Hi,

Yesterday I was at an OU course at Hallam Uni, and sat outside for my lunch. After a couple of mins, two of the parkour crowd decided that they needed to jump from behind me, to each side of where I was sat.

Seeing that this didn't startle me in the way it was obviously intended to, they then started to make stupid noises to one another. I kept on with my lunch and magazine, and after a few minutes, they obviously got bored and went away.

Now, we here that the parkour people in Sheffield try to behave themselves and just have fun - as the vast majority there were doing; but what exactly were these two little p****s trying to achieve? - and if the parkour crowd really don't want to bother anyone else, why didn't some of the older people there say something to them? - they were in the same group.

Luckily, I'm quite adept at ignoring t***s, as there are just too many around to bother with. But just what exactly were they trying do do, if not attempting to annoy and/or intimidate someone (in this case me) who was just having their lunch? What did they think I'd do? shout at them? Why waste my energy; slap them around? - pointless, as they were are pair of delicately built teens and I'm a rather robust 42 year old - and again, why waste my energy.

But it may not have been me; it could easily have been someone who could have been intimidated by them; it could just as easily have been someone hwo would have physically confronted them.

Why do it? - and why does their community just stand by and let them do it? Before, I'd thought the parkour crowd sounded okay; now I just think they're a bunch of useless t*****s.

Ade

I do parkour in Sheffield. I was there when this happened. A lot of the guys who train in Sheffield are young. I am probably the oldest person who goes to jams. I'm 24.

These two people were imitating something they saw on you tube dot com. If you want to see what they were doing put 'Negs urban sports make them move' into the youtube.com search engine

Is it immature? Yes. Could it be intimidating to others? Yes.

Now I just train like so many others. I'm not here to baby-sit these kids. If you want to judge everyone who does parkour as bad then that's your issue. Basically they are just kids being immature. Personally I don’t see every footballer as a bad person just because some spit and swear at other players. I could spend all my time and energy trying to control everyone's actions that ever come along to train but would they listen? Like most young people they probably wouldn’t.

People say that the few spoil it for the many. You seem to be a very angry person. Just thought I’d fill you in on the facts. Think what you want but know that just because one person from a group acts like an idiot it doesn’t mean it's a bad group. It’s the same with race and cultural groups. To condemn a group on one or two people is just narrow minded in my humble opinion.

Anyway hope you enjoy your lunch in peace. Maybe I'll see you around, maybe not.

what the hells parkour?

Parkour is the art of movement. It's basically using the street as an obstacle course. It helps you to get fit and improves your level of confidence.

I'm Ben from SheffieldParkour.com (http://www.sheffieldparkour.com). I practise parkour 4 times a week, starting on Hallam Uni and moving round the city, with people like Danny who posted earlier.

I was unaware of this incident, as I did not see it and had not heard about it until just now, but Danny has show me the video of what the lads were supposedly imitating, which seems ridiculously childish, immature and plain stupid.

As Danny said, a lot of the lads that join us for the sessions are young and often tend to get into the discipline with the wrong mindset, seeing it as jumping around for the sake of it, maybe even annoying innocent bystanders in the process. As it is difficult for one to understand the concept of parkour, even after partaking in it for some time, it is impossible to explain this to new people every time someone wishes to give it a go, so among the dedicated few such as Danny and myself, there are a number of idiots who are in it for the wrong reasons and go out giving parkour a bad name.

I don't know who these lads were, but what they did was stupid and immature, I have no idea why they would choose to do it but I would like to apologise on behalf of the whole of Sheffield for consistently breeding idiotic slobs who think it's amusing to do things such as the aforementioned immature immitation of some video, which is also giving YouTube a bad name (it happens to be a current trend in the media, to slag YouTube off).

Sheffield Parkour is dedicated to promoting the friendly and cooperative spirit in parkour. As Danny said, we are not there to babysit for the kids who wish to jump around at our training sessions, we have no responsibility for anyone, but we do our best to promote the correct manner of conduct when participating in the discipline.

For more information, see:

www.Parkour.net (international parkour community)
www.NorthernParkour.com (parkour directory for the North of England
www.SheffieldParkour.com (local parkour scene)

or contact me by PM or email [ben(at)sheffieldparkour.com].

