History of Parkour
Parkour or "l'art du déplacement" (the art of movement) has been practiced since the start of mankind, only a term or name was not given to the activity. Back in the stone ages, humans run around in the forest to capture livestock and run away from large predators. During this process, they used what we now know as Parkour to manoeuvre around the forest. It focuses on the natural movement of humans to overcome obstacles, high walls or large gaps.
Before World War 1, a former naval officer Georges Hebert was impressed with the flexibility and skills of some indigenous tribes he met during his travel in Africa. In 1902, Hebert saved 700 people through an escape and rescue route he planned because of a volcanic eruption in Saint-Pierre, Martinique. After that, being inspired by the indigenous group, Hebert realized the importance that athletic skills, courage and altruism should be combined. He then became a physical education tutor the College of Reims in France where he developed his own training system, "méthode naturelle" (natural method). He defined the natural method as "A progressive and continuous action that has as its objective: assuring integrated physical development; increasing organic resistances; emphasizing aptitudes across all genres of natural exercise and indispensable utilities (walking, running, jumping, quadrupedal movement, climbing, equilibrium (balancing), throwing, lifting, defending and swimming); developing one's energy and all other facets of action or virility such that all assets, both physical and virile, are mastered; one dominant moral idea: altruism.” During World War 1 and 2, Hebert’s teachings continued to expand and became a standard system of the French military education and exercise.
Parkour was later popularized by David Belle and his group, the Yamakasi, which meant “strong spirit, strong body, strong man, endurance" in the Lingala language of Congo. Base in the Lisses, Belle and his group practiced and strengthen themselves in skill and dexterity, making building-to-building jumps and many other extreme urban activities. However, due to certain disagreements, Belle and Foucan separated after a musical show and the movie Yamakasi (2001) was done without them.
David Belle continued Parkour with a non-competitive mindset and as a form of expression. It was mentioned by Chau Belle that Parkour is not only about a set of moves, but a “state of mind” and an expression of freedom. It allows the development of a mindset that says any obstacles can be overcome with determination and to accept failure as an experience. Andy (Animus of Parkour North America) believes Parkour to be a method for us to reclaim what it is to be a human being as it teaches us to interact and move with the objects around us and to accept it instead of being sheltered by it. He furthered explains that it also helps us to learn to control or mind and control our fears.
Freerunning on the other hand, was developed and popularized by Sebastian Foucan which focuses on combining tricking with Parkour. To Sebastian Foucan, Parkour was very limited in creativity and movement whereas Freerunning allowed more creativity and expression as the practitioner can add and expand certain movements to make it their own. However, it was said by many that Freerunning is less efficient and more energy consuming compared to Parkour and that they are now considered as two different activities.
