Free Running/Parkour

I first came across the term Free Running while I was watching the chase sequence of Casino Royale on Youtube. Someone mentioned in the comments section that Craig was actually chasing Sebastian Foucan, the inventor of Free Running. I didn't pay much heed to it then but a few months later I accidentally stumbled over some Free Running videos on Youtube and was spellbound by it.

The reason: I never knew anyone could be so agile, flexible and this brilliantly mind-body co-ordinated until I saw these people. What these people were doing was amazing and they loved it. It kept them fit and the best part was they could run in anyway they wanted to, no set of instructions or rules...Just follow Your Heart...something I love doing... ;)

So, I sat down on the internet and started researching on it. And thus I came across David Belle and Parkour as well (thanks to Wikipedia). Invented as a procedure for training soldiers, it soon developed into a sport where one was allowed to move the way one wanted to. Actually that is what Parkour is all about. Move from one point to another in the fastest time and move however you want to. Amazing isn't it?

Belle and Foucan were one of the first few people on Earth to take up this sport and they made a huge revolution. Soon, everyone who had seen the magic of Parkour was free running on streets. But after a period of time, their opinions about the term "le art de displacement" differed and they parted ways. Belle stuck to Parkour as "the fastest way of travelling between two points" and Foucan decided to add the phrase "and as artistically as possible".

Whatever it maybe, only when we have a very good mixture of both Parkour and Free Running, the best free running happens. And I've been practising a bit as well and I have been enjoying it as well so far. The rules are simple. Just make sure you have safety precautions and start Running. Let the air beat your face and let your heart yell out for freedom.

Start Free Running.