Wow, you sound like you lost sleep over it or something.

I was the older one of the two people that was sat next to you and I do apologise but everyone else simply laughed at what we were doing when we did it to them. We thought you would have simply seen the funny side and asked us what we were doing or at least of told us to move and let you eat in peace.

What was in that Sandwich by the way? It smelt yummy. :)

We were doing it and filming it as part of something for my website, TeenageForums.com, where we try out things from Television to see if they really do gather the same sort of reactions in real life.

delicately built teensI'd hardly consider us to be dleicate. The other one of us was fat and is now quite well built from training Parkour and I hardly look anything in the motion of being "delicate". As for wasting your energy slapping us about. Well, I saw no signs of energy about you. I'm not trying to say you were weak or anything like that, you just seemed to be a little pre-occupied with your magazine.

And why use so much swearing? It doesn't get you anywhere in life, except maybe education at the age of 42. We didn't act like thugs or anything, we simply acted a tad moronic and were trying to have fun with you. I know in 25 years time I'll recognise people trying to have fun in the same sort of way and go along with it because I shall remember what it was like for me.

So being "moronic" and intimidating people is acceptable under the name of 'Parkour' is it?

Sounds like idiotic and anti-social behaviour to me. Still I suppose its all a bit of fun - for you at least.

It had nothing to do with Parkour.


Sounds like idiotic anti-social behaviour to me.Isn't getting out and 'mingling' with new people classed as being social?

ok, posted, then saw the rest of the thread and i've thought better of it!

Yeah I got your reply in an E-mail. I'll reply to it anyway.

I know that sometimes other people's behaviour can spoil things for people who arent doing anything wrong. I train on my own most of the time so it doesnt really affect me personally. I can always train. You are right however in the sense that it could affect the ambassedors opinion of us.

But really at the end of the day they werent exactly robbing corner shops were they. the guy over reacted to something thats eemed to these kids as a bit of fun. He seems to be missing the valuble sense of humour gene. the two kids didnt go up to anyone looking 'emotionally vunerable' like old women, just a fat guy eating a sandwich and two other poepl who found it very funny.

I am sorry if this behaviour shocks you. Maybe I should try to affect their vunreble young minds. In reality I dont want to try and control people. If need be I will train alone as I take the disapline very seriously. I'm off out now to train in town. Make your own desisions about this matter people. I'm done with it.

I am angered at the fact I keep being reffered to as a "Kid" in this. I'm 18 in 3 weeks time. :/ - And not only kids can be immature and have fun. Sometimes miserable old people can pull themselves way from their computers, away from Forums (complaining about people) and have a little fun once in a while.

Well can't they be immature and have fun away from other people who are trying to enjoy there lunch?

I am angered at the fact I keep being reffered to as a "Kid" in this. I'm 18 in 3 weeks time.

and your point is? :hihi:

it's relative, that's all - once you get to a certain age you see pretty much everyone who is younger than about 25 as a kid!

what the hells parkour?

i love my parka, its blue and is a snorkel one.. it rocks

"the two kids didnt go up to anyone looking 'emotionally vunerable' like old women, just a fat guy eating a sandwich "

So old women deserve respect but this guy doesn't deserve any consideration or respect because he is "fat"?

Isn't Parkour just jogging for people desperate to appear cool?

actually parkours for people who have no respect for public property.

I am angered at the fact I keep being reffered to as a "Kid" in this. I'm 18 in 3 weeks time. :/ - And not only kids can be immature and have fun. Sometimes miserable old people can pull themselves way from their computers, away from Forums (complaining about people) and have a little fun once in a while.

Basically sunshine, you're not gonna get referred to as anything else but 'kid' or indeed, 'sunshine' while you're pulling stunts like that. There are plenty of ways to enjoy yourself/have a laugh without involving some random and essentially, laughing at their expense. It may seem funny to you but a lot of people would be intimidated. And, of course, there's always that chance that you do it to the wrong guy at the wrong time...now THAT, i'd find funny. :hihi:

So old women deserve respect but this guy doesn't deserve any consideration or respect because he is "fat"?

REPLY: That's not what I was saying.

