Urban athletics
Extreme parkour - the art of "free running" - is pushing Sydney's buttons.
By David Hayes
US traceur Meeuwenberg is helping popularise parkour in Australia
Extreme parkour stunts are now seen and even featured in countless music video clips, feature films and documentaries. US traceur (one who practices parkour) Levi Meeuwenberg was introduced to the sport in 2003 and has appeared in Madonna’s Jump video clip and commercials for K-Swiss and Mountain Dew.
Who are you? How old are you, where are you from and what do you do when you’re not doing parkour? I’m Levi, a freerunner from the United States, and I’m 21 years old. Almost everything I do now involves parkour in some way, whether it’s practicing, conditioning, or working on projects for the community. However, when I’m not, I like to exchange ideas and perspectives with others. I also enjoy graphic art, music, and going for walks; exploring new places and experiencing new things.
How did you get into Parkour? At first I saw an incredible online video of a guy doing gymnastic tumbling out on the streets which motivated me to go to my local gym to learn these moves.
Where in the world has parkour taken you? Parkour has taken me all over the planet. In America, I’ve been to Los Angeles many times, Toronto, New York, Chicago, Denver, Washington DC and more. Across the pond, to London, Paris, Rome, Prague, Moscow, Tokyo, Hong Kong… I could go on. The greatest part is being able to meet likeminded people wherever I go, who are dedicated to this discipline and care about doing something with their body, their mind, and their life.
You’ve worked on a video clip for Madonna. What was your role and what was she like to work with? Yes, I shot some parkour in Tokyo for Madonna’s Jump music video and also performed on stage for her Confessions world tour in 2006. Madonna is a very hardworking and passionate person who has a clear vision of what she wants. Despite how busy she was, she still made time for her performers.
Where is your favourite place in the world to do parkour? This is a really tough question because some places, like Evry in France, have amazing architecture for parkour, while other places have a great community like Chicago and Denver. I just love to see new places and meet new people through parkour.
What’s your favourite parkour trick/move and why? In parkour we try not to think in terms of individual moves, but a continuous flow or run through an environment. That being said, there are certain techniques that we drill to be able to do this. Of these, I really like the cat leap, or arm jump as they call it here in the Australian scene.
Do you listen to music while you do parkour? What type? I don’t listen to music while doing parkour because anything fragile I carry is likely to get crushed since we use our entire body for movement.
How do you prepare yourself before you perform? Well, the process of training and conditioning is a never-ending effort to develop my strength and abilities. I always begin by stretching and warming up, just as you might see any athlete do who is serious about their sport and their health.
Have you had any injuries? Minor cuts and bruises are common in parkour but serious injuries are very rare because our method of training stresses safety. I’ve sprained my ankles a few times but that’s about it.
What tips do you have for people you want to get into parkour? Find others who train in your area through the internet. Take the time to learn the true disciplines and prepare your body for the stresses they involve. Train safe and smart. Slow and steady progression creates strength, fast and reckless leads to injury. And most importantly, have fun!
Get involved!
Sydney Parkour Classes Pyrmont Park, Pirrama Rd, Pyrmont 2009 (0409 100 445 www.parkour.asn.au) $10, 2pm. Cancelled if raining. About 15 to 30 parkour lovers gather at Pyrmont Park on Sunday afternoons to learn the craft of free running from experts like Rhys James. “We teach people about movement, strength and agility,” says James. What attracted him to parkour? “We all climbed trees as kids,” he says. “I guess I didn’t like the idea of stopping.”