Guys and girls flipping down stairs, vaulting over obstacles and jumping from towering heights have become commonplace in movies and most recently, in real life. They’re not ninjas. They’re not Bruce Lee or Jackie Chan.

They’re not part of a video game. They are the dedicated and driven individuals who practice the sports of parkour and free running. The two have permeated into the US in the last few years and have become a nationwide phenomenon.

The sport of parkour originated in France as l'art du déplacement or “the art of movement.” Parkour, in essence, is a sport in which participants, known as traceurs or traceusses, run through one’s environment or urban area, attempting to traverse obstacles and buildings in the most efficient way possible. The object is to get from a Point A to a Point B as quickly as possible using only one’s body and the environment. There are many parkour specific moves such as a cat or double kong vault, but more simplistic moves such as jumping and climbing are also used. While parkour does not include flipping, adding finesse and creativity to each move is encouraged.

Free running is similar to parkour. Although it also takes place in urban environments and draws from the same elements, it is strongly based on flips, acrobatics and tricking. While parkour focuses on following a set path, free running is based on creating your own path.

Parkour and free running have recently spread to Sioux Falls. Often found downtown or at various parks practicing, a small group of local traceurs and runners are hoping to expand the sport’s following in Sioux Falls.

“It was sort of an impulse decision to take up the sport. We watched some videos of some free runners like ‘Livewire’ [Tim Sheiff], and thought it looked pretty tight. Most of us were bboys and the two sports seemed pretty similar,” sophomore Seth Pearson said.

Already a popular sport in the UK, organizations like American Parkour are trying to create a larger scene in the US. The organization aims to connect tracuers and runners on a global scale. However, even while they believe the international scene is important, APK recognizes that most parkour training is coordinated locally. Because of this, the organization dedicates much of its efforts towards local communities.

Having taken these values to heart, the Sioux Falls area traceurs continue to practice weekly with hopes to improve their skills and progress mentally and physically.

The road to improvement is not an easy one however as parkour and free running are physically demanding and can be quite dangerous.

“Getting hurt always stays in the back of your mind,” senior Johnny Nguyen said. “It’s so easy to get hurt. While it’s always cool to stick a new move or land a difficult vault, you have got to be careful because this sport can be very unforgiving.”

Despite the inherent danger in each, the two sports are excellent forms of exercise. While the more advanced techniques should be limited to those who are well-experienced, parkour and free running are sports that can be enjoyed by all. Even though there have not been any organized workshops or lessons conducted in Sioux Falls, they have become very popular worldwide and are definite possibilities for Sioux Falls.

“The sport has been attracting more and more supporters every day and it’s great to see such a large following for this sport. I really hope that the sport can continue to grow both locally and worldwide,” senior Garret Walter said.

For these active traceurs and runner, doing the moves is only half the battle, the other half is driving oneself to maintain the values of balance, equality, stability, control and simplicity. As Bruce Lee once said, “Water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.”