Isn't Parkour just jogging for people desperate to appear cool?

REPLY: Well not really but I am happy if you think it is cool.

actually parkours for people who have no respect for public property.

REPLY: Oh on the contrary, we have a lot of respect for the areas we train in.

actually parkours for people who have no respect for public property.

REPLY: Oh on the contrary, we have a lot of respect for the areas we train in.

so jumping on seats, running up walls and over public buildings etc is being respectful.

bet you don't run along your mothers three piece suite and bounce off the tv set.

Oh on the contrary, we have a lot of respect for the areas we train in.

just not the people in them???

"just not the people in them???"

Or maybe just not the fat people in them.

what would happen if someone that parkours were "interacting" with decided that at the moment the parkours were jumping past decided to strech their arms/legs whatever and the parkour went arse over tit on the floor would their friends think this amusing?

I'm glad people are taking an interest. I will be more than happy to answer any questions people have regarding parkour.

''so jumping on seats, running up walls and over public buildings etc is being respectful.
bet you don't run along your mothers three piece suite and bounce off the tv set.''

REPLY: I dont think my Mum would appreciate it as I live in my own flat. Bouncing off the TV set might break the TV so it wouldnt be very smart. We use the city as obstacles. We try our best to use the space respectfully and try not to break anything.

Oh on the contrary, we have a lot of respect for the areas we train in.

just not the people in them???

REPLY: I have a lot of respect for people and places. My attitude affects my behaviour which in turn affects your attitude which affects your behaviour. We go round in a cycle. I'm sorry if I sounded flippent. I shouldnt be with regards to this issue.

''what would happen if someone that parkours were "interacting" with decided that at the moment the parkours were jumping past decided to strech their arms/legs whatever and the parkour went arse over tit on the floor would their friends think this amusing?''

REPLY: forst of all we do not parkour, we train for parkour. We are not parkourists, we are traceurs. Welll it depends on their level of maturity but I for one wouldnt find it funny.

you keep on saying 'we' but as you said this statement "I'm not here to baby-sit these kids" you obviously mean - you.

your either together as a group training- in which case you should have told those lads to stop it, OR your doing it on your own.

Either way it was anti social behavior whichever way you look at it.

btw- im not against parkour- i think its wonderful, but you do seem to have a little bit of attitude regarding the original poster.

''you keep on saying 'we' but as you said this statement "I'm not here to baby-sit these kids" you obviously mean - you.

your either together as a group training- in which case you should have told those lads to stop it, OR your doing it on your own.

Either way it was anti social behavior whichever way you look at it.

btw- im not against parkour- i think its wonderful, but you do seem to have a little bit of attitude regarding the original poster.''

Well when I refer to traceurs in general I say we. When I say point out that other people are being stupid I will say I don't assosiate myself with that behaviour. To be honest people meet up to train. I go along because I enjoy going. We are not a group. Jams (meeting days) are a congregation of people that meet up to interact and share knowledge about parkour. I don't assosiate myself with any stupid behaviour. I'm happy training doing what I do.

I agree. it was anti-social. I don't defend their actions. I don't have anything against the original poster. In my opinion he seemed to be quite agressive and that's what annoyed me at first. As I took a step back I realised he was just trying to vent his frustration. Maybe he felt intimidated and he would have a right to. I dont know him so I can't really judge him.

If you want to see some parkour watch this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bB0dPkz20xc

excellent stuff! personally i love parkour as a concept - i watched the two TV shows with the French guys when they were first aired, and i think it's a top way to make the most of one's envrionment and keep fit at little/no cost . unfortunately i have the gymnastic skills of a piece of hardboard!

Yeah I got your reply in an E-mail. I'll reply to it anyway.

I know that sometimes other people's behaviour can spoil things for people who arent doing anything wrong. I train on my own most of the time so it doesnt really affect me personally. I can always train. You are right however in the sense that it could affect the ambassedors opinion of us.

But really at the end of the day they werent exactly robbing corner shops were they. the guy over reacted to something thats eemed to these kids as a bit of fun. He seems to be missing the valuble sense of humour gene. the two kids didnt go up to anyone looking 'emotionally vunerable' like old women, just a fat guy eating a sandwich and two other poepl who found it very funny.

