Parkour and Play

This past weekend I had the privilege of leading a workshop at the Women’s Parkour Jam in San Antonio. I did what I do with nearly every group class I lead- I got people playing and exploring possibilities moving through and interacting with their environment. As I witnessed this group of humans moving and creating and exploring all weekend, I thought to myself: these are adults that know how to PLAY.

It made me think of a recent report I read entitled The Power of Play: Losing and Finding Ourselves through Everyday Play, which advances the understanding that play is proven to lead to healthier, happier lives. Play is core to the human experience and is engrained in all of us. People already know how to play; the important thing is how to activate it. “And when we do, our lives change for the better in surprising and far-reaching ways, “ the report outlines.

Many of us don’t need a study to convince us to play- parkour practitioners already know the deep social connections, personal growth, and eagerness to explore and engage with the world are all byproducts of parkour. But maybe some of us have forgotten and just need to be reminded.

Don't know where to start with adding play to your life? I’d recommend dipping back into your memory banks to your early childhood games. Follow the leader, Simon Says, the Floor is Lava, Marco Polo, tag are all great games to get you moving. You can also create a movement scavenger hunt: choose a movement and collect 3 of them on different surfaces. In the image above, people are collecting 3 ‘overs’ and 3 ‘under’s. Grab a few friends and make challenges for each other! Find a cool tree to climb. Find a curb to balance on. Chicken fight and knock each other off a balance beam. There are infinity possibilities if you keep yourself open to them.

What does play look like for you? If play isn’t part of your life, when did you stop playing?