Topic: What are you going to do if Parkour turns into a entirely competitive sport?

[Shae Perkins]

Parkour becoming mainstream is inevitable, and most arguments given as to why it shouldn't happen are illogical, very biased, and quite naive.

It seems to me that since Parkour is so new, we as a culture are trying to distinguish ourselves and stand for something. Many of us want to keep this a pretty little sport with a lot of deep philosophy, and many of us would think competition/publicity would be harmful to that. Haha and I don't think we have any rational reasons why.

Look at other sports/disciplines that started of as a very passionate, deep practice: martial arts, skating, surfing, rock climbing, etc. Has competition ruined them? Nope, if anything the publicity has nourished the sport.

I would really like to see anyone present a legit argument against this thought.

[Nick :D]

i no wed get alot of haters from other people that do sports like skaters and such

then we will ignore them.
screw the haters.
just keep running in the same direction ^_^.

[Alex frogger Brown]

Its not possible, plain and simple as that. competition is against the philosophy, and without the philosophy its not Parkour. You see the philosophy is what separates Parkour from just movement.

[DaveS]

Shae, I recently presented 15 arguments against competition in the anti-competition thread. Personally I think there are obvious problems with other activities, but if you have any questions on this subject I think the dedicated thread is probably the best place for them.

http://www.americanparkour.com/smf/index.php/topic,4141.0.html

[Muse_of_Fire]

:: looks up from her climb-up drills ::

Huh?

:: looks around ::

:: goes back to training ::

[jp2ykz]

Shae, I recently presented 15 arguments against competition in the anti-competition thread. Personally I think there are obvious problems with other activities, but if you have any questions on this subject I think the dedicated thread is probably the best place for them.

http://www.americanparkour.com/smf/index.php/topic,4141.0.html

Partial quote by Shae

Haha and I don't think we have any rational reasons why.

Lol. If you do waste your time reading that novel length thread you will find that your exact reasoning holds up. "rational reasons" are painfully lacking.

In Dave's defense he has some posts that are beginning to have some more reason. In a different thread. Ironically one that is very off topic. haha

Shae, I also think that your post here is fine and relates well to the topic. for what it's worth.

   

[MIG~de~PK]

I would be very, very sad.   I would probably practice in secret, so someone wouldn't walk up to me and ask, "Which team do you belong to?"  When Parkour gains more publicity, something like this will definitely happen.  We'll need to remain vigilant so this will never happen.  We'll have to constantly fend off those who want to commercialize it.  I'm not against commercialism, but there are LIMITS, man.  LIMITS!

[jp2ykz]

I won't listen to the commercials.

Then I will train but only in fear of being associated with the evil that has become the sport I once loved.

At some point after that I will probably realize that I don't want to do it any more because at that point I'll be like every one else.

I will then find something that no one else is doing and that isn't a competition and isn't commercialized. That way I can be cooler than all of the not cool people that think they are cool by being a part of the trendy once cool sport known as Parkour. I hate popular things and people. I want to be unique.
 

Well....

I don't know...

How cool would the commercials be??

[David Jones]

Lmao. I'm enjoying your stay at APK, jp

[jp2ykz]

Don't know if you caught it but I was being completely sarcastic. lol

[Millercb96]

:: looks up from her climb-up drills ::

Huh?

:: looks around ::

:: goes back to training ::

haha I hope that was a joke.

[Andy Keller]

haha I hope that was a joke.

Why should that be a joke?

I'll probably do the same thing.

[TedD]

So long as there are people like the ones here who know what it's all about and will voice their views of it, then it will never be an entirely competitive sport.  And if it ever does we'll all be in retirement homes too busy bitching about our back problems anyway lol.

[Muse_of_Fire]

So long as there are people like the ones here who know what it's all about and will voice their views of it, then it will never be an entirely competitive sport.  And if it ever does we'll all be in retirement homes too busy bitching about our back problems anyway lol.

Nicely put, Ted. Although I train so as not to be in a retirement home with back problems.

[Michael H. HIPK]

I'm kinda of afraid of if it turning competitive with a bad image like skating. When I think of it that's the only way Parkour would be ruined.

But think, all these videos that give us inspiration, what will happen to them. I went to a local burger joint recently and they had one of the skating videos on. I started thinking, in twenty... Maybe even ten years those might be our parkour videos...

[Alex Melusky]

Well, I guess I'll just take off my trainers and hang 'em up for good...


If others make parkour a sport, I can say, "I have been a traceur before this was a sport, so this is irrelevant to me."

[Millercb96]

Why should that be a joke?

I'll probably do the same thing.

Because that post was unnecessary no harm intended.

[Andy Keller]

Because that post was unnecessary no harm intended.

She meant that if parkour turns entirely competitive, she wouldn't change her training. She just expressed it creatively.

[20draws10]

I would ignore what the world turns it into and keep doing what I am doing now. Its about the flow of movement, not who can do it faster. The minute you turn it into a competition its no longer parkour in my mind.

[David Jones]

Don't know if you caught it but I was being completely sarcastic. lol

Yes, I caught it. Haha