very end with me bringing the lovely Ana Stefanescu her lost dogs back and my awkward looking hug.

Bucharest - Filming Speed Stick “Men In Blue” Commercial

ROMANIA . BREATHEPK.COM . 53

When I look back at that audition video, it makes me chuckle My second night was one of the only nights that I went out for a walk with Max and Ariel. On the way back to the hotel Julia, our wardrobe lady, was walking with us when a sick lady with a massive elephant looking foot (possibly elephantitis) held her child in front of me. Julia explained that the lady was offering me her child so she could afford surgery or medicines. Then she explained about the many Gypsies who actually steal children from homes or hospitals to sell on the streets. My heart was broken.

Last day of filming was a day of mixed emotions.

We were at the National Bank filming running shots all day. At times they told me to slow down because not only was I surpassing the dogs, I was running past the meat truck! After the whole shebang was done with, we snapped a quick group photo and headed back to the hotel. I’m not a wine drinker, but the stuff I had in Romania was absolutely incredible. Unfortunately, I had to be on the flight by 4am.

I had the best time and met some incredible people who will always have a place in my heart: Max and Ariel, for all the great work they do, the other stunt guys I worked with, Thor and Baldur, for shooting and directing

54 . BREATHEPK.COM . ROMANIA

such great work, Christian, Fernando, and Marco for directing and producing and helping me get such a great opportunity, Shu Shu, Julia and Johnny for pampering me, and of course Ana for being so beautiful and giving me a reason to help another damsel in distress.

It’s hard to measure one’s happiness when you are in an environment filled with such great people. This has really shown me that you can make money doing anything you want as long as you commit yourself. I also realized how much the community in my own city, Calgary, can be so supportive and helpful, no matter what.

Since returning from Romania, I finished my showreel, filmed, travelled to some great places, and put out more videos. I haven’t stopped pushing myself or my limits because I now know how to become more comfortable with my movements. If there are any opportunities out there for you, take them. They don’t come often and you may turn something away which could have been a great moment in your life.

You can check out my channel BulletBrauer on YouTube for the commercial as well as my behind-the-scenes video of my trip.

But it also shows me how far I have come

ROMANIA . BREATHEPK.COM . 55

“ The people I’ve met have taught me to listen and to better understand the rest of

the world

16 . BREATHEPK.COM . FLYING ACTORS

”

Zephyr _S T O R Y

BY

Y oa n n

Yoann

Zephyr

L ero u X

P hotos

by

B eth

J u si n o

www . parko u rvisio n s . or g

Leroux

Hello, my name is Yoann “Zephyr” Leroux, and I practice Parkour and freerunning.

I didn’t become a “traceur” or freerunner simply after watching a video. In fact, in 1999 I understood that the basics of Parkour are found in its philosophy rather than in the practice. What philosophy? At four or five years old, my father initiated me in this art or sport called Parkour, and he taught me the essential sentence for beginners, “No, I am not yet ready for this jump.”

Like many, I learned the values, rules and philosophies, as well as its different styles and evolution, as a result of my first travels. In 2006, I travelled to China to train with Shaolin monks where I was able to practice martial arts along with Parkour. I was inspired by this encounter to develop my own method of teaching and observation of movement.

In 2010 I was invited to participate in my first Red Bull “Art of Motion” where I landed in second place with Jason Paul and Pasha Petkun. In Vienna (Austria), I took the Red Bull AoM champion title. In Tampa (Florida), I was and still am among the top five “Art of Motion” athletes.

I’m practically on the podium for all the competitions on the planet!

I continued to travel across Europe and the U.S. for two years in order to meet and organize workshops with some of the world’s biggest Parkour/freerunning communities. Some examples: Switzerland’s Free-Z, Miami PK (MIAPK), Florida’s Parkulture, Italy’s Monkey Move, Austria’s 4 Elements and APE Connection in NYC. Being in New York also brought me closer to the WFPF, who I’ve been working with since 2010. And we can’t forget Parkour Visions, where I’ve been coaching in Seattle, WA.

I didn’t become a “traceur” or freer u n n e r s i m p ly a f t e r wat c h i n g a v i d e o The very same year I wanted to evolve in this art by creating, with my two best friends, my first Parkour group: ELEMENT IV. After many discussions, we agreed to represent our group in a grandiose manner and express our styles with “extreme corporal expression”, with a focus on freedom of expression.

Near the end of 2006, with the group, I developed another association of the same name “Element IV Academie Expression Corporelle Extreme” (Element IV: Academy of Extreme Corporal Expression), which was one of the first of its kind in France. This association held the same philosophy of our group, but had the goal of giving a framework and instruction to anyone interested in learning for a sum of just 50 euros (approx. 65USD/ CAD) a year.

In 2009 I wanted to show my techniques to a greater audience, so I participated in my first PK/FR competition in London (UK). There were more than 7500 individuals in attendance.

