Bruising Training Regardless
My first experience with parkour was when watching The Bourne Supremacy. The acrobatic moves and gigantic leaps mesmerized me. Since then, several movies have featured this "non-sport". From what my cube-mates tell me, Casino Royale features some of the best free running around.
Parkour, having orginated in France, tends toward the philisophical; le parkour is a means to develop both body and mind to overcome obstacles.
Free running got its foothold in the USA in urban settings, as a way to move from place to place, quickly and efficiently, going over obstacles rather than around them. To me, it models Xtreme sports athletes who tend to have a non-conformist sensibility.
Whether you're French or English, overcoming obstacles, mental or physical, is an accomplishment that can only serve you well, since Life tends to smack us upside the head. Even if you don't have your feet on the ground, at least you'll have your eyes wide open.
Resources:
Guide to Parkour - Free ebook on Wikipedia
Prevent Bruising During Training - All natural, bruise preventive
Parkour Pics - Global images from Official Worldwide Parkour - FreeRun Network