I am sorry if this behaviour shocks you. Maybe I should try to affect their vunreble young minds. In reality I dont want to try and control people. If need be I will train alone as I take the disapline very seriously. I'm off out now to train in town. Make your own desisions about this matter people. I'm done with it.


How to make friends and influence people, lesson 1.

First of all, calling someone fat isn't going to get you and your colleagues brownie points. That 'fat' person might be someone who has the contacts needed to raise questions about whether your sport is acceptable in public areas.

And how the Hell are you suddenly blessed with the gift of knowing when someone is 'emotionally vulnerable'? What if he suffered from panic attacks?

He found this intimidating - as would many people. It was in a public space - not a gym where he might expect this, or on a running track, playground, etc. He has a right to enjoy that space when he's there as a guest of the Uni. - a right at least equal to any that you chaps have.

''How to make friends and influence people, lesson 1.

First of all, calling someone fat isn't going to get you and your colleagues brownie points. That 'fat' person might be someone who has the contacts needed to raise questions about whether your sport is acceptable in public areas.

And how the Hell are you suddenly blessed with the gift of knowing when someone is 'emotionally vulnerable'? What if he suffered from panic attacks?

He found this intimidating - as would many people. It was in a public space - not a gym where he might expect this, or on a running track, playground, etc. He has a right to enjoy that space when he's there as a guest of the Uni. - a right at least equal to any that you chaps have.''

I was wrong to call him fat. Parkour is done in public areas, weather or not this is acceptable is a matter of opinion. To be honest I posted this is anger, that person could suffer from panic attacks. That is quite possible. Parkour is done on the streets. There's no two ways about it. I agree that all people should be able to enjoy the public space

I apologise for the stupidity of my 3rd reply.

Allow me to run another scenario by you.

The two guys jump over the rail. the man turns with a startled expression. the two youths make animal noises directly behind him. the man puts his hand to his heart and falls to the side.

There are a lot of people with weak hearts. This is another, if not the most important reason why this sort of behaviour is stupid and potentially dangerous.

Allow me to run another scenario by you.

The two guys jump over the rail. the man turns with a startled expression. the two youths make animal noises directly behind him. the man puts his hand to his heart and falls to the side.

There are a lot of people with weak hearts. This is another, if not the most important reason why this sort of behaviour is stupid and potentially dangerous.


well thats another reason you SHOULD have had a word with the 2 people who pulled the stunt in the OP.

I used to have a parkour. It was brown, with a snorkel hood. And fur.

Mind you, that was when I was at school. I wouldn't have been seen dead in it at when I went to Hallam.

Do I win £5?

I was wrong to call him fat. Parkour is done in public areas, weather or not this is acceptable is a matter of opinion. To be honest I posted this is anger, that person could suffer from panic attacks. That is quite possible. Parkour is done on the streets. There's no two ways about it. I agree that all people should be able to enjoy the public space

Here's another point. Why do you think the two lads acted in that way? Who do you think they were trying to impress? You may need a mirror to answer that one and maybe you're not right to say 'What they do has got nothing to do with me.'

If you want to see some parkour watch this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bB0dPkz20xc

Am I missing something here?

This seems to be a bloke doing a lot of running round, occasionally climbing up walls, and doing a few roly poly's.

This is the kind of stuff my 4 year old does.

I've seen the professional parkour chaps on TV, but this just looks like hedge hopping without a hedge.

Throw in a few somersaults and a few one handed cartwheels at least.

Seriously though, am I missing the point?

Am I missing something here?

This seems to be a bloke doing a lot of running round, occasionally climbing up walls, and doing a few roly poly's.

This is the kind of stuff my 4 year old does.

I've seen the professional parkour chaps on TV, but this just looks like hedge hopping without a hedge.

Throw in a few somersaults and a few one handed cartwheels at least.

Seriously though, am I missing the point?

It's a lot better than what my 4 year-old does but maybe he's a bit crap, I'll book some rolypoly lessons for him.

I had a look at some of the other videos too and some of them featured Danny and someone called Shane. That wouldn't be the same Shane that he disowned on page 1 would it?