All of these travels have formed my experience and shaped my style. The people I’ve met have taught me to listen and to better understand the rest of the world.

They’ve taught me to continue to be open towards all styles and philosophies of life, and to be conscious that “following the student’s path is much more important than to end in the teacher’s.”

I finally found my “Point B”. Destiny or not, my new beginning in the U.S has renewed my courage and energy that I lost over so many travels.

Since 2009, my greatest pride remains the 3F. I united a team of event and extreme sport professionals to make the 3F: French Freerun Family. It is a performance team composed of circus artists, martial artists, climbers, Parkour practitioners and freerunners. Its members include some who have worked alongside great actors like Jackie Chan and Morgan Freeman, and who have worked for brands like Adidas and Reebok. Made up of different styles, two words suffice to define us: Versatility and Professionalism.

YOANN ZEPHYR LEROUX . BREATHEPK.COM . 57

3F:

French

T R A N S L AT I O N

BY

JU L I E N

N O GG A R

B

Freerun (FRENCH

onjour, je m’appelle Yoann “Zephyr” Leroux, et je pratique le «parkour›› et le «freerunning» (PK/FR).

Je ne suis pas devenu traceur ou freerunner tout de suite après avoir vu une video! En effet, en 1999 j’avais compris que les bases de parkour ce trouvent plutôt dans sa philosophie que dans sa pratique.

Et quelle philosophie? À l’âge de quatre ou peut-être cinq ans, mon père m’a initié dans l’art et le sport, le parkour, en m’apprenant cette phrase absolument necessaire pour un débutant: «Non. Je ne suis pas encore prêt pour ce saut.»

Comme plusieurs, j’ai compris les valeurs, règles et philosophies de cette méthode et de ses differents styles et de son evolution à partir de mes premieres voyages. En 2006, j’ai voyagé en Chine pour m’entrainer avec les moines de Shaolin. Pouvant pratiquer les arts martiaux ainsi que le PK/FR, je me suis beaucoup inspirer de

58 . BREATHEPK.COM . YOANN ZEPHYR LEROUX

ORIGINAL)

Family

facebook . com / fre n chfreer u n family

cette rencontre pour developper ma propre méthode d’observation et d’apprentissage des mouvements corporelles.

C’est cette même année que j’ai souhaiter évoluer ces arts en créant, avec deux de mes meilleures amis, ma première groupe de Parkour, «ELEMENT IV». Après plusieurs discussions, nous avons convenu de représenter notre groupe de manière grandiose et d’exprimer nos styles dans “l’expression corporelle extrême”, dans le but de garder un maximum de liberté d’expression.

En fin 2006, j’ai developé avec ce groupe une association du même nom: «Element IV - Académie Expression Corporelle Extrême», qui fut une des premières de son genre en France. Cette association avait la même philosophie que notre groupe, mais exister avec le but d’offrir un cadre et de l’enseignement à celui qui s’interresserait pour une somme de 50€ l’année.

En 2009 j’ai souhaité démontrer mes technique au grand public.

J’ai donc participé à ma première compétition de PK/ FR à Londres (UK) pour un public de plus de sept milles cinq cent individus.

3F: Famille Freerun Français P hotos from aro u n d the worlds with z ephyr

En 2010 on m’a invité à participer à mon premier Red Bull “Art of Motion” (AoM), où j’ai commencé en deuxième place avec Jason Paul et Pasha Petkun. À Vienne (Autriche), j’ai remporté le titre de Red Bull champion. À Tampa (Floride), j’ai été et je suis encore dans le top cinq des athlètes des AoMs, je suis pratiquement sur tous les podiums dans toutes les competitions du monde!

J’ai continué à voyager à travers l’Europe et les États-Unis pendant deux ans avec but de rencontrer et organiser des stages avec plusieurs des plus grosses communautés de PK/FR du globe.

Quelques exemples: la Suisse avec ‹‹Free-Z», Miami PK (MIAPK)», «Parkulture» en Floride, ou bien encore le groupe Italien «Monkey Move», l’Autriche avec «4 Eléments», et «APE Connection». À New York City il y a la «WFPF» avec qui je travaille depuis 2010 et il y a bien sur «Parkour Visions» qui je «coach» sur Seattle, WA. Tout ces voyages ont formé mon expérience et ont façonné mon style. Les personnes que j’ai rencontré m’ont apris à écouter et à mieux comprendre le reste du monde. Ils m’ont apris à continuer a

être une personne ouverte envers tous les styles et philosophies de vie, de prendre conscience que “suivre la voie de l’élève et bien plus importante que d’en finir avec celle du maître”.

J’ai finalement trouvé mon point B; destin ou non, un nouveau départ aux États Unis qui me donne le courage et l’énergie perdu tout au long de mes voyages.

