What makes the DC metro Parkour community unique, and how does it integrate diverse philosophies and populations to sustain and grow the practice of Parkour?

Victor Crittenden digs into the DC Metro Parkour community, explaining what it is, who is involved, and why it is unique. He discusses the various definitions, ethos, and approaches to parkour, and how each shows an important piece of the parkour puzzle. Vic shares his thoughts around the governance of parkour, and finishes with the importance of collecting and analyzing data and statistics about parkour to help promote its future and growth.

“It’s important to distinguish between public and private spaces for the future of Parkour.” ~ Victor Crittenden (41:04)

The conversation explores the structure and ethos of the DC Metro Parkour community, highlighting its diversity and the collaborative effort to unify various Parkour groups across Maryland, Virginia, and DC. Key components include established gyms like Urban Evolution and American Parkour, university groups at George Mason and College Park, and nonprofit organizations such as PK Move, which focuses on adaptive Parkour for underserved populations. Victor outlines the geographic and organizational complexities, emphasizing the role of jams and meetups in sustaining the community.

The discussion shifts to examining different Parkour philosophies in the area. Some gyms emphasize structured training and family engagement, while others focus on purist, outdoor approaches aligned with altruism and self-reclamation. The value of public engagement and forming connections with city officials emerges as a theme for promoting Parkour. Broader initiatives, such as the formation of USPK (United States Parkour Association) and youth leagues, aim to create a sustainable framework for Parkour development at a national level.

Takeaways

Bridging communities — The DC metro Parkour community thrives by unifying various city and university groups, preventing fragmentation.

Adaptive Parkour — PK Move pioneers adaptive Parkour, ensuring accessibility for elderly populations, cancer survivors, and individuals with disabilities.

Diversity in practice — Different Parkour groups in the region emphasize contrasting approaches, from structured gym environments to purist outdoor practices.

Public engagement — Building relationships with city officials and participating in community projects fosters acceptance and growth of Parkour communities.

Sustaining growth — Regular jams and meetups play a crucial role in maintaining the Parkour community by keeping people engaged and connected.

Governance and unity — National efforts like USP K aim to consolidate Parkour communities under a collective association to represent the U.S. globally.

Youth development — Projects like the Youth Parkour League (YPL) work to introduce structured competition circuits for younger populations.

Data and future growth — Initiatives to collect and analyze data on gyms, demographics, and growth rates aim to inform and attract investors.

Resources

PK Move — Nonprofit organization promoting adaptive Parkour for special populations, including seniors and cancer survivors.

American Parkour (APK) — A leading Parkour gym and community in DC promoting education and outreach.

Urban Evolution — Parkour gym offering structured programs and classes in Northern Virginia.

United States Parkour Association (USP K) — A collective organization aiming to unify Parkour communities across the U.S.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

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— Hello👋 I’m Craig Constantine.

In the Movers Mindset podcast, I talk with movement enthusiasts to learn who they are, what they do, and why they do it. I’m interested in the nature and philosophy of movement and in exploring themes like independence, self-direction, and human excellence. My interests color each conversation and provide some structure to Movers Mindset. But since I like to take the scenic route, every conversation ends up going somewhere unique.

The purpose of Movers Mindset is to create and share great conversations with movement enthusiasts. Each conversation feeds my insatiable curiosity, but I share them to turn on a light for someone else, to inspire them, or to give them their next question.

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— Thank you!

My personal mission is creating better conversations to spread understanding and compassion. And Movers Mindset is one of the things I do in service of my mission. Drop by https://craigconstantine.com/ for my weekly email, my other podcasts, writing and more.

The Movers Mindset project grew from conversations I started having as part of my personal journey rediscovering movement. The project started late in 2015, and it was initially simply a web site that shared others’ writing. The project grew, and in 2017 I started the podcast. I’ve worked extremely hard, but none of this would have been possible without so much help from so many people.

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