Parkour is all about the fun of movement

Scaling walls, jumping from unimaginable heights ... that’s parkour.

You’ve seen several action movies where the hero is running around, scaling walls, jumping from unimaginable heights, focused only on propelling his body forward and vaulting over any obstacle that comes his way. That’s Parkour. The activity of moving forward as efficiently and rapidly using only your bodies and their surroundings to propel yourselves with sustained momentum in an urban environment.

If you happen to be at Marina Mall over the next couple of weekends, till September 5, you can see a core team of four ‘traceurs’ – people who practice Parkour – swing and jump and show you how it’s done. ‘Against Graviti’ is what’s printed on the props at the Parkour display area. And around this area on weekends you’ll find 25-year-old Mohammed Hesham Kamel, an Egyptian based in Dubai with bright orange sneakers, the UAE representative of the World Federation of Street Workout and Calisthenics.

Activities at Marina Mall > ParkourPerformance — Friday and Saturday, 6pm to 7:30pm > ParkourWorkshops — Sunday to Wednesday, 6pm to 7:30pm > ToddlerPlayZone for Colouring — Daily, 6pm to 8pm > Toddler PlayZone for Arts & Crafts — Daily, 6pm to 8pm > Stilt Walkers— Thursday, 7:30pm to 9pm > HedgeMenRoaming Act — Saturday, 7:30pm to 9pm > Aerial Act— Friday, 8pm to 9pm

Hesham started training eight years ago. It stemmed from a need to resist the diktat of a society that according to Hesham “kills the spirit of movement”, especially in adults. He used to miss the freedom allowed in childhood, of running around and jumping, and he felt the need to channelise his energy and creativity. “It’s all about the fun of movement. It’s not about a sport,” he says. “Sport limits your skill. Like if you’re a boxer, you’re only boxing. Parkour is about movement, not sport. And anyone can do it.”

Hesham, who last month represented UAE at the world championship of street workout in Moscow, used to be an accountant till two weeks ago. He couldn’t do that anymore and is thrilled to be doing Parkour and fitness training full time. When asked if there’s any money in making it a full time occupation, he says, there’s lots of money in it. People pay to learn, and attend classes. “There’s money in anything if you’re passionate about it and you work hard,” he said.

At the mall, there are daily workshops that anyone can attend. There’s no need to register, and it’s free. But they do have a limit of 20 children – so it’s first come, first serve.

There is a core team of four comprising Hesham, Sachin, Ahmed and Jamal, a group of what looks to a bystander as gymnasts swinging from heights. As soon as the group swings into action it attracts a big crowd of curious onlookers who want to take photographs and record videos. When the music starts and Hesham and friends start their warm up, everyone including the sedentary occupants of coffee shops, salespeople of stores, shoppers weaving in and out of shoe shops stop to look. After the routine when the music stops and the traceurs take a break, a small crowd gathers around them complementing them and enquiring about the show and if they could be part of it.

nivriti@khaleejtimes.com