Depuis 2009 ma plus grande fierté reste la 3F. J’ai réuni une équipe de professionnels de l’événement et des sports extremes: la 3F “French Freerun Family”. C’est une équipe qui a pour objectif de proposer des performances avec des professionnels du cirque, des arts martiaux , de la cascade du parkour et de Freerunning. Une équipe qui inclu des membres qui ont travaillé aux cotes de certains grands acteurs comme Jackie Chan et Morgan Freeman, de plus que pour des marques comme Adidas ou Reebok.

Composer de différent styles, deux mots suffisent pour nous definer: polyvalence et professionnalisme.

YOANN ZEPHYR LEROUZ . BREATHEPK.COM . 59

I ’ ve

been

years

doing

now — with

P arkour every

for

moment

about

3

being

a

rewarding experience — and I owe it all to P K N akusp.

PKN was started in the small village of Nakusp B.C. in October of 2009 by a young group of friends (Connor Gustafson, Bryce McGinnis, Dylan Homis, and Sam Switzer) who taught themselves Parkour without any guidance or instruction. Then Michael Garvey (a Freedom Quest youth worker) found out about the group and discovered the potential for Parkour to help youth within our community. He approached Freedom Quest with a proposal for funding, and Freedom Quest took a huge risk by providing insurance for a program based on a sport still in its infancy. With the help of Michael, PK Nakusp became a youth leadership program dedicated to helping improve the lives of at-riskyouth. And so classes with PK Nakusp began July 1st, 2010, and this is the day my life changed forever.

Training Parkour was something very unique for me. In fact, it was a first for our small town. Before PK Nakusp there were two recreational options: soccer and hockey.

Both are great programs, but not a great match for everyone. They can be inaccessible due to the high initial cost, and both were based on a competitive atmosphere, which isn’t the right fit for a lot of people seeking an active lifestyle. I joined PK Nakusp and learned how to train Parkour and freerunning by the original members. I found that Parkour fulfilled my need for physical activity, self-expression, and was also very affordable as it only requires shoes and clothing (and even those can be optional). Like many others, once I started getting into Parkour I couldn’t stop.

PARKOUR FOR CHANGE H ow _S T O R Y

BY

PK

mate u s

N a k usp dachwit z

P H OTOS

C hange d BY

B ar

P erry

&

My

M ary n a

L ife

D akh n o

During the first 2 month of learning Parkour, I found myself getting more and more involved, usually by volunteering my time to help move equipment and clean up. While I was helping move some donated equipment from Burton to Nakusp, Michael Garvey asked me if I would like to be a junior leader. I answered something along the lines of, “Sure, yeah, that’d be cool” in a nonchalant tone of voice, but in my head, I was more like “YES! I think this program is so awesome and I was just asked to become a leader and help out with coaching. This is an incredible day. I’m so excited!”

I was now one of the junior leaders being taught how to coach Parkour, as well as how to be a leader in my community. As time went on, I improved at coaching and I was making good progress in my own training.

Then the time came for me to do my first performance and presentation of Parkour. To be honest, I was really scared. I was demonstrating in front of my entire school, which had a population of around 250 students, so everyone knew who I was. The group of us trained for about 3 weeks, perfecting our choreography and how we wanted to present Parkour to the greater community. On the day of the performance, butterflies can’t quite capture what my stomach felt like: it was closer to a hurricane. But when the moment came to start performing, I was in the zone. The crowd was a distant blur, and it became just me, the obstacles, and the skills I had trained. I knew I had nothing to worry about. That day I learned how hard work and confidence can change your perspective of everything around you. .

PARKOUR FOR CHANGE . BREATHEPK.COM . 61

H ear it i n their o w n w o r d s . I n ter v ie w w ith T y s o n Ce c ka a n d P K Nakusp http : // www . youtube . com / watch ? v = P j A l 4 a L lg 9 Y & feature = youtu . be

Fast forward a few months, and I’ve improved significantly. I started to take on more initiatives with coaching classes, and was progressing rapidly with my basic skills in Parkour.

We decided to apply for a grant to bring in one of the bigger names within the Canadian Parkour community, who was also the same person who first taught one of our original leaders (Connor Gustafson). His name is Dan Iaboni, owner of the Monkey Vault in Toronto, and one of the pioneers of the Canadian Parkour community. He was the first person I met outside of Nakusp to do Parkour, and I was so excited that I drove with Michael to pick him up in Kelowna (although I got car sick on the way back, which was a bit embarrassing). He was there for 3 days, and it was the most intensive Parkour training I’d ever experienced. What really stood out for me during this time was that this was my first introduction to the Parkour community outside of Nakusp. This was so successful for our group that we made guest trainers a regular thing in Nakusp, such as Rene Scavington, who taught us some awesome conditioning and stretching techniques, and Tyson Cecka, who taught us all about the importance of progressions and the step vault.

