It is the latest passion of Akshay Kumar, Shahid Kapur did it in Mausam and Aamir Khan will be seen performing it in Dhoom 3. Karate, kung fu can take a walk. Say hello to parkour. Parkour is based on the ancient French physical discipline of fast movement from one place to another. And this art form is now a craze among youngsters.
It’s an outdoor sport that mostly involves activities like jumping down from great heights, flying from one building to another and scaling walls. People who have mastered it are busy passing on their skills to other enthusiasts.
Gujan Sharma, 29, a parkour instructor, is one such person. Owner of Fitness Xperts Group in Delhi, he holds classes on weekends at Lodhi Garden, Anand Vihar and Gurgaon. “The physical discipline, which was formally established less than two decades ago, is spreading like wild fire across metros like Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai. There are online video tutorials for young enthusiasts who don’t have the guidance of professional trainers,” he adds.
Delhi-based youth group, Team Mutants, provides professional parkour training in West Delhi. Pankaj Rai, 24, co-founder of Team Mutants, conducted his first Parkour class at a park in Vikas Puri a few years back with only a few interested candidates. He now trains around 80 people. It was the documentary film, Jump London, which attracted Rai and his friends to learn more about Parkour. It’s not a risk-free sport, but enthusiasts are unfazed. “Accidents are part of the game. I recently had a palm injury while practicing a 180 degree spin,” says Rai. Team Mutants holds classes at Dwarka, West Delhi and Tughlaqabad Fort.
Amit Gupta, 25, always loved exercising in a natural environment. Gupta found Parkour the best option. “I don’t like working out in an AC gym. Parkour makes you flexible and you can enjoy enjoy practicing it in open space,” says Gupta. Parkour has also helped him combat his fear of heights. “I can now jump from a seven-feet-tall wall as Parkour teaches you to keep your body in balance without injuring yourself,” he says.
Bollywood flicks such as Singham, Bodyguard, Krrish and Singh is Kinng is making this adventure sport a rage among youngsters. Agrees Sharma, who says that he often travels to Mumbai to train the physical instructors of Bollywood actors. “People are more interested in Parkour because it’s not just a simple workout but a lifestyle that allows you to stay focused. One can never get bored,” says Sharma.
Team Mutants conducts “jam sessions” on weekends and holidays where members join the group for some gruelling hours of jumping and wall running exercise. “Our social networking sites are jammed with request to have more such sessions. It is great fun,” concludes Amlen Singha, 26, co-founder of Team Mutants.