Parkour-Find your way

Luka and Romain co-founded the Snow Fox Parkour Club in August 2009. Luka says fox running in the snowfield embodies the spirit of persistence, which he thinks is the spirit of Parkour.

Parkour, meaning the art of moving, is to run along a route in the fastest and most efficient way possible regardless of the obstacles encountered.

The practitioners of Parkour, usually called traceurs, have to adapt their movements to the environment to overcome the obstacles. Gyms, parks, playgrounds, any place in the city could be the traceurs’ training place, as long as there are encumbrances.

Luka: We have only one temporary indoor training place so far. It’s not easy to get warmed up completely in winter, so we spend most of the time training indoors now. If the weather’s fine, we would go outdoors to practise. There are many more outdoor training venues. Any place could be our training place as long as there are obstacles.

Luka, born in 1978, started to practise martial arts at an early age. His hometown, Tai’an in Shandong province, is known as the Town of Martial Arts in China. He was enlisted in the Special Armed Polite Force for three years in Xinjiang. After he left the army with honor, Luka became a stunt actor and director.

Luka: I had no idea what Parkour was about until I learned it from a friend. I searched Parkour online and found a few video clips. I was really excited after watching the clips. I am kind of…h(huán)ow to say…restless. I love sports, in a word. After I learned about Parkour, I decided to take up Parkour as my career.

Luka and Romain became acquainted in 2008. Sharing the same enthusiasm for Parkour, they became friends, and now business partners.

Luka: Romain is my business partner. He comes from France. Actually, he is Swiss-French.

Romain: I came to China to learn Chinese and to learn more about Chinese culture. (What keeps you here then? A friend like Luka who shares the same fondness for Parkour with you?) That’s right, actually.

The income of the club is yet to cover its expense so far. Luka says now it is the most difficult time of running a business. However, the traceur is optimistic about the company’s future. Giving up is the last thing he would do.

Luka: Both Romain and I think that Parkour should not be defined only as an extreme sport. Parkour, we think, could be generalized and practised by even more people. It helps to exercise your body, as well as your mind. I think practising Parkour is training for people’s minds.

Romain: Along with the practicing, I found that, whenever I encounter difficulties or obstacles, I will not avoid them any more, but face and overcome them. I think that’s my biggest achievement through practising Parkour.

Luka: It’s a spirit of never giving up.

The team finally arrived at the outdoor training venue. While waiting for the team, Luka talked about his experience in the army.

Romain also knows a bit of Chinese Kung Fu.

“Well, Bruce Lee, BRING IT ON!”

Video & Story: Huang Lan

Photo: Wu Chuanjing

Special thanks to the Snow Fox Parkour Club

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