Going a year forward into my training, I had finally become a full-fledged leader for PK Nakusp, and then I hit my first plateau. I wasn’t progressing in my training at all and felt at a standstill. I started to feel depressed and I didn’t feel like training as much or as hard. Every time I tried to re-focus and train I would just get angry because I didn’t see any improvement. I talked to Michael about my problem, and he asked me

“

what my reasons were for training. I took a couple of days to think about it, and I finally figured out why I was doing Parkour: it was because I enjoyed myself when I did it. I had fun while I trained, and I was able to play with my environment, but I had lost that and begun to consider it work. Once I started playing and having fun again I started to improve once more. I developed a strong personal philosophy around this idea, and I still hold onto it to this day.

As I progressed through the program, I became a strong and independent person. I discovered how to be a leader and learned the importance of what it means to be a role model. As time went by, I knew that I’d be leaving this community, but I wasn’t saddened by this thought, for it’s because of PK Nakusp that I am where I am right now, doing what I love to do and doing it for a living and a lifestyle. PK Nakusp taught me to train hard for what I want to achieve, to see the world as a beautiful and imaginative place, and to learn and lead and love.

But PK Nakusp needs some help. They want to be able to open their doors to more people, and help change more lives for the better. Currently, you have to be between the ages of 13 and 19 in order to learn Parkour from PK Nakusp due to insurance limitations. They’d like to be able to open their doors to both younger children and older adults. This is an amazing program worth putting resources into. If you’re interested in learning more about PK Nakusp or would like to make a contribution, contact Michael Garvey at his email (michaeldavidgarvey@gmail.com) and make sure to like them on Facebook. Remember, every little bit helps.

I discovered how

an d

learne d

the

importance

of

”

ow to be a leader what

it

means

to

be

a

role

mo d el

PARKOUR FOR CHANGE . BREATHEPK.COM . 63

ParkourSemantics

_story B y Jim S i n clair P hotos B y A shley W ee

A ROSE By Any Other Name 64 . BREATHEPK.COM . PARKOUR SEMANTICS

Parkour is a very unique activity, as it’s not exactly a sport, a lifestyle, or a religion. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly where it came from and who came up with it. There is the history associated with David Belle, Georges Hébert, etc., but the movements themselves are ancient. Prehistoric men were doing some kind of Parkour-like activities while out and about in the wilderness, fighting off saber tooth squirrels and eating strange, spiky fruits. This article is not trying to diminish the efforts of any of the forerunners of Parkour. Rather, I’d like to explore a little into what—and where—the discipline has evolved.

There is no definitive definition of what Parkour is, because at its very core it’s what the practitioner makes it. This is why every practitioner has their own views on what is and isn’t Parkour, how to do Parkour, what it means, and a myriad of other random opinions about the activity.

It’s a strange concept to be engaged in an activity that, at its heart, is about the complete freedom of movement. As such, I find that there is an immense amount of—for lack of a better word—bickering done regarding semantics in Parkour. People argue over the differences between freerunning and Parkour, the differences in names of movements, and the differences in exact skill components. It’s very strange to have a discipline devoted to freedom, and then have its disciples do their best to box everything up into nice tidy confines. It seems as though everyone has an opinion, and anyone who practices anything remotely similar must follow that opinion as well.

When I first started training, the debate between freerunning and Parkour was everywhere. You couldn’t watch a single video on YouTube or anywhere else without seeing massive amounts of posts about the perceived differences between the two.

The concept of a discipline devoted to freedom being restricted to certain movements has always struck me as ridiculous. “You’re allowed to do whatever you want to... but only if it’s something from this list of things you’re allowed to do.”

What does it matter if you call your movements Parkour and I call it “Flim Floozling”?

Does it really make a difference to the movement? Do the actual mechanics of the movement change? Even if you do things one way and I do it with my hands placed in another spot, does it affect you in any way whatsoever?

There is no one right or wrong way to do anything in Parkour. Sure, there are safer ways of doing things, but there is almost no one right or wrong way. The biggest secret I’ve found in Parkour is that you can’t really fail at it. If you make it over the obstacle, and are uninjured, you win! Simple as that.

Take the roll for example. I’ve found that it is one of the most important parts of Parkour, and I always teach it first (and drill it so deep into muscle memory that you can’t forget it). It is the most important thing, and the first thing to learn, yet there are so many ways of doing it. Each person is slightly different: different bone structure,

fat placement, body mechanics, etc. There are guidelines to follow for rolls, but you still need to practice them a thousand times until you learn exactly what your body wants to do. Your roll will not be exactly like mine, nor could I really teach you exactly how I do mine. I can show you the way, and give you pointers, but your movement is yours to find and master.

For some reason humans have an innate need to put labels on things, and make sure that everyone else follows those labels. I’ve had students tell me that the movement name I just told them was wrong, because they had heard elsewhere on the internet that it was called something else. I’ve had other Parkour instructors inform me that one way of doing something is wrong and must be taught a different way because some other runner does it that way. I’ve also learned new concepts and completely changed the way I teach certain things.

