Parkour and Freerunning

By THOR (Parkour Foundation Winter) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

The fastest route from point A to point B is a straight line. However, if there are obstacles in the
way such as a railing, wall, or building, you walk around them. That is, unless you are a freerunner or
parkour athlete. While others go around obstacles, these athletes go over them.
Both sports started in France with a man named David Belle and his friends. Belle’s father taught
him movement techniques that he learned in the French Special Forces called “Parcours du combatant.”
Parcours in French means “the way through,” “route,” or “course.” The Special Forces used these
techniques to efficiently move through the landscape. Belle called his urban version of the sport “parkour.”
Just like the Special Forces, parkour athletes use obstacles to get from one place to another in the most
direct way.
The term “freerunning” was originally used to promote parkour to English speakers. Over time,
however, freerunning became a different version of the sport. Sebastian Foucan, a friend of Belle’s, was
the leader of this new group. Freerunners developed a separate philosophy that focused less on the most
direct route, and more on style. They use the obstacles to express themselves through movement.
Freerunners may do flips and turns to add interest and style. They are also less strict about the rules of
parkour, such as never moving backwards.
Parkour and freerunning still have many similarities. The types of movements they have in
common include running, climbing, jumping, balancing, twisting, and combinations of these things. The goal
of the athletes is to use the environment around them to overcome all obstacles in their path. Both types of
athletes rely on physical and mental strength. Although physical strength and skills are essential, the mental
part of the sport is just as important. The athletes approach each obstacle as a problem to be solved. They
must have confidence and determination.
It took less than ten years for parkour and freerunning to become well-known sports. In the early
2000s, athletes were featured in major movies and music videos. When YouTube arrived in 2005, videos of
athletes helped bring the sports to a worldwide audience. Today, the World Freerunning & Parkour
Federation promotes and organizes the sports.

© Laura Torres 2016 All rights reserved. www.lauratorres.com

 Some say that parkour and freerunning should not have organized competitions.
They believe that each experience is individual and non-competitive. One athlete says it
is “more like yoga and less like football.” Others argue that competitions bring the
athletes together and promote the sports. There is even hope that they will be in the
Olympics someday.
Regardless of the future of competition, athletes can agree that the philosophy of
the sports extends to their lives. They believe that there is no obstacle too great to
overcome. Since no two people are alike, no two solutions are alike, but there is always a
way through.

© Laura Torres 2016 All rights reserved. www.lauratorres.com

Name _________________________________________

Parkour and Freerunning

Which topics are covered in this article? Put an X in front of the correct answers.

_____ The history of parkour and freerunning

_____ The parkour athletes who will be going to the next Olympics
_____ The differences and similarities between the two sports
_____ The philosophy behind the sports
_____ How to perform some basic freerunning flips

True or False
1. Parkour and freerunning use completely different movements. __________________

2. Parkour athletes use more flips and turns and has fewer strict rules than freerunners.
__________________

3. David Belle’s father was a member of the French Special Forces. ___________________

4. The philosophy behind the two sports is that any obstacle can be overcome. ___________

5. “Parcours du combatant” means “the way around.” _______________

Why do some think that parkour and freerunning athletes should not have competitions?
____________________________________________________________________________
Some athletes think that parkour and freerunning are individual experiences and
are non-competitive

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

Vocabulary
Match the word to its definition
_____ route a. a way of doing something by using special skill
_____ obstacle b. a form of something that is different
_____ technique c. to involve or include; to reach
_____ efficient d. a set of ideas about meaning, truth, or knowledge
_____ urban e. the way to get from one place to another
_____ version f. an object in your path
_____ philosophy g. relating to the city
_____ extend h. producing results without wasting energy or resources

© Laura Torres 2016 All rights reserved. www.lauratorres.com

Name _________________________________________

Parkour and Freerunning - Key

Which topics are covered in this article? Put an X in front of the correct answers.

__X__ The history of parkour and freerunning

_____ The parkour athletes who will be going to the next Olympics
__X__ The differences and similarities between the two sports
__X__ The philosophy behind the sports
_____ How to perform some basic freerunning flips

True or False
1. Parkour and freerunning use completely different movements. ____False__________

2. Parkour athletes use more flips and turns and has fewer strict rules than freerunners.
____False____

3. David Belle’s father was a member of the French Special Forces. _____True___________

4. The philosophy behind the two sports is that any obstacle can be overcome. ___True____

5. “Parcours du combatant” means “the way around.” ____False_______

Why do some think that parkour and freerunning athletes should not have competitions?

________Some athletes think that parkour and freerunning are individual experiences and

are non-competitive. __________________________________________________________

Vocabulary
Match the word to its definition
__e__ route a. a way of doing something by using special skill
__f__ obstacle b. a form of something that is different
__a__ technique c. to involve or include; to reach
__h__ efficient d. a set of ideas about meaning, truth, or knowledge
__g__ urban e. the way to get from one place to another
__b__ version f. an object in your path
__d__ philosophy g. relating to the city
__c__ extend h. producing results without wasting energy or resources

© Laura Torres 2016 All rights reserved. www.lauratorres.com

Name _______________________________________

Writing Exercise
If you were a parkour or freerunner athlete, where would you like to
perform your sport? What obstacles would you have to overcome? How
would you train?
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_______________________________________________

© Laura Torres 2016 All rights reserved. www.lauratorres.com

© Laura Torres 2016

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