It’s 2006 and 007 looks a whole lot different than in years past. The swanky, debonaire spy was replaced with Daniel Craig, a more active, less sexy guy. His moves are precise, and swift and had the audience on the edge of their seat. Craig’s first scene of his Bond premiere introduced moviegoers to parkour for the very first time. Today, when we hear someone talk about parkour we think about the thrilling scene in Casino Royal where parkour early adopter, Sébastien Foucan plays the part of a bomb maker being chased by the new James Bond, over buildings, through walls, and around objects.
Thrilling to say the least, but is that today’s parkour?
Not many of us are often chased by international spies but parkour is alive and well today and approachable for the average adventurous person. Today, state-of-the-art gyms are created with modular climbing, equipment, and skilled coaches that make the experience, challenging, fun, and exciting without all the shooting and hand-to-hand combat of 007.
With that said, there are only a few parkour gyms that focus solely on the art and can be found in certain cities here in the US and internationally. Gyms designed for parkour take up lots of space and the equipment is specific for swift movement and safety and can be modified for different age groups and skill levels. These are very rare for sure. Be wary of those gyms claiming that they teach parkour and also teach gymnastics, tumbling, or cheer. It is different and should be taught as such.
Are one of these exclusive parkour gyms not within driving distance or just curious in seeing what this is all about in the real world? There are excellent online tutorials that give those curious about the sport, tips, tricks, the fundamentals.
Welcome to 2023 where there are classes for all ages, beginning, intermediate and pro parkour teams, championship events, and even pro World Chase Tag (Really!) If you and your family are looking to move your body and try something fun and exciting this year, there is something for everyone in parkour and embrace your inner James Bond.
Where did you hear about parkour for the first time? Do you remember this one from The Office?