Parkour must adapt and change, or it will stagnate and die. What we know today to be true may not be true tomorrow. If you live under the rigid guidelines of some runners, you lose the ability to truly experience the freedom in Parkour. Sometimes that means you need to eat your words and teach something in a new way, and sometimes that means you have to allow others to be adamant about Parkour semantics.

It’s almost like a religious debate. I can accept that you may have a different opinion about it, and I can respect that you are al-

lowed your own personal opinion. All I ask is that you show others the same respect, allow for differing ideas and opinions, and refrain from forcing your thoughts on others.

There is a famous Shakespearean quote: “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose\By any other name would smell as sweet”. It doesn’t matter what you call a rose – it’s going to smell just as sweet. Your title for something may not be the same as someone else’s, but that doesn’t make them any less devoted to the movement. Stop arguing about the inane semantics of Parkour, and just enjoy the act of running again. Why spend time debating when you can go and do? In fact, why spend time writing articles about the stubborn unchanging ideals of other runners when there is that sweet rail set you found yesterday in the park...

PARKOUR SEMANTICS . BREATHEPK.COM . 65

Are You

The Face Of

PARKOUR?

Submit a head shot, action shot and the following information about yourself to frankie@breathepk.com for your chance to be in BREATHE PARKOUR MAGAZINE • • • •

Name of the Subject Name of the Photographer Location Brief description

*Must be age of majority in the province or state of residence to submit.

S T A I R S

ARE YOUR FRIENDS _BIO BY Ian

STEP 1 - 3: Under the Stairs

16 . BREATHEPK.COM . FLYING ACTORS

Holmes AKA Irrational Carny

Disclaimer While training by hanging from a public staircase be aware of a few things:

1. If your fingers are stepped on, it will hurt.

2. Try not to fall; there could be sharks.

3. Start off on stairs that are within your reach of the ground. You can go higher as you

train more but there’s no point in going high until your strength and confidence increase to the point at which you can do it safely.

Step 1

Who is the

Carny? _BIO BY Patrick

Chan

Like any man of steel, “The Irrational Carny” is just a moniker used to protect a secret identity--in this case, from enemies who have been made much much stronger because of him.

Behind the alias lies Ian Holmes, a strength and conditioning coach who specializes in functional movement, soft tissue rehabilitation and diet; or, all-round bodyhacking. A member of the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), Ian produces targeted training programs based on client-specific body type and athletic background. Varying from technical heavy lifting to gymnastics-inspired callisthenics, his methods all include rehab and nutrition guidance so that no part of fitness development goes untouched. Ian’s clients routinely say they hate him (but always with a smile on their face). He is Russian kettlebell and Crossfit Trainer certified, a reportedly “cruel” massage therapist, and a professional sh*t disturber.

If you ever go in search of The Irrational Carny, start your pilgrimage in Calgary, Canada. From there, follow the scent of kettlebells and the sound of swearing clients; you just might find him. But be warned, come with an offering of black coffee and a sense of humour-you’re about to have your world view and idea of fitness turned on its head.

Under Stair Climb (photo to the left) Use it for:

Building grip strength, pulling power, not dying when high above the ground. These exercises will help greatly with developing your climbs, lachés and bouldering/buildering skills.

Apply It:

A lot of progressions available here. Start with matching hands on every stair. Move alternating hands first to next stair. Progress to pulling hand over hand (only ever one hand per stair). Then start looking at more dynamic movements such as skipping stairs and moving both hands at once.

Key items:

Have a solid grip each time you move.

Muscles Worked: Forearms, biceps, upper back, lats, core muscles Step 2

Pull-up Use it for:

Everything, developing pulling strength; have to get over walls somehow

Apply It:

In the world of Parkour getting over things is important, so pull high. To below the shoulders if possible. Vary your grip, and play with tempo of the movement.

Spend time in static positions.

Key items:

A key skill to develop. Allows for some impressive feats if you are well practiced and have a long range of motion.

Muscles Worked: Depends on variation; upper/mid/lower back, shoulder girdle, arms, forearms

Follow the Carny at irrationalfitness.com.

It’s the best place to learn from Ian’s adventures in physical insanity.

STAIRS . BREATHEPK.COM . 69

STAIRS continued...

STEP 4 - 6: On Top of the Stairs

Step 3

Step 4

Use it for:

Use it for:

Apply It:

Apply It:

Hanging L-Sit Core strength, cool factor, grip endurance; strength training for dash vaults and piked backflips Hang from available object. Point toes and lift legs without bending the knees. Spend time at the apex of the lift. A bunch of time.

Lower. Repeat.

Key Items:

All of the same items as a stair climb if you try this on stairs. Do both statics and reps. Try this while fighting a badger.

