I know that Parkour is an ever-changing word, with new people constantly coming up with new definitions for it. PAWA is trying to become the authority on the word, and we are constantly telling the less experienced guys what the difference is between parkour and freerunning. A definition i have heard which has been accepted by most is that Parkour is moving from A to B, quickly, efficiently (And silently, in my opinion). I have also heard that parkour is not defined by the movement, but by the intention. This means that a gymnast can do a kong, but not be doing parkour. This also means that a traceur can be simply running, but can still be doing parkour.
My question is whether or not you always have to go from A to B. I understand that if you move in the mindset that you are chasing or being chased, you are quicker and more fluid, but sometimes for me there is no real destination. For instance, i can go on a long run and end up right where i began. Also, i could spend 3 or 4 minutes doing rail work in a certain area, not really going anywhere, but nonetheless being quick, efficient, and silent. Is this parkour too?

Haha what happens when my understanding of parkour begins to surpass my skill level? I better stop reading and go play lol. Thanks for clearing that up kipUp, i understand now.

Yeah, the only thing I would have to add is that PAWA IS the authority on the word, it was made by David Belle's friend, and therefore PAWA really does have the right to put the definition on it. Personally I feel there are other more in depth and more "accessible" descriptions, but the PAWA definition is THE Definition.

To add to Button's point, even if you WERE being chased, you might not have a set destination in mind aside from "Away", which could be in a circle. In a sense, Parkour itself is practice for the real situation, so practicing Parkour is practicing to practice

a to b doesnt have to be a straight line. in fact, it is extremely rare that it would be. also, if you are escaping, you dont know where B is until you get there. if the thing that is chasing you is faster, you may try to avoid it by going places it cannot and taking difficult routes that it cannot. parkour can be described as A to B, but A to B cannot be described as only a straight line.

So basically it's like a cycle, you practice to get better and better at practicing. I love these things, make this into a famous M2 quote or something lol.


 That makes sense but in this case you would be getting nowhere because you are where you started so you could say you go from A to B but B is what you want, not a place, this is all a mindset and basically ideas of what to come rather than knowing what is to come and it actually being there.
So listen to what M2 said practice to practice, only for what you think your practicing for. In this case I think there could be no definition to Parkour because it isn't something exactlytly, a person, place, thing, or idea, even though it comes close to an idea it still is what you want to do when you do it, it's not already there to do. 

B is my refrigerator

Parkour is about getting from A (where you are currently) to B (Skipper's Refrigerator).

For those of us in New Jersey, it's not Parkour unless it's southward.

Honestly, I think the "A to B" explanation is just a tool to help people understand the Parkour way of thinking, that people have mis-interpreted as a definitive... definition. It followed the same course as the "chase-escape" example, the intention is to display the mindset, rather than than the actual path.

That is funny (skips refrigerator lol) but hopefully you know what I meant I'm too stupid to think of how to explain it.