parkour?

I've learned over the years that I'm a pretty physical person. Ehh, ok, so the past few years I've been pregnant or recovering from being pregnant. But in general, I'm happiest when I'm running or dancing or hiking. A lot.

I used to take dance six times a week with a notorious and fantastic drill-sergeant-y teacher, Reginald Ray Savage. This was years ago, but my body still remembers how good it was. More importantly, my mind still remembers the confidence engaging in that sort of movement. I still retain this comfortable confidence in my body's abilities because I survived those classes. And even enjoyed them. :)

So then I left the area to go to law school, and came back, got married, had kids, la la la. I went to dance in DC (where I went to law school) but it was not the same. I practiced yoga and I still enjoy that, but there's a different kind of physicality to that. I even tried surfing and also was an editor at Surf Life for Women (RIP). And being pregnant kind of thwarted my efforts (although it didn't have to-- there are tons of perfectly healthy pregnant women who take class).

Now I live not quite close enough to my old studio and am not quite in that era of life where I can go to class six times a week, two to four hours at a time. But in the back of my head, I was remembering that my brother in law Sam had said that the chase scene in "Casino Royale" had a name, that it was a form of martial art or a sport.

Why did this random piece of info stick in my head and float up now? Who knows. Anyhoo, a bit of googling revealed that the chase scene features parkour, which is about getting from point A to point B as efficiently as possible. It may also be known as free running, which has come to mean something a little more aesthetic, focusing less on the efficiency and more on the freedom aspect.

It also keeps a focused, committed, calm mindset front and center, which is essential for any physical practice I undertake. In fact, I associate this mindset with what I developed in Savage's jazz class and what I did in labor and delivery.

So that's why I'm interested in this sport that looks like it's just for 15 year old skater boys. It's simple, very physical and can be beautiful (see that Casino Royale scene again). Anyone else doing this? Interested?