Pushup Filling out T-shirts, developing shoulder and core stability; mantling onto walls (muscle-ups) The common issue here is placing the hands too far forward. Â Make sure that they are under your shoulders, not in front of them. Remember this is a core exercise; the body should be rigid. Vaults often require poppy elbow extension, ensure to lock out the triceps. Muscle-ups require the most strength in the portion between the pull-up and the push-up; you did your pull-ups high to train that area, now do your push-ups low to make the transition between parts of the mantle easier.

Key items:

Don’t overlook this exercise. It should be a go-to exercise as it can be done anywhere and has endless variations to make it harder.

Muscles Worked: Forearms, core muscles, upper back, shoulder girdle

70 . BREATHEPK.COM . STAIRS

Muscles Worked: Chest, triceps, biceps, shoulder girdle, core muscles

Step 5

Step 6

Use it for:

Use it for:

One-Legged Squat Over Sharks Developing mental focus, balance, core stability, leg strength, active flexibility. Parkour is legs, legs, legs. Strong legs will help you run faster, jump higher and land farther.

Apply It:

Start with doing just regular, old one leg squats on something solid that doesn’t involve falling or sharks. Build from there by dipping deeper, keeping your back more upright, then by incorporating balance by doing it on a stump or rail (over sharks).

Horizontal Stair Climb Whole body coordination, core stability, annoying runners

Apply It:

Assuming you can do a push-up this skill isn’t a hard one. Just place your hands on one railing and walk your feet up onto the other. Pick a direction and off you go.

Key items:

Runners may attack you with tiny hands and arms. Try not to topple them by accident.

Key items:

Avoid doing this with a high potential fall factor until you have the skill dialled in.

Muscles worked: Upper and lower leg; primarily quads, core muscles, glutes

Muscles Worked: Lower back, shoulder girdle, core muscles

Disclaimer: Still watch out for sharks.

STAIRS . BREATHEPK.COM . 71

ENERGIZE

BOYS LOVE

TORTILLASOUP _R ecipe B y A n j ali S hah H ealth C oach a n d F ood W riter

T he P icky E ater www. pickyeaterblo g . com

The husband loves tortilla soup. He’ll often ask that I make it for dinner, but I’ve never thought that tortilla soup is that filling on its own, so I always suggest making something else – because between the two of us we can’t finish an appetizer and an entree without having tons of leftovers.

Then the husband gets disappointed, because if I don’t make it for a meal, we probably won’t end up eating tortilla soup, like, ever. That’s because most restaurants make tortilla soup with Chicken Stock, which makes it not really veggie-friendly.

Oh and most tortilla soups aren’t that healthy because they have tons of oil added, and no veggies. So after searching for a good recipe that would be filling and veggie-friendly, I decided to try this one from 101 cookbooks. The key to this recipe is all of the creative toppings/add-ins to the soup – which makes it much heartier and a more complete meal. I modified the original recipe slightly to make it a bit healthier so my modified version (and toppings I used) are below.

SOUP INGREDIENTS • 1/2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil • 3 cloves garlic, chopped • 1 large red onion, chopped • 1 teaspoon ground cumin • 2 tsp ground coriander • 1/2 tsp chili powder • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper • 1 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes • 2.5 cups vegetable broth

TOPPING INGREDIENTS • 6 corn tortillas, cut into matchstick chips • Olive oil spray • Salt (to taste) • 1/4 cup of goat cheese, crumbled • 30 small yellow or red grape tomatoes • Mexican shredded cheese blend • 1 avocado, diced • Diced yellow onion • Cilantro (chopped) • Lime juice

Instructions: 1

2

Tortilla Strips Spray the tortilla strips/quarters with olive oil spray and salt. Turn them out onto a baking sheet, arrange them across the pan and bake in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes or until golden and crispy. (Mine might have taken a little longer than 10 minutes to get fully crispy).

Set aside when done. (You can also just leave them in the turned-off oven to keep them warm and crispy!)

Roasted Tomatoes Halve the tomatoes lengthwise and put them in a small roasting pan, oven proof dish, or rimmed baking sheet. Spray lightly with olive oil and season with salt. Bake in a 350°F oven for 40-45 minutes (less time if you use smaller tomatoes), or until the tomatoes are shrunken and golden around the edges. Set aside.

3

The Soup In a big pot over medium-high heat cook the garlic and onions using 1/2 Tbsp olive oil along with a couple pinches of salt for just a minute or so. Stir in the spices and then the tomatoes. Cook down for about five minutes or so, it should thicken a bit.

4

The Soup Continued Remove from heat, add 2 cups of the broth and puree with a hand blender (or puree in a traditional blender). Add the remaining 1/2 cups of broth (you can add more if you want a thinner soup) and puree until smooth. Bring the soup back up to a simmer and cook for another 10 minutes. Season with salt to taste.

5

Ideas for Serving: Option 1: With Avocado Salsa

Mexican

Shredded

Cheese

and

Take some soup in a bowl, top with 1 tbsp shredded Mexican cheese blend, and 1-2 tbsp of the Avocado Salsa.

