Regular readers might be familiar with my aversion to most things overly complex or high-tech. I tend to relish simplicity, and even more so, slight but ingenious modifications to the most basic of things.

While I am, of course, talking about physical activity and exercise here, I would find it hard to argue against this view even when applied to alternate facets of life. We are notorious for our fancy and smoothly marketed kit in the fitness industry, but we cannot deny that so many people manage to get great results with little to no equipment.

I am a particular fan of outdoor training and using the natural environments or man-made structures for running, jumping and lifting ourselves into better shape. In this spirit, I cannot help but find myself intrigued by a relatively young sport that has exploded in popularity lately.

Current, modern and trendy are all applicable terms used to describe it. However, one should not be misled into thinking we are talking about anything that could just as easily slip out of fashion as quickly as it came.

Getting from point A to point B might be considered a somewhat mundane feat in normal circumstances, but it is anything but mundane the way these guys do it. If you have watched Casino Royale or Kingsman, you will have already seen a small sample of how these athletes strut their stuff. I am talking about none other than the cool urban phenomenon ‘parkour’, also known as ‘free running’.

Due to its hybrid nature, parkour has been likened to a lot of things. Some say the activity is descendent from military-style obstacle courses. Others feel it is a sort of non-combative martial art due in part to the intense discipline its practitioners often exhibit and the passionate positivity they espouse. Personally I like to think of it is as a form of urban gymnastics; as many of the fundamental skills are somewhat similar.

By adding in plenty of flair to fundamental moves, free runners are able to traverse seemingly impossible obstacles or buildings

The essence of parkour, however, is its wonderful ability to make us see our everyday surroundings in fascinating new ways. Free runners devise creative and often spectacular ways of travelling across built-up areas using strength, power, speed and heaps of athleticism. In running so freely they also seem to traverse the fuzzy line between sport and art.

I felt very fortunate indeed to be present at the national college this week to witness a true festival of popular youth culture. A group of sports development students have been busy with their attempts at organising the sport of parkour in Malta, and appear to be doing a splendid job so far. They worked alongside a group of local free runners, who put on an exhibition among a sizeable crowd of students in the heart of the college campus. The excitement even triggered an impromptu hip hop dance performance from one of the onlookers, adding yet more of an edge to an already raw and energetic celebration of human movement.

Students were encouraged to get involved, as the free runners happily proceeded to assist and coach all those willing to give it a try. Various cushions, mats and improvised vault boxes were spread across the area to practise some of the art’s basic techniques. These include vaulting, jumping, landing, and various elements of running and climbing. The students focused on vaulting and jumping over the course of about an hour as they quite literally, threw their weight around.

By adding in plenty of flair to these fundamental moves, free runners are able to traverse seemingly impossible obstacles or buildings in a seemingly effortless yet stylistic manner. It is no wonder parkour has made it onto blockbuster movie screens. But we cannot all be the next Jackie Chan, so what does all this ultimately mean to us average pavement walkers?

Rest assured we do not need to be flying across buildings or flipping around the urban landscape like we are being chased down by James Bond, but we can certainly get inspired to start moving in whatever way we can. Parkour is all about creativity and finding your own way to negotiate the various challenges and obstacles that present themselves around you.

Despite the obvious motivational undertones here, taking a leaf out of free runners’ books means that we do not need to be limited by an apparent lack of options to exercise.

Running along pavements and promenades, stepping , jumping, and dipping on benches, or performing pull-ups against walls, are all examples of raw urban exercise you certainly do not need to be a parkour pro to start performing. But if you like the idea of free running specifically, and are interested in taking it to the next level, then you might even consider reading up on the art online and getting in contact with a local parkour group. I was impressed to note the strength and fitness of the free runners and surprised to hear that few of them actually do any other training.

The college exhibition was attended and run by a local group called ‘Run Free’ should you wish to find out more, and work is currently underway towards getting parkour officially recognised as a sport in the near future.

With the breathtaking scenery we have in Malta, it would be stunning to watch some more parkour magic develop against our own beautiful urban and natural landscapes.

matthew.muscat.inglott@mcast.edu.mt

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