What is the Difference Between Freerunning and Parkour? [Clearly Answered]

If you’re new to the world of parkour and freerunning. You may be wondering what the difference is between the two. While they both involve navigating your environment in creative ways, there are a few key distinctions.

There’s a big difference between parkour and freerunning, but many people don’t know what that difference is. This blog post will explore the differences between parkour vs freerunning and explain why they are different.

So read on to discover!

What is Parkour?

Military obstacle course training gave rise to the movement-based training discipline known as Parkour. Practitioners try to move quickly and efficiently from one place to another in a complicated situations without equipment.

Running, climbing, swinging, vaulting, jumping, plyometrics, and other motions are part of Parkour, depending on what is considered the most appropriate for the occasion. Parkour has specific characteristics of a non-competitive sport or a self-defense method because it evolved from military obstacle course training.

Parkour can be practiced by anyone, regardless of age or sex, and can be enjoyed both indoors and outdoors. Parkour enthusiasts often describe the sport as “moving through your environment with efficiency and grace.” Although it may look easy to perform, Parkour is quite challenging and requires skill, strength, flexibility, and courage.

The risks of parkour can also be life-threatening if the practitioners do not take the necessary precautions.

History of Parkour

Near the 1990s, in the suburbs of Paris in Lisses and Evry, France, the Parkour adventure started. David Belle created the initial Parkour idea following guidelines for the art of movement provided by his father, a firefighter in Paris.

When they were youths, Belle and his Yamakasi group pals practiced climbing over obstacles like walls, staircases, and other city features. He produced what they called the art of movement by utilizing all the structures and barriers that were not initially intended for this use.

For them, parkour was merely a training tool for overcoming various challenges in urban and rural settings, such as forests. Since the 1990s, this method of movement has become more well-known thanks to its incorporation in the film industry, including the movie B13 with David Belle and Yamakasi, which was co-written by Charles Perrière, one of the discipline’s creators.

These movies have spawned a new generation of Tracers (Parkour practitioners) worldwide and inspired numerous sporting events in multiple nations.

Through the help of David Belle’s brother, Jean-Francois, this ensemble had been practicing together for several years when, in 1997, they began to garner attention and receive invitations to perform at events.

What is Freerunning?

Freerunning is a movement-based discipline emphasizing creativity and self-expression over speed and efficiency. In contrast to Parkour, which emphasizes getting from point A to point B swiftly and efficiently, Freerunning is about the trip rather than the final destination.

Freerunners use the environment around them to practice their craft, using obstacles as opportunities to express themselves. This includes anything from walls running up to backflips and flips off ledges.

While Freerunning can be performed in an urban environment like Parkour, it is not limited. Freerunners can be found anywhere from the streets of New York City to the mountains of Colorado. They strive to see the world around them in a new way.

History of Freerunning

Freerunning has its origins in the streets of New York City. In the early 2000s, a group of young people started experimenting with Parkour and developing their own movement style. This new style, which focused on creativity and self-expression, quickly gained popularity among the parkour community.

As Freerunning grew in popularity, traceurs began to organize competitions and events to showcase their skills. In 2006, the first World Freerunning Championship was held in Lecco, Italy. Since then, Freerunning has continued to grow in popularity.

 It is now practiced by people worldwide who enjoy pushing themselves creatively and expressing themselves through movement.

Are Freerunning and Parkour the same?

Freerunning and Parkour are often confused with one another. Though they both involve moving through an environment in creative ways, they are pretty different.

Parkour is based on the efficient movement from one point to another, while Freerunning is about creativity and self-expression through training. While both disciplines use the environment around them, they are two different practices.

What’s the difference between parkour and freerunning? Parkour is about getting from point A to point B as quickly as possible, while Freerunning is about the journey, not the destination.

Freerunners use the environment around them to practice their craft, using all obstacles as opportunities to express themselves. This can include anything from running up walls to backflips and flips off. In addition, Freerunning vs parkour differences can also be seen in their history.

What is the Difference Between Freerunning and Parkour?

	Freerunning	Parkour
Movement	It involves approaching movement and self-expression creatively.	Parkour involves moving from one point to another as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Philosophy	Non-competitive	It started as non-competitive, but there are known parkour competitions.
Primary Setting	Urban or Natural	Urban
Origin	Offshoot of parkour	Military obstacle course training
Country of origin	France, United Kingdom	France
Founder	Sebastien Foucan	David Belle
Focus	Movement of body	Obstacle passing

Movement

Movement is essential to our lives. It allows us to get from one place to another, explore our surroundings, and stay fit and healthy. However, movement can also be a form of art. Freerunning and parkour are two examples of disciplines that focus on creative and stylish movement.

So what’s the difference between parkour and freerunning? Parkour is about efficient movement, getting from point A to point B as quickly and efficiently as possible. Freerunning, on the other hand, is about expressing yourself through movement.

It’s about finding new and creative ways to move your body, flowing from one move to the next like a dance. Both disciplines require skill, coordination, and strength, but their approaches and philosophies are very different.

Many resources are available to help you get started, whether you’re interested in parkour, freerunning, or just want to find a new way to move your body. If you want a challenge, freerunning is the way to go.

There are no rules or restrictions – you can do whatever you want. There is a lot of potential for error, which can be both good and negative.

Freerunning can be a fulfilling experience if you’re prepared to put in the time and effort. However, while Parkour may not be as visually appealing as Freerunning, it is unquestionably no less challenging.

Primary Setting

A primary difference between the two is their setting. Freerunning takes place in an uncontrolled environment, while Parkour is performed in a controlled one.

Free Runners often use natural obstacles like walls, buildings, and trees to perform their tricks and maneuvers.

On the other hand, Parkour practitioners train in special gyms that have been designed specifically for their discipline.

Focus

The focus of Parkour is practical and efficient movement, while the focus of Freerunning is creative expression. This difference in focus leads to different training methods and techniques being developed for each discipline.

Origin

Military obstacle course training led to the development of Parkour, a movement-based training discipline.

Freerunning is a related Parkour discipline that emphasizes the fluidity of acrobatic discipline and self-expression rather than solely focusing on travel efficiency.

Country of Origin

Parkour was initially developed in France during the 1980s by a group of teenage boys, including David Belle and Sébastien Foucan. They were looking for new ways to challenge themselves physically.

Freerunning was born out of the Parkour community in France. It was developed as a way to add creativity and style to the functional movements of Parkour.

Conclusion

Now that you know freerunning and parkour differences, it’s up to you to decide which activity is most suitable for you. If you’re looking for a creative outlet or love a challenge, Freerunning is probably the way to go.

If you’re more interested in efficiency and moving from one point to another smoothly, Parkour may be a better fit. Freerunning vs parkour can be different in approach, but both are great in their own ways.