Are There Parkour Competitions?

In 1997, parkour co-creator David Belle staged the first tournament in Paris. World Freerunning and Parkour Federation Championships are the most famous. Some parkour believes contests encourage a competing mindset that goes against the essence of parkour. Others consider competitions as a gratifying way to test abilities and extend horizons.

Is parkour an athletic contest?

Parkour is not a sport, in my opinion. It happens because parkour encourages continuous growth and the testing of personal boundaries, both of which are essential to my belief in the sport. Regarding parkour, there is no competition because there is no incentive for winning. Ultimately, we’re all just looking to better ourselves and advance in life.

While I acknowledge the existence of parkour competitions, I don’t consider them particularly challenging. Parkour competitors aren’t out to prove a point to anyone else. They’re fighting to see who can go the furthest and do the best. They aren’t in it to win it, and I seriously doubt there is any genuine competition in parkour.

Is there a parkour governing body?

Athletes from all around the world have come together to form the World Freerunning Parkour Federation. Their shared goal is to ensure that the practices of parkour and freerunning are practiced in an environment that prioritizes safety and responsibility.

Types of Parkour Competition

Parkour contests can be divided into three categories:

• Freestyle
• Speed
• Precision

Any speed competition aims to cover the designated distance as rapidly as feasible. Athletes in precision events must achieve predetermined goals, such as clearing a set distance or height between platforms or obstacles. In freestyle events, judges look for uniqueness, difficulty, and style in competitors’ tricks and routines.

Competitors in any parkour event should demonstrate a firm grasp of the discipline’s foundational skills. Yet various facets of the discipline are highlighted at various competitions.

Athletes’ speed and agility in completing a course are tested in speed competitions. To succeed in precision events, athletes must always maintain tight control over their bodies. Sporting events with a freestyle component allow competitors to show off their individuality and expertise.

If you want to compete in parkour, which event should you enter? It all comes down to the skills you already have and the goals you hope to achieve. Speed or precision or speed competitions could be fun for you if you enjoy competing and pushing yourself to your limits. A freestyle competition might increase your speed if you want to show off your skills and have a good time.

Is parkour a risky activity? Just how risky is it?

For the most part, people see parkour as a dangerous sport. After all, you spend much of your time in the game dodging obstacles by jumping, climbing, and flipping. While it may seem dangerous at first glance, parkour is quite safe. Of course, there are inherent dangers associated with any physical exercise, but parkour is relatively safe.

Injuries are the most common downside to parkour. This danger, though, is also rather small. Avoiding a parkour session with little more than a few scrapes and bruises is common. You’re not likely to seriously hurt yourself while parkouring.

As with any form of physical activity, there is always the possibility of injury. Despite this common misconception, parkour is a reasonably risk-free sport. In this light, parkour could be the perfect sport for you if you’re searching for a fresh and exciting method to stay in shape.

What distinguishes free running from parkour?

Parkour differs from free running in many significant ways. Parkour movement is primarily concerned with facilitating efficient movement from one location to another. However, free running emphasizes individual expression and natural motion. While free running is not limited to certain terrain, parkour is often practiced in urban settings. Finally, free runners tend to consider their practice more as an art form or sport, while parkour practitioners frequently view the training as preparation for real-world circumstances.

Sloss Furnaces, located in Birmingham, Alabama, played home to the parkour competition that was a part of the 2022 World Games in July. As a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Summer Olympics in 2020 will now occur in July 2022 instead of its previously scheduled date of July 2021.