This combination is great because the cheese melts into the soup, and the avocado salsa has a creaminess and a crunch that gives the soup amazing texture.

Option 2: With Goat Cheese, Roasted Tomatoes, and Tortilla Strips Top soup with 1-2 tbsp goat cheese, a handful of roasted tomatoes, and a handful of tortilla strips.

The goat cheese makes the soup rich and creamy – kind of like a spicy creamy tomato soup. The tomatoes are perfectly tart, and the tortilla strips give it a great crunch.

I liked dipping my tortilla strips in the goat cheese and the soup – it felt like a fancy take on chips and salsa!

Avocado Salsa Create the “avocado salsa” by mixing the avocado, red onion, cilantro and lime juice in a bowl. Super easy and takes 2 minutes!

Alternatively You can take all of the toppings: goat cheese, tomatoes, avocado salsa, tortilla chips, and just throw them all on top of the soup. I did that for my second helping and it tasted delicious too! Either way you eat it, this soup is absolutely perfect. Spicy, creamy, crunchy, tart – you get so many flavours in this dish your palate will be satisfied for a long time.

The husband ate so much of this soup that he was totally stuffed at the end of dinner. I hope you like it as much as we did!

Delicious.

TORTILLA SOUP . BREATHEPK.COM . 73

S U S TA I N

ONE POT

RED LENTILDAL _R ecipe B y A n j ali S hah H ealth C oach a n d F ood W riter

T he P icky E ater www. pickyeaterblo g . com

Dal is one of my favourite one-pot meals. It also happens to be a powerhouse of nutritional goodness, thanks to the wonderful little lentil that’s at the heart of every dal recipe. With about 30% of their calories from protein, lentils have the third-highest level of protein, by weight, of any legume or nut, after soybeans and hemp. Lentils also have tons of fiber, folate, and minerals. When mixed with grains (such as rice), lentils become a complete protein dish, which means that the dish has all nine of the essential amino acids necessary for your dietary needs. And as an added benefit, all that protein and fiber has super satiating properties that help you stay fuller longer!

They also taste great and have a wonderful texture.

This particular recipe is made with red lentils, which have a sweet and nutty flavour and cook pretty quickly: in about 30 minutes. I got the recipe from my friend who’s a chef at one of my favourite cafes, and I modified the spices and proportions to suit my tastes.

It’s a warm and comforting dish full of those delicious aromas you’d find at your favourite Indian restaurant, minus all of the oil, fat and added unhealthiness that comes along with restaurant food. We served it with some brown rice and a salad, but you could also serve it with this cauliflower sabji and roti or naan.

• 1 tsp olive, grapeseed or canola oil • 3/4 cup dry red lentils • 1 cup chopped red onion • 1/2 cup chopped celery • 3 cloves chopped garlic • 1 tsp grated ginger • 1 1/4 tsp curry powder

• 1 tsp coriander • 1/2 tsp garam masala • 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes • 1 cup vegetable stock (or water) • One 15 oz can crushed tomatoes • 1 cup light coconut milk • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Instructions: 1

Mix the ginger, garlic, curry powder, coriander, garam masala and crushed red pepper in small bowl and set aside.

2

Heat a large soup pot over medium heat. Add your oil, onions and celery and cook on medium high heat for about 2 minutes until vegetables are fragrant and translucent. Stir occasionally to prevent burning.

3

Turn down heat and add the ginger, garlic and spice mix and cook on low heat for about 1 minute, allowing the spices to “bloom” until they become fragrant. Add the lentils, vegetable stock, diced tomatoes and coconut milk.

4

Bring up to a boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer. Cook with a lid on for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until lentils are soft. If your heat is up too high, the liquid will evaporate before the lentils are done cooking. If that happens, just add a little bit more stock (or water, if you are using that) and continue to cook. When lentils are soft, turn off your heat and add in your chopped cilantro. Adding cilantro at the end will keep the flavour lively and fresh.

5

Serve as a soup, or over brown rice with some steamed veggies, or with naan or roti! I chose to have ours as a “stew” over brown rice.

filling and tasty!

I promise this dal is a crowd pleaser, and it also happens to be vegan and gluten free – so it really works for anyone.

This recipe makes about 8 HUGE servings, so if you end up with tons of leftovers, just know that the dal freezes really well – so you can always freeze it and save it for another night.

Seconds?

RED LENTIL DAL . BREATHEPK.COM . 75

RECOVERY

BRAUER-PROOF

BONESOUP _R ecipe B y I a n H olmes A K A I rratio n al C ar n y

Every traceur that I know who legitimately plays has been injured in some way.

