The Five Foot Wall

Had the chance to practice by myself after a long time ... Usually it is with my team in Chennai Parkour... But today people were out on photo shoots and I was practicing by myself ... Was doing monkey vaults over a three feet wall... Dont know why I did it but just kept going at it again and again ..

A few people watching me tried to emulate what I was doing and as always fell flat on their asses. But looking at the wall I never realised what it meant ... Have never looked at the obstacle for what it is ... for what it represents.. to me...

It was an interesting aspect to note that something that I considered trivial is looked upon as a extremely difficult task by others ... People underestimate the wall and pay the price ... Parkour demands respect in the form of discipline..It is just a wall to a layman ..

But to a traceur it represents infinite opportunities to move. ... People build walls to keep others out . when people generally look at a wall they see a restriction of movement... But to me it represents a path... where people see a wall ... I see a vault .. The next move .. the different combinations that I can use to go over it ... The wall represents freedom .. Not from others or from rules ... but from myself ... From the everyday mundane actions that I am forced to do..The pointless thoughts that I am forced to think.. To eek out a living to satisfy needless needs.. But

When I see what no one else sees.

When I can move where people stop

When I can fly where people fear

When I feel what no one has felt ..

I truly live ...

Parkour for life ...

The Gods of Parkour

In recent times I have been thinking about the reasons behind why I practice parkour. Looking at people around me, everyone is moving at a much faster rate. Are capable of doing things that I have never thought of or could possibly attempt. Injuries and time have taken their toll on my body. But there is something in me that asks me to do a vault again.

When my knee hurts or my shoulders pain, there is a small voice that tells me - just one jump. You can stop if it hurts. I am yet to put a face to that voice.

Of all the things that I have feared and all the things that have pushed me down, an element of respect has been created for only a very few things around me. These are elements that are the same for everyone. There is no stopping these elements. They keep moving engulfing everything in its path. But a traceur - ah the true traceur can move with these elements and become stronger and better.

The elements that I talk about are Space, Gravity, Earth and Time. They form the essence of parkour. Contemplating at the repetition of moves and the various workouts and exercises that I do, one simple thought stands out. It is the space that gives freedom, gravity that generates strength, Earth that forms the foundation and time is the teacher. I am in deep awe of these unstoppable forces of nature and how they influence my every move.

My only longing is for everyone to realize this awesome power that aids us at every moment. As we fly through the air from one obstacle to another, may there be harmony between the traceur and these elements to create a being - A being that in an infinitesimal way improves with every jump. A traceur who takes off is not the one who lands.

To be aware of this change - physical and mental - that to me is the true essence of parkour.

Parkour for life.