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Flat ground marathon running is for big companies that can just throw resources at a problem. For a small company to get ahead, it needs to take some creative s

Flat ground marathon running is for big companies that can just throw resources at a problem. For a small company to get ahead, it needs to take some creative shortcuts. Sure, a lot of parkour is "frivolous" and "flashy", but so are most startups. For the serious traceurs and entrepreneurs though, finding a shorter path can be the difference between being a success and an also ran. In short, do what it takes to get to where you need to be, obstacles be damned.

Cushman 15y ago
As I mention below, parkour is not actually "flashy". From Wiki: However, the term free running has come to represent a separate concept, distinctly different from parkour — a distinction which is often missed due to the aesthetic similarities. Parkour as a discipline emphasizes efficiency, whilst free running embodies complete freedom of movement — and includes many acrobatic maneuvers. Although the two are often physically similar, the mindsets of each are vastly different. It's not just semantics; "real" parkour and free running are very different approaches to interfacing with the urban environment. This article clearly refers to literal parkour, not free running— a little confusing since the embedded video has a lot of flashy stuff going on that "real" traceurs wouldn't put up with. If you want a better example of "real" parkour, think of the opening scene of Casino Royale. That guy (Sebastien Foucan, one of the "founders" of Le Parkour) was running away from a professional killer, he didn't have any time to stop and do a handstand. And yet the entire time that Bond is crashing through walls trying to keep up, Foucan is moving with speed, grace and elegance.
- true_religion 15y ago
  Parkour is not intentionally flashy for the mere sake of being flashy. However if the fastest way to go from point A to point B is to leap over an obstacle, a lot of people are going to be impressed with the leap regardless of why it was made.
zacharycohn 15y ago
Please see my response to shpoonj.

Cushman 15y ago

As I mention below, parkour is not actually "flashy". From Wiki: However, the term free running has come to represent a separate concept, distinctly different from parkour — a distinction which is often missed due to the aesthetic similarities. Parkour as a discipline emphasizes efficiency, whilst free running embodies complete freedom of movement — and includes many acrobatic maneuvers. Although the two are often physically similar, the mindsets of each are vastly different. It's not just semantics; "real" parkour and free running are very different approaches to interfacing with the urban environment. This article clearly refers to literal parkour, not free running— a little confusing since the embedded video has a lot of flashy stuff going on that "real" traceurs wouldn't put up with. If you want a better example of "real" parkour, think of the opening scene of Casino Royale. That guy (Sebastien Foucan, one of the "founders" of Le Parkour) was running away from a professional killer, he didn't have any time to stop and do a handstand. And yet the entire time that Bond is crashing through walls trying to keep up, Foucan is moving with speed, grace and elegance.

true_religion 15y ago
Parkour is not intentionally flashy for the mere sake of being flashy. However if the fastest way to go from point A to point B is to leap over an obstacle, a lot of people are going to be impressed with the leap regardless of why it was made.

zacharycohn 15y ago

Please see my response to shpoonj.