Parkour, also known by the name freerunning, is an exciting sport that involves running and jumping, climbing and jumping, and vaulting over obstacles using your body’s natural movements. In the late 1990s, a group of young men from Paris, France developed this sport and made it popular. Parkour’s father, David Belle, is widely believed to be the founder.

David Belle: The Father Of Parkour

David Belle was born in Fecamp in Normandy, France in 1973. He is the son Raymond Belle, a former French soldier and Ginette Fourel. David grew up in Paris suburbs, where his father was a military officer and his passion for martial arts.

David Belle and his friends started training in a style they called “l’art du deplacement” (the arts of movement) in the late 1980s. This style of movement later became known as parkour. It was influenced by many disciplines including martial arts and military obstacle courses.

David Belle and his friends improved their parkour skills and developed new moves over the years. They began performing stunts and demonstrations to the public, which helped popularize parkour and make it mainstream.

Parkour goes global

Parkour gained popularity all over the world thanks to the internet and growing popularity of extreme sports. Parkour is now a popular sport in almost every country. It has even been featured in movies and video games.

David Belle, despite parkour’s increasing popularity, remains a humble and dedicated practitioner. He said that people talk about him as the founder of parkour, but that he is not. It was my contribution to its popularity, but the idea has been around for centuries. It’s just that nobody gave it a name.

The Evolution of Parkour

Parkour has evolved and changed over the years. There are many styles and approaches to parkour today, from the traditional French style to more acrobatic or gymnastics-based styles that are popularized in the United States.

Sebastien Foucan is a former member David Belle’s original group parkour practitioners and one of the most important pioneers in the development of parkour. Foucan was instrumental in developing a fluid and artistic style for parkour that he called “freerunning.”

The Legacy of David Belle

David Belle is still a respected figure in parkour, despite the growth of freerunning and the evolution to parkour. Parkour practitioners around the globe continue to be inspired by his dedication to the principles of the sport, which uses natural movements to overcome obstacles and achieve greater freedom.

David Belle has been focusing on sharing his experience and knowledge with younger generations through seminars and workshops in recent years. Parkour Generations was also established by him. It aims to promote responsible and safe parkour training and education.

The Future of Parkour

Parkour is a constantly evolving sport that challenges the mind and body in new ways. Parkour is a world that offers endless possibilities for exploration, creativity and self-expression, no matter how experienced you are.

So who is the parkour founder? Although David Belle is often credited for popularizing parkour, he would also be the first to acknowledge the many pioneers or practitioners who came before him. Parkour is a sport that is deeply rooted in the past but is constantly evolving to meet the needs of the future.

There are many resources online and in person that can help you learn more about parkour and how it can be practiced. You can become a confident and skilled parkour athlete with practice and dedication. This will allow you to experience the joy and freedom of movement that this exciting sport offers.