Parkour and free running catching on; University of Michigan club members offer demonstration
The shortest distance between two points is a straight line, and that’s the first rule for emerging urban sport of parkour.
Participants treat the urban landscape as a personal obstacle course as they run, jump and climb their way around, over and through staircases, parking structures and buildings, moving from Point A to Point B as fast as possible.
Perhaps you saw it when it was famously demonstrated in the opening scene of the 2006 Bond movie, "Casino Royale."
If not, you can see it 3 p.m. Saturday as Mike Metze, leader of the University of Michigan Parkour Club, will conduct a presentation at the Meri Lou Murray Recreation Center on parkour and free running.
Free running is similar to parkour, with less efficiency and more creativity. For example, if caught between buildings, a parkour purist would jump from rooftop to rooftop. A free runner might flip across the gap.
“That’s basically the difference, but largely in the community, most people don’t focus on the differences, it’s all just sort of moving,” said Metze, 20, a junior at Michigan.
Following a discussion on the history of parkour, Metze and other club members will provide a demonstration. Ann Arbor District Library as part of the “Local Motion” summer reading program organized the presentation. It will be the third parkour and free running program put on by AADL. The first two presentations were given by Ann Arborite Levi Meeuwenberg, famous for his exploits on the G4 program, Ninja Warrior.
“Levi was great the other two years. He showed us some clips and told us the history, but the venue was confining,” said Vicky Browne, teen librarian for AADL. “This year, we’ll start inside with some history and background, then move outside for a demonstration. We’re looking forward to a little more real time stuff.”
Many clips on YouTube portray parkour participants as thrill-seeking adrenaline junkies.
“A lot of videos online are misleading in a way that they do portray parkour as being more dangerous, but it’s actually a very safe discipline,” Metze said. “We do a lot of strength training to build up muscles needed to be able to do these things. Even just landing off of small drops, most people, their muscles aren’t ready to do that, so we jump off very low jumps with a lot of repetition.
“We’ll have someone jump off of the ground practicing proper landings then we’ll step up one stair at a time until we start slowly building up the correct form and the muscles that are necessary to do the landings and execute safely.”
A video shot by Metze, which shows former club member Travis Graves navigating the Michigan campus and downtown Ann Arbor, is an example of a calculated route.
“It’s not like I just spontaneously chose those places,” said Graves, 21, now a parkour instructor in Washington, D.C. “I’d trained at those places, know what I can do and my limitations, so we were able to film in as controlled an environment as possible."
Parkour/free running isn’t universally accepted. The sport was banned by the city council Moreton, England, a small town near Liverpool.
So far, University of Michigan campus and Ann Arbor city officials are more accepting.
“A lot of times, especially earlier on, we’d have campus police come up and talk to us,” noted Graves, a member since the club’s founding in 2006. “We had a meeting with campus police to let them know we weren’t trespassing, not being reckless and jumping off rooftops. We gave a presentation, explained what we were doing, and ever since haven’t had any major issues.”
After seeing Graves’ video, Lieutenant Angella Abrams of the Ann Arbor Police Department didn’t see any reason why the sport would be a legal concern.
“I was really impressed with that guy’s athletic ability,” Abrams said. “As for any issues that may arise from a police stand-point, complaints of trespassing may arise as some of the stunts are conducted in parking structures etc., but one could argue that regular runners often cut through private property when they exercise, too.”
Diane Brown, public information officer for the Michigan Department of Public Safety, commenting on a recent practice that was stopped by campus police, said a blanket acceptance or ban of the sport would be inappropriate.
“If someone is climbing a wall and doesn’t have a permit, or is engaging in high-risk behavior an officer is going to see that as this person could be breaking in, or be a risk to themselves, those around them, or to property,” Brown said. “It really depends on the discretion of the officer and the particular activities individuals are engaging in.” Membership in The University of Michigan Parkour Club is open to the public. For information, e-mail michigan.parkour@umich.edu.