Am I missing something here?

This seems to be a bloke doing a lot of running round, occasionally climbing up walls, and doing a few roly poly's.

This is the kind of stuff my 4 year old does.

I've seen the professional parkour chaps on TV, but this just looks like hedge hopping without a hedge.

Throw in a few somersaults and a few one handed cartwheels at least.

Seriously though, am I missing the point?

well, i think the stuff that's been on TV is people who are at the top of their game, but if you watch them practice, it's pretty much what is on the video, and practice makes perfect...as i said before, it's a great way for people to stay fit and healthy and make the most of their environment, and despite some of the negativity of this thread, it is in principle a good way to stay out of trouble for some people. i don't think anyone on here has claimed to be particularly good at parkour, just to do it (not that i could do a lot of the stuff on the video!), and as with all sports/hobbies/past times, i'm sure they 'll get better if they keep it up. some of the stuff on the video didn't look especially impressive, but neither did some of the stuff on TV, other parts of the video i thought looked quite good, and although not as spectacular as the TV stuff, i certainly couldn't do it.

''well thats another reason you SHOULD have had a word with the 2 people who pulled the stunt in the OP.''
REPLY: yeah maybe. I have had words with them actually.

''Here's another point. Why do you think the two lads acted in that way? Who do you think they were trying to impress? You may need a mirror to answer that one and maybe you're not right to say 'What they do has got nothing to do with me.' ''

REPLY: Well the truth of the matter is that I train in town on a Saturday. I'm usually running around doing parkour. there happens to be other people training on a Saturday. they do what they like. I do what i like. I am not their leader or ambassador.

''This seems to be a bloke doing a lot of running round, occasionally climbing up walls, and doing a few roly poly's.

This is the kind of stuff my 4 year old does.

I've seen the professional parkour chaps on TV, but this just looks like hedge hopping without a hedge.

Throw in a few somersaults and a few one handed cartwheels at least.

Seriously though, am I missing the point?''

REPLY: Yes you really are. that's me practising parkour. If your 4 year old can do that then I'm amazed. For a start somersaults and one handed cartwheels are not parkour. I know this is hard for you to understand. I was merely passing over obstacles as fluidly as I could.

''It's a lot better than what my 4 year-old does but maybe he's a bit crap, I'll book some rolypoly lessons for him.

I had a look at some of the other videos too and some of them featured Danny and someone called Shane. That wouldn't be the same Shane that he disowned on page 1 would it? ''

REPLY: I know Shane. If you read my replies carefully you will se that I refer to him as a 'kid' because that's how he was acting. I also call him immature becasue that's what he was being.

''well, i think the stuff that's been on TV is people who are at the top of their game, but if you watch them practice, it's pretty much what is on the video, and practice makes perfect...as i said before, it's a great way for people to stay fit and healthy and make the most of their environment, and despite some of the negativity of this thread, it is in principle a good way to stay out of trouble for some people. i don't think anyone on here has claimed to be particularly good at parkour, just to do it (not that i could do a lot of the stuff on the video!), and as with all sports/hobbies/past times, i'm sure they 'll get better if they keep it up. some of the stuff on the video didn't look especially impressive, but neither did some of the stuff on TV, other parts of the video i thought looked quite good, and although not as spectacular as the TV stuff, i certainly couldn't do it.''

REPLY: Wow, positivity and intelligence. I don't know what to say. thanks.

The Rolly Polly as someone put it serves a very important purpose. It's not a rolly polly, because a rolly polly is a gymnasts roll. If you did a gymnasts roll on concrete you are likely to damage your spine. We (traceurs) do something called a PK roll (yes people, you guessed it, a parkour roll) we roll over our shoulder so we dont hit our spine. We dont do it for how it looks. When you drop from a high level or you hit the ground with a lot of force you are likely to damage your joints or even break your leg. The PK roll distributes the shock of your movements away from your legs and into the rolls. This is how Traceurs are able to drop from high levels like you see on the television.

I'm in no way saying that a four year old couldnt do what I was doing. I believe the person who said that was being ''funny'' or ''ironic''

Oh I laughed. Anyway watch this video for an idea of what a five year doing real parkour looks like. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1KKpmlfK2k

There are one or two points I would like to illuminate. I am a humble traceur. I see myself as a begginer. I dont train what I think will impress, I train what feels good to me.

