People from all walks of life have found joy, community, health, and fulfillment from parkour.
That said, in my 13 years in this sport I have noticed a common trope which many avid parkour practitioners share. This archetype is not only true of my students, I had first noticed it over a decade ago within my friend circle.
So who is this archetype? I break it into three categories:
Video Gamer
Hyperactive
Free Spirited
Sound like your kid?
Lets dive into each category.
Video games are an easy way to achieve the rush and satisfaction of task completion. The drawback is that the videogame isn’t real- when the character “levels up”, the actual gamer remains the same. When gamers make the switch to parkour, they become the character. Every “level up” is a true improvement to them as a human in the real world.
Video games which specifically mimic parkour movements have been the source of inspiration for generations of parkour lovers. I know many people in the parkour community who began training because they wanted to be like the characters in games like Assassins Creed, Mirrors Edge and Roblox.
Videos games were never really my thing, but I totally get it.
Personal share here- while I was never diagnosed, people have often suspected me of having ADHD. It’s because I naturally don’t sit still. I am a very high energy person; I often say that I have the energy of a person and a half… and eat as much as two!
Anyways, parkour is my outlet. It’s my moving meditation where I get to productively offload that energy.
I do not necessarily subscribe to the school of thought which pathologizes peoples natural dispositions, but I know for certain that for the more Tigger-like among us, parkour can be a godsend.
Building on the previous point- In a world which tells you to sit down, shut your mouth and follow the status quo unquestioningly- parkour is a rebellion.
Parkour athletes are often the type to march to the beat of their own drum. Parkour training is a great opportunity for an individual to lean into that which makes them unique.
I have met many parkour athletes, including myself who do not align with the overly competitive and rigid structure of mainstream sports.
While yes, there is a measurable and competitive component, it’s not the sole focus of the sport.
Parkour is fundamentally a free flowing and creative endeavor.
The only way to truly win at parkour is to enjoy yourself the most.
