American Parkour - Parkour and Freerunning - A Message From Sebastien Foucan

Home

A Message From Sebastien Foucan

Sunday, 11 June 2006

Sebastien Foucan doesn't post on the internet. I posted a comment of his a while ago on what Freerunning was, and it was commented on by many people. Some of those comments have gotten back to him, and he wanted to clarify. Please read more for Seb's definition of Freerunning.

At the beginning the name free running was an idea of a person called Guillaume Pelletier who worked with us at the time of Jump London. Because some people think what I'm doing is not Parkour now I call it "freerunning." Because there is a misunderstanding and people put a definition on what I'm doing! I create freerunning and I'll put my official definition.

What is Freerunning?

Everything I'll say it's no more Parkour, it's freerunning!

Freerunning it's a lifestyle and an attitude.

Freerunning is to see your environment differently and being able to
utilize it to develop yourself!

My Parkour lifestyle is Freerunning.

My way has no name.

Freerunning is the name people have given to my way!

"Freerunning is following your own way, and this is my way."

-Sebastien Foucan

Users' Comments

Display 9 of 9 comments

1. 06-11-2006 19:14

So Freerunning is whatever you make of it.

GoFun

2. 06-12-2006 06:04

that is one very shallow very narrow interpretation of what Seb has just said. If you plan on training to ever have an understanding of what he is really saying I suggest you look a little deeper.

m2.

3. 06-13-2006 11:34

B"H

So is Seb saying that what he does and what David does are two diff. things? Seb created "Freerunning"?

Interesting....they say "the best way to make alot of $$$ is to start your own religion" - sticking with David wasn't good enough? "Parkour" being billed as "created by DB" was too much, so he had to start his own thing?

Too bad...although there doesn't seem to be any animosity between them - it looks as if they could've accomplished more together than separately....

amde

4. 06-13-2006 12:07

one way to interpret this, I'm curious as to what makes you so sure of what happened and Seb's motivations?? Try looking at it from the exact opposite view from yours, it is still possible?

m2.

5. 06-13-2006 16:22

Quote

My Parkour lifestyle is Freerunning.

My way has no name.

Even though this reads like a Buddhist Koan, it's probably the most intelligent part of all. None of this has a name, as naming only limits. Limit Seb all you want, but his way still stands, he still follows it the best he can, as we all should. Who can judge? Are we all so perfect that we can look down on another's decisions with some smug asssuredness that we would have turned out better?

I'm sorry, but there are real-world problems which are insignificant enough already, then there are internet arguments which take the non-permanence of even a REAL problem and magnify it immensely. Just go train. Don't worry about the name, or the politics, or the opinions, but rather your own personal improvement from minute to minute, day to day, week to week and over the course of your entire lifetime. If you really have time to worry about what other people might be motivated by, you aren't working hard enough for yourself.

gearsighted

6. 06-13-2006 18:04

I wish I could think like you

Well said.

I'll add that if people looked at the similarities in life rather than the differences the world would be a much better place. Granted the differences should be embraced and celebrated, but unless you can understand the similarities then there is no standpoint to respect the differences.

m2.

7. 06-14-2006 08:49

and that, gentleman, is what i so strongly dislike about the world today. Every one is so image conscience and afraid of their own damn shadow, that they spend most of their lives, if not all of them, trying to become what the world sees as perfect. If everyone cared and nobody cried, if everyone loved and nobody lied, if everyone shared, and swallowed their pride, we'd see the day where nobody died--Nickleback And as the great Jimmy Hendrix once said, "If the power of love exceeded the love of power, this world would see peace."

zealous_parkour

8. 06-14-2006 08:54

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other word would smell as sweet."

--From Romeo and Juliet (II, ii, 1-2)

People are always argueing about the name of parkour or freerunning. My opinion is that everybody just goes outside and does what they interpret as parkour, freerunning or whatever. We all know the argument will never be settled, though everybody has a general idea of what it is.

Bubblemaker

9. 06-14-2006 08:59

well, i had always read that Parkour does not involve flips, and freerunning does. So if people do flips in their routines, the practice freerunning, if not then it's parkour. Sry for the second comment, and sry if the first one added nothing to this discussion. i felt it did, but if not, sry.

zealous_parkour

Display 9 of 9 comments

Only registered users can comment an article. Please login or register.

Add your comment

< Prev		Next >

[ Back ]