A method of movement focused on getting through and dealing with obstacles with incredible speed and efficiency, parkour has become much more than just an ordinary sport. Parkour evolved from ‘parcour du combattants’, which was a classic obstacle course-based military training developed by Frenchman Georges Hebert.

The main purpose of the discipline is to teach participants, also known as traceurs or parkour practitioners, how to move through their environment as smoothly and directly as possible using vaulting, jumping, climbing, running and rolling techniques. It enables the practitioner to learn how to identify and efficiently utilize alternate paths to a destination.

The real beauty in parkour, however, lies in the fact that it can be practiced anywhere (including rural, urban and natural landscapes) as long as the area is dense with obstacles. This also ensures that every parkour path is distinctly unique which allows the traceurs to develop their split-second decision-making skills along with their physiques.

Though there is no ‘traditional technique’ involved and no pre-defined moves as there are with gymnastics, parkour is becoming somewhat of a pop cultural phenomenon and most countries have a few masters who are more than happy to help train interested individuals. It's also been embraced as an alternative exercise form. Some countries' armies are also reportedly examining the possibility of incorporating parkour into their training regimens.

Here's some amazing parkour in action:

Parkour, free running, obstacles, sports, extreme sports

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