Traceur – Free style running – Le Parkour – Tricking


Just in case you are not up with the lingo, the opening sequence of the James Bond movie “Casino Royale” features one of the two founders of Le Parkour, a form of running as fast as possible.

Traceur, urban free flow or free running involves getting from A to B as fast as possible. Parkour is a version of traceur that involves getting from A to B in the most stylish way. It was created by David Belle and Sebastian Foucan.

Tricking is a combination of gymnastics with some martial arts flair. Sometimes tricking is combined with parkour, for example.

Tricking provides some of the most interesting aspects of this free flowing, freedom of movement – the type of body performance one usually dreams of in the sleeping hours! Free style tricking includes the following criteria:

– form (cleanness);
– jump Height/Airtime;
– technique (complexity of a move);
– fluidity (Ease and style in landings);
– variety (Number of moves);
– combo Stamina (Long combinations of moves);
– bravery (Flipping off heights, etc.); and,
– surface (Ability to perform on concrete).

While these undertakings may seem risky, it is important to understand the nature of the traceur culture.  It does exist and you will see youth perfecting their traceur moves within the city limits.  The participants are fit and indeed the movement supports a healthy lifestyle. For disenfranchised, athletic, thrill seeking and/or bored youth living in inner cities with nothing better to do, it can be appealing. (Although city governments aren’t too pleased about liability risks!)

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