However some of the moves in my video are harder than they look. There's a move that we call a wall run. You simply run up a wall and grab the top. A good technique is to grab, lift yourself up straight onto your palms and then land on top of the roof with both feet. This takes a lot of upper body strength and technique and only after two years have I managed to achieve this. Someone much younger than myself, let's say a five year old couldnt really achieve this as their strength to bodyweight ratio is different to that of an older, more developed person. I'm straying away from the point.

There are moves like the one where you jump through your arms. Both your palms are on the obstacle and you jump through the gap inbetween your arms with your knees to your chest. This is a lot harder than it looks. It took me a while to learn that technique. there are some people that progress faster than other people. Some people get it straight away but distancing is advanced.

I just watched it back and the rest of the stuff I did is pretty basic stuff. As I said I tend to work on what feels natural. Look here
http://youtube.com/sheffieldparkour and you can see all of the sheffield parkour videos. I'll be interested to know what you think.

i think it's great personally - love the 'new video' - do you get many females doing parkour? i've been involved in martial arts on and off for several years and there are very few females involved, which is a shame.

I've been a martial artist since 2002 I'm happy to say. There isn't a single femail in my class. I know one femail traceuse in Sheffield. it's a shame really as both men and women can do parkour.

Watch Flame in action! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4MQ8tH9OMA

actually parkours for people who have no respect for public property.

I've been waiting for ages for this to crop up somewhere, just wait till the anti graff brigade get their way then whos next on the shooting list?
and surely if its public property then it's theirs to do with what they will?

I've been waiting for ages for this to crop up somewhere, just wait till the anti graff brigade get their way then whos next on the shooting list?
and surely if its public property then it's theirs to do with what they will?

As long as they don't interfere with other people who're also making use of public property. And they're operating within the bylaws imposed by the local council or other body who manage that property. And as long as they adhere to the Laws of the Land.

Unfortunately there seems to be a minority of folks who think that they can do what the Hell they please and the rest of us just have to live with it.

I dont think you can attribute a break roll to parkour, It seems to me that parkour is taking elements from a lot of stuff (mainly gymnastic/matial arts etc) and using them 'off topic' but it is essentially playground climbing frame antics performed by 'grown ups' out of the playground. Don't get me wrong I'm all for it, coming from an old flat/street bmx rider, but hey you'll get less hassle than I used to (even riding flat, now that is an art form!)

Unfortunately there seems to be a minority of folks who think that they can do what the Hell they please and the rest of us just have to live with it.
well you can't please everybody all of teh time can you?
hatred has a funny way of turning into acceptence when comprimise is achievd dont you think joe?
wouldn't you love to live in a sheffield that catered for everybodys (sane shall we say) tastes in an apportionate and appropiate fashion?

I dont think you can attribute a break roll to parkour, It seems to me that parkour is taking elements from a lot of stuff (mainly gymnastic/matial arts etc) and using them 'off topic' but it is essentially playground climbing frame antics performed by 'grown ups' out of the playground. Don't get me wrong I'm all for it, coming from an old flat/street bmx rider, but hey you'll get less hassle than I used to (even riding flat, now that is an art form!)

This shows how little you understand about parkour. Here is a full explanation of what parkour is.

http://parkour.net/parkour/articles/item.php?itemid=1

Excuse my own ignorance. What is 'riding flat?'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyB0NZPiKnc&mode=related&search=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5Om9ElGTH0&mode=related&search=
sheer quality, the guy in the second video is riding without brakes!

One man -- David Belle -- has devoted his life to the development of this art. Surrounded by a family comprised of sporting heroes, David practiced sports which had physical action as their base and which allowed him to move effectively (such as gymnastics, athletics, climbing and martial arts).

okay, maybe calling them antics takes a little away from the ideals/philosphies, but unless your going somewhere specific and are using some alternative methods(parkour'esqe) to arrive...
right off to watch Yamakasi,

I'm impressed, it looks great.

I'm lucky enough to have met David Belle 3 times and trained with some of the yamakasi. :hihi: