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parkour: is this workout worth it?

parkour combines cardiovascular endurance, strength training, balance and a quest for creativity that isn't seen in many other workouts — as long as you avoid falling from heights and slamming into the concrete.

by chris arnold

jul 11 2022

3 minute read

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given the nature of the sport, parkour comes with several risks that other sports and forms of exercise are usually free from. getty

parkour is an athletic discipline involving a person getting from one point to another in the most efficient way possible, without the use of equipment. in this workout, people run, jump, crawl, roll, vault and use pretty much every other form of movement one can imagine in order to get to their finishing area as quickly as possible.

the sport gained popularity after several viral videos were posted online and was featured in the 2006 james bond movie casino royale . it was later satirized in an episode of the office .

when parkour started as a workout

parkour took off in france in the 1980s, according to britannica . it was there that people started filming the sport and, later, posting the videos online where it gained worldwide notoriety. since then, parkour gyms and global competitions have been established, creating a strong community of athletes.

canada’s largest parkour gym is in vancouver , with more than 10,000 square feet of space for people to run, jump, and climb.

benefits of parkour

parkour is one of the most intensive workouts one can do, as it implements a full body workout with cardio, strength training, balance practice and just enough fear of jumping off of high things to make the heart go a little faster.

the sport can also improve bone strength, as weight-bearing exercises force your body to work against gravity and reduces the loss of bone mass that typically starts in our thirties

parkour also encourages creativity and can instil a sense of play in adults bored with a structured, routine workout. since it is traditionally not done indoors, people have to find their own ways to work out. although specialized gyms are available for people looking for a safer environment.

climbing to and jumping from heights comes with risks

given the nature of the sport, parkour comes with several risks that other sports and forms of exercise are usually free from.

the first is trespassing. depending on the location, doing parkour in certain spots could land one in hot water with authorities.

another risk is significant injury. since there is so much jumping, there is a real chance of falling too far. according to national geographic , several people have died performing parkour moves since the sport became popular.

a study published in the national library of medicine found that people performing parkour sustained an average of 1.9 injuries per year, or 5.5 injuries per 1000 hours of training. the upper body received the most injuries, followed by the legs, and the head and back. the most common injury is simple cuts and scrapes, but soft tissue and tendon injuries occurred in 5.4 per cent of those observed.

is parkour right for me

parkour is a good option for anyone who is already relatively fit looking to shake things up. it takes a lot of upper body strength to swing from bars and push over barriers with enough propulsion to make it all the way across. the risk of injury, relative amount of strength and balance required, and amount of cardiovascular endurance needed to perform lends itself towards people who have a bit of experience already in working out.

starting at a local parkour gym provides a safe way to enter the world of the sport without the risk of slamming into concrete or glass.

chris arnold is a toronto-based writer.

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parkour: is this workout worth it?