Comments
aquaspaz
Mon, Dec 28, 2009 : 8:08 p.m.
Does anyone know where you can take parkour classes in ann arbor??? and for teens??
will
Wed, Aug 19, 2009 : 8:38 p.m.
Parkour is a safe activity when practiced responsibly. The claim that parkour is dangerous because it is frequently practiced on concrete is untrue. Michigan parkour meets three times a week for two hours at a time. During those two hours, only a portion of the exercises performed involve running and jumping. The rest of the training session is filled with strength conditioning, climbing, and other activities. Leaders of the club teach landing techniques specifically designed to limit joint stress. This is in contrast to basketball or tennis, which involve hours of running, jumping, and turning, on hard surfaces. Medical experts have endorsed these common sports, and by extension they have approved of moderate exercise on hard surfaces. There are actually advantages to activities involving impact. Parkour is likely to be good for the bones, as impact excercises promote higher bone density. Also, the cardiovascular benefits of strength training and aerobic conditioning make parkour a particularly healthy pursuit. If you are concerned about the safety of parkour, then do your own research and develop your own conclusions, but do not be persuaded by angry people unfamiliar with parkour.
REBBAPRAGADA
Mon, Aug 17, 2009 : 9:38 a.m.
A SMART CONNECTION : I am pleased to hear about RYAN's observation. I spoke about this physical activity and had discussed the appropriateness of this physical training. When I spoke about a hard surface, it is not medicine, and it could be PHYSICS. We have to apply the principles of Physics to Physical Training.
Mumbambu, Esq.
Sun, Aug 16, 2009 : 4:38 p.m.
From a first year law student to a first year pre-med student.
REBBAPRAGADA
Sun, Aug 16, 2009 : 9:41 a.m.
PREVENTION OF STRESS FRACTURES : I thank Travis for his comment and for the information that he had provided. The practice as depicted involves the use of a hard surface. When physical training is imparted on a hard surface, the bones experience a higher amount of stress that leads to injury that is described as 'STRESS FRACTURE'. Typically, the leg bone, Tibia shows signs of injury in the form of periosteal elevation( the membrane that covers the bone surface), and the resulting inflammation produces redness and swelling in the affected area and is associated with pain.Particularly, young people are prone to this kind of injury. I would not recommend training on a regular basis on a hard surface. The body exerts pressure on the ground while walking,running, and jumping. The concrete/cement/asphalt surface will not absorb the pressure and offers a higher amount of resistance than a natural surface. I would suggest that the participants should get some directions from people who routinely treat sports injuries. Military recruits are refrained from training for prolonged periods on hard ground.
Travis Graves
Sat, Aug 15, 2009 : 2:14 p.m.
Nice work, Mike and company!! To our detractors, Your concern is understandable but unfounded. We've met with those property owners you seem to believe would be so up-in-arms about our activity (the university building management as well as public safety) and explained our practice. We were forthcoming about the risks and preemptive in trying to get a dialogue going so and hammer out something of mutual benefit. We were asked not to practice at certain times in certain places and happily obliged. We have more respect for our environment than the average person because we have a much more intimate relationship to it. If we damage a handrail the code of ethics in the community says we seek the owner and pay to fix/replace it. If we damage something, we can no longer train there which is not what we want, obviously. As for your take on the physical dangers of the sport, I can say (as a professional in the field) that the risk is extremely low if practiced correctly and injury almost inevitable if practiced incorrectly. Most people have a gross misconception about parkour, its practice, and its participants. This comes from lack of correct information (like this great article) to inform the public and perspective practitioners. Those kids then start training based on incorrect notions and do things that damage their bodies and outdoor structures. All I can say is your thoughts are off base and to get a real feel for the correct understanding I'd encourage you (and everyone) to attend a session as a spectator or participant. Again, great article Mike and staff!
REBBAPRAGADA
Sat, Aug 15, 2009 : 10:19 a.m.
LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP : Thanks for the suggestion that a person must think before he speaks. To the same extent, I would suggest that it is a good principle to "LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP". I had stated that the practice as depicted in the video is "UNHEALTHY". It depicts the lack of an "HEALTHY" attitude. A mental attitude driven by disrespect. These runners are displaying no respect to the proper use of a property. If a property is open and is accessible to the public; it would not establish a right to use the property for any reason other than the purpose intended for its use by the legitimate owner of the concerned property. It is very typical of an attitude that would be displayed by a CRIMINAL. If a door is left unlocked, if a window is left open and not secured, only a CRIMINAL would use that opportunity. These structures are not protected and guarded but only a person with a CRIMINAL mindset would take advantage of that situation. I would appreciate if each participant of this activity registers with the owner of each property and obtain a prior consent to use the property for this activity. A guard rail is installed to give physical support to a person who may be physically challenged and needs to balance himself/herself while climbing or descending stairs. A guard rail may be installed to prevent collision damage.It is not intended for walking over the rail and is not intended to support the weight of people standing on it or using it to jump over it. The rail is fixed to the ground and the mounting assembly gets damaged by the activity depicted in the video. I know enough about physical exercise and physical activity and the manner in which physical training should be imparted. This reckless attitude and behavior would only contribute to injuries and aggravates the extent of injury due to accidental falls and trips. We donot need research publications to understand this simple fact of conducting physical training/activity at places that are intended for such use. For outdoor recreational activities, we have plenty of places. A sidewalk could be used for walking and jogging. We have parks and trails which provide ample opportunities for our physical recreation.
yourbiggestfan
Fri, Aug 14, 2009 : 8:22 p.m.
Great article. Too bad they didn't have parkour when/where I went to school... looks like fun!
brettdegroff
Fri, Aug 14, 2009 : 2:08 p.m.
Parkour is cool.
James
Fri, Aug 14, 2009 : 1:58 p.m.
@REBBAPRAGADA Unhealthy? Some people who do parkour are some of the most fit and best athletes in the world. When done and practised properly it is not damaging to the body, and is a very effective way to get in good all around shape. This is not skateboarding. There is no equipment. Parkour is nondestructive and does not damage anything that is used. We respect our environment very much. If we damaged something then we wouldnt be able to use it in the future, which we obviously do not want. Furthermore, the club and many practitioners of parkour across the country follow Leave No Trace. Also, we do not cross over barriers that are there to keep people out. Nothing we do is illegal, because we are not and do not trespass. I also think your accusation of calling us criminals is uncalled for and absolutely wrong. Maybe you should know a little bit about what you are talking about before you speak next time. Your words make me think you did not read the article at all. Your idea of parkour is exactly the misconception that needs to be eliminated.
Mumbambu, Esq.
Fri, Aug 14, 2009 : 1:22 p.m.
Ha! Those criminals! We should make sure the City allocates all that remains of the Police Department to prevent this wanton destruction of an otherwise beautiful City. To arms!
Pete Cunningham
Fri, Aug 14, 2009 : 12:33 p.m.
CNN did a piece on free running (parkour's cousin) this morning. Check it out, http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/living/2009/08/13/verjee.uk.free.running.cnn?iref=videosearch.
REBBAPRAGADA
Fri, Aug 14, 2009 : 11:03 a.m.
UNHEALTHY AND AT BEST ILLEGAL : The guardrails are not designed and constructed to support this kind of 'VANDALISM', and abuse. Such activity would soon cause damage to the structures and the guardrails may not help in providing the use for which they are originally intended for. The barriers have a function and they are erected to discourage people from crossing over. It is illegal to jump over a barrier. Only criminals indulge in such activities and it would encourage youth to adopt the attitude and the lifestyle of a criminal. The City and the Police Department should discourage this activity which shows disrespect to the Property Rights of the Owner of the Property.
Mumbambu, Esq.
Fri, Aug 14, 2009 : 7:53 a.m.
Cool stuff! At the Dental school, eh? I keep expecting the video to turn into a clip from the MTV show scarred.