The good ones bounce back, taking the injury in stride and continue to push themselves, not hesitating or stalling out in fear. My friend, Josh Brauer, is like that, he will try anything which means he plays harder and does more than many others simply because he is willing to try. Somehow he continues to bounce back, injuries happen far less often than you think should be possible given the deep set urge that fills him to throw himself into concrete. However sometimes we don’t stick a landing, wrists and ankles take a huge amount of wear and tear, while sometimes concrete refuses to move or become softer and bones get pulverized. Now the coolest thing is that we can actually do something to support our bodies when it comes time to recover from the attempt, and potentially we might be able to Brauer proof our bones and tendons. In her book “Deep Nutrition: Why Your Genes Need Traditional Foods” Dr. Cate Shanahan discusses the role which joint tissue and bones have traditionally played in our diet. These scraps which we find our meat cleaned of more and more are stock full of a family of proteins called glycosaminoglycans (glycos-aminoglycans), which are the building block of our connective tissue. The best way to get access to these phenomenal proteins seems to be to cook the bones, meat, and connective tissues down with water; make soup broth. The following is a soup stock that can be made easily with very little work and may begin to provide the building blocks for a body which can not be broken. Once you have the broth it is pretty easy to add a bit more meat and veg and make a phenomenal soup. The following is the recipe I am going to be using as a starting block in the coming month as I head into an intensive project; including bone scans and x-rays to assess what kind of change I can produce in the girth and density of tendons and bones with a diet heavy in glycosaminoglycans. Plus if nothing else, this tastes delicious.

INGREDIENTS • Half pack bacon • Grass fed soup bones and a joint bone with some meat (2-3lbs) • 3 Celery Stalks Diced • 1 White Onion Diced • 4 Cloves Garlic Minced • 3 Large Carrots Cubed • 1 Jalapeño Chopped • 3 Cups Cubed Potatoes

• Red Wine (opt) • 1 small can tomato paste • Coconut Oil • A tap to get cold water out of • Fresh Parsley • Fresh Thyme • Black Peppercorns • Sea Salt • Chili Pepper Flakes

Instructions The first step is to make the stock, and then take that stock and mix it with a couple other fun items and create ourselves a phenomenal stock. This process can get rather involved, and if you want the full nutrients out of this I would either make use of a slow cooker, or a day when it is miserable outside and you have work to catch up on. Now the advantage is that the stock you make can then be used for soup multiple times before you need to actually make it again. So one big day for the stock, and then easy super soup.

1 2

Lightly coat bones and meat trimmings with coconut oil. Then rub a tablespoon of tomato paste mixed onto bones and roast alone in a large roasting pan for an hour and fifteen minutes at 350°F. When your bones and meat are done, start your stock pot. Indeed you can use the interim hour to prep the remaining supplies. In the bottom of the stock pot toss a bunch of chopped up pieces of bacon. Once this has started to cook nicely add a 1/2 cup of diced onions and minced garlic. Continue to cook adding a small amount of tomato paste, then a 1/2 cup of carrots, and, as this is starting to cook down, a 1/2 cup of celery.

3

Add the bones only to a large stock pot. Add a cup of red wine, half a can of the tomato paste and enough cold water to cover bones, plus one inch.

4

Deglaze the hot roasting pan by pouring in some red wine or water to remove the nice caramelized drippings. Add this rich liquid to the stock pot along with the jalapeño.

5

Heat stock at medium heat, stirring every few minutes and watching closely. Bring to a low, low simmer... but NEVER BOIL with the bones in the stock (as this extracts bitter proteins and clouds the finished stock).

6

Boil low or steep at around 200°F (just short of making boiling bubbles) for 12-24 hours; no more, no less. You can leave uncovered or partially covered. But never seal (with no way for steam to escape) your stock when hot as doing so sours the stock. Every once in a while, use a slotted spoon to remove any scum that forms at the top of the liquid. That scum can make the stock bitter, so remove it every half an hour for the first few hours.

7

For the last hour (or two) of low simmer, throw the bay leaves and cloves into the mix.

8

For the last half an hour of the low simmer, toss in the fresh parsley (plenty, as in the full bunch) thyme (half as much as the parsley) and a flat tablespoon of peppercorns.

9

Let the stock cool for a while on a cooling rack, until it’s cool enough to handle and strain. Strain through a fine wire mesh strainer into another big pot.

10

Now here is where we can go two separate ways. You can either take the stock, let it cool, refrigerate it for a day… reheat it enough that you can pour it into bags to freeze until you want stock, OR you can make a massive batch of soup. I personally usually split it half and half, but mind you I then eat nothing but soup for three days… and I have a massive soup pot.

Lets make soup Okay so take the still warm stock that you have in the pot and add in any of the meat that you strained out [I will occasionally add chopped-up grilled sausage to the mix]. To this, add the remaining chopped vegetables and the cubed potatoes. Season to taste and let this lovely pot simmer away until the potatoes are nice and soft... Then consume.

E n j o y.

BONE SOUP . BREATHEPK.COM . 77

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