Austen Klein
Klein.Austen@wgecho.org
In recent years, an activity known to most as “parkour” has appealed to a generation of youth to perform challenging physical objectives that only require a person’s somatic abilities to do so.
“Parkour appealed to me over ball sports because of the feeling you get when you’re upside down — it’s something that no team-based, competitive-based, guideline-based sport can give me,” said senior Benjamin Griffith.
“I’d say movement is about whatever you want it to be,” added Griffith.
The primary objective of parkour is to get from point A to point B as fluently and efficiently as possible.
Because of the seemingly simple objective, the activity provides youth with an inexpensive, fun and even social experience. Rules and destinations aren’t pre-determined; those who do the activity are given the liberty to decide their approach and method of arriving to destinations. “Movement has been one of the few constants in my life; any problems I have I trick them away,” said Griffith. “Parkour allows you to manipulate your body in more ways than you would be able to with weight-training,” said Griffith.
Parkour isn’t just a physical activity – a lot of mental determination is involved.
“I know what fear tends to stop you from doing, when fear is trying to stop you, or at least simply tell you a warning. I know my way around it now; I know how to commit to things — not just to a scary move, but how to give something my 100 percent. If you don’t give a move 100 percent, you may as well give it 0 percent because you won’t land it. Now I apply that to lots of things in my life — studying, relationships and games. If you want, you can apply it to anything.”
