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Movement region spreading Throughout
By Daniel Zalla Photography by Cynthia Schoetker and Elizabeth Zalla
Editor’s Note: The following story is an abridged version of Daniel’s Senior Thesis Paper. He allowed us to run it so we could showcase the sport he is extremely passionate about, Parkour, which is quickly gaining popularity throughout Greater Cincinnati. Have you ever spotted someone running through the city, jumping gaps between walls or roofs or doing flips off stairs or other concrete obstacles? You may have been witnessing the developing sport of parkour. When people ask me what parkour is, I often tell them, “Parkour is the discipline of overcoming obstacles in one’s path using only the human body.” Parkour has also been described as “the discipline of moving from A to B as fast and efficiently as possible.” Parkour is still in its developing stages as a sport. Increased awareness of parkour has generated
8 Life in the Hills & Springs • July 2016
conflict about its value. Many people have developed the misconception that traceurs (people who do parkour) are reckless teenagers and that their practice of parkour is dangerous to their own health and the health of those around them. This perceived “high level of risk” is why parkour has even been banned in certain public places. Those who are more familiar with parkour, however, understand that when it is done properly, parkour minimizes inherent risks, while providing multiple benefits. As a practitioner of parkour for four years, I have come to appreciate all of its positive aspects. While I concede that parkour does have its dangers, I know that they are outweighed by the benefits. The origins of parkour can be traced back to the 1902 volcanic eruption on the island of Martinique in the Caribbean. French Lieutenant George Herbert was charged with rescuing 700 people from this island, and the things that he witnessed inspired him. He saw the ways that the people moved around the obstacles in their path while trying to escape or save others. It was from this experience that Herbert thought of his famous quote, “Etre fort pour être utile” meaning, “Be strong to be useful.” Lt. Herbert’s interest in natural movement led him to research the topic; and his work culminated in the de-
velopment of a physical training discipline called “the natural method.” Today, parkour has made its way all across the globe, and new academies are popping up everywhere. According to the USA Parkour database, there are now 51 member gyms in the United States.
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Parkour is the discipline of overcoming obstacles in one’s path using only the human body.
Parkour is classified as a “lifestyle sport,” which appeals to those who seek unstructured, creative, anticompetitive and highrisk sporting experiences. There are still people who do not accept parkour as a sport because of misconceptions about its harmful nature. When they see videos of traceurs doing jumps off tall obstacles, they often turn away claiming the athletes to be nothing but “crazy dudes.” These traceurs may not be as crazy as they look because parkour, in fact, has many benefits in terms of physical, mental and emotional health. The first and most obvious benefit of parkour is physical health. Parkour is a full body workout which uses an array of different muscles, provides good cardiovascular exercise, and helps to increase flexibility. Because parkour involves so many different kinds of movements, it provides a good full body workout by using the majority of muscles in the body. Parkour is also great cardiovascular exercise. Because parkour is all about getting quickly from one place to the next, the main action involved is running. This means that parkour provides cardiovascular exercise, and helps maintain flexibility. Since parkour requires continuous rapid-fire decisions, there are mental health benefits. Many traceurs also find that parkour has emotional benefits. The Mayo Clinic explains that during aerobic exercises like parkour, “Your body will... release endorphins, natural painkillers that promote an increased sense of well-being.” This is one reason why parkour “may ease the gloominess of depression, reduce the tension associated with anxiety and promote relaxation.” Parkour is set apart from the many other activities by one dividing factor: fear. Fear is a big part of parkour that all participants encounter at some point only because traceurs push their physical edge as they try longer jumps, harder vaults or new tricks and flips. However, in parkour fear is not a negative thing. David Agajanian expresses that, “When you accomplish something physical that has scared you and July 2016 • Life in the Hills & Springs
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you’ve overcome the obstacle plus your fear, which is one of the strongest obstacles there is, then it’s... it’s almost indescribable.” Based on my own experiences, I agree with David because overcoming my personal fears in parkour not only makes me feel alive in that moment but also helps me to feel like a more able person in all other aspects of my life. Medical Daily agrees that the “can do attitude (of traceurs). . . leads to greater confidence.” Even Sebastien Foucan, the founder of freerunning, recognizes this characteristic of parkour explaining, “I could apply it to my own life and take lessons from my practice.”
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10 Life in the Hills & Springs • July 2016
Traceurs are not just reckless teenagers, but members of a growing, worldwide community of individuals enjoying an activity which is good for the body and good for the mind. In the words of Cedric Dahl, parkour “can help you discover your potential physically, mentally and emotionally.... and people in motion are capable of incredible things.”
In late 2011 Matt Preveley began teaching Parkour at Top Flight Gymnastics, but he had the dream of opening a gym centered just on parkour and movement. Matt and Seth Rujiraviriyapinyo began working toward that vision, and in October 2015 Swift Movement Studio celebrated its Grand Opening. Swift Movement Studio is Cincinnati’s first dedicated parkour and movement facility as is located at 4460 West Mitchell Avenue Unit 6 in Cincinnati. For more information, visit the www. swift-movement.com. Matt also still teaches parkour classes at Top Flight Gymnastics in Northern Kentucky.