As someone who has practised parkour, albeit as a beginner, I know first hand the sense of exhilaration and accomplishment after performing some of the moves. I've not had a workout like it before or since. So when the opportunity arose to meet Sébastien Foucan, one of the original pioneers of parkour and free running, I jumped (if you'll pardon the pun) at the chance.
The 37-year-old Foucan is instantly approachable and engaging, and within minutes is speaking rapid-fire, French-accented English about his belief that free running can help a person to find "their way". He is passionate and speaks with intensity about the two, similar but distinct, disciplines: where parkour is about precision in movement, commonly defined as "moving most efficiently from point A to point B", free running is about more creative expression. In Foucan's words, free running is: "Finding your own way, not necessarily the same as anyone else's or one that has been defined previously." As well as the benefits for participants on a physical level, he describes the sense of liberation, freedom of expression and confidence that it can foster.
Parkour and free running originated on the streets of Lisses, the suburb of Paris where Foucan grew up. Along with David Belle, another credited founder, and others, Foucan experimented with the actions that have since become famous thanks to documentaries such as Jump London and Jump Britain. Is free running a sport or a discipline? For Foucan, it is neither. "It's not a sport, it's a way of life," he says. "I see it as an art … climbing and jumping is not a discipline, it's what we are meant to be doing as human beings. With practise we can create a very stylish way of doing things, but it's just natural".
However you categorise them, parkour and free running have featured in many films, advertisements and video games since coming to prominence in the early 2000s, while YouTube is crowded with home movies featuring various similar stunts. Foucan has been instrumental in raising awareness: in 2006 he had a small role as an acrobatic Bond villain in Casino Royale, as well as performing in Madonna's Confessions tour.
Though they no longer draw attention for being an exciting new craze, parkour and free running have attracted a core following. Both have become global activities seen across many cities and are particularly popular in the UK. Media interest may have subsided, but Foucan suggests that this is because the moves can now frequently be found in mainstream channels. "You see it on TV shows, in adverts, there is a bit of parkour," he says.
There is something of the Peter Pan in Foucan – he mentions this in reference to how some of the community see him, and it suits. He is imbued with a youthful energy that is combined with an adult understanding. "As kids you have so much energy to expend and at a certain age you are forced to stop climbing, exploring," he says. "Young people are looking for ways to express themselves naturally and to move as they love to."
He seems to grasp clearly the challenges of being young and what it means to be searching for identity. Free running, as Foucan says, aims to promote "wellbeing in your own life … to be in harmony with everything". I'm half-kidding when I ask if he talks to teens about such ideas. He laughs, admitting: "You can't force maturity, it's a journey." The lesson for all participants, whether they recognise it or not, is that by doing what you love to do and finding your own rhythm, you will have a greater chance at finding your way in other areas of life. For many kids, though, it's simply a cool thing to do.
Whatever your age or levels of fitness and coordination, Foucan believes that everyone can experience the benefits of free running. I recall how I saw people get on in the parkour classes I attended – being supportive and encouraging, motivating each other, exalting in others' success. Foucan says that such aspects of collaboration and physical connection offer a valuable counterpoint to life lived online. "Society now with computers and everything is more about the indoors and less about connecting with your environment in general," he says. The other bonus can be a boost to the confidence: "It's empowering, gives you a sense of your own potential and every day you feel as though you have achieved something special and want to do it again."
Free running's philosophy is that each person has their own instinctive approach to different challenges, and Foucan acknowledges the influence of martial arts, as well as parallels with eastern philosophy. He says: "There is a link between everything, like in [the teachings of] martial arts, it's about energy and how we are all connected. Everything we do affects other people negatively or positively. I say, 'your life is a road, your feelings a guide, your body a vehicle'." He adds: "Other people's journeys can influence my own journey – this is my teaching."
Ghandi's exhortation to "be the change we want to see" inspires him, and while Foucan recognises that he is a role model for young people, he also has his own: "Sports-wise and physically [Michael] Jordan; Zinedine Zidane for movement and mobility. I speak about Ghandi, [Nelson] Mandela, many, many more … You can take inspiration from everywhere."
Foucan believes any form of self-expression is important and key to finding balance in life. "Free running is not exclusive, everybody should have something to do that takes them out of their mind, out of the fixed path and social systems," he says. Basically, getting away from the routine of daily life. The ethos also invites play, experimentation and creativity and, in his words, "expressing yourself beautifully in your environment".
This expression can come through other activities – photography, film-making and art are among Foucan's examples. The inaugural parkour and free running awards reflect this approach and aim to recognise the photographers and film-makers, as well as those participating in the moves.
The message is that free running is inclusive, and Foucan and his collaborators invite responses and interaction at freerunningtv.com, a site dedicated to telling the stories behind the characters that make up the parkour and free running community. In the transmission of these stories, Foucan hopes that others will be inspired to join in and share.