Adam McClellan: Business, coaching, and outreach
What are the inherent challenges of growing and monetizing a Parkour community without losing its core values and spirit?
35 episodes and 2 years later, Adam McClellan returns to Movers Mindset. Adam deserves a large measure of credit because he was willing to be the original guinea pig for this crazy experiment. Our first interview was a simple Q&A style but in this episode we have an in depth conversation about the cycles a community goes through, the nature of parkour, and the type of people who are drawn to it. Adam explores the intersection of parkour and business, and how the two coexist, before discussing the nuances of coaching children. He opens up about his knee injury and recovery, his thoughts on normalizing parkour to the public, and different ways to design a parkour gym.
“One of the things we value about Parkour is there isn’t that hierarchy and structure in place. It’s just you and me, and we’re hanging out, you don’t have to call me anything— There’s no assumed authority, right? We’re just training together.” ~ Adam McClellan (21:40)
This conversation explores the growth and evolution of a Parkour community as it transitions from informal outdoor training to a structured business model. The discussion highlights the shifts in community dynamics when money and formal structures are introduced, drawing parallels between martial arts schools and Parkour. Adam reflects on how scaling up often leads to a loss of intimacy and core values, raising questions about whether Parkour can retain its spirit as it grows.
Key topics include the role of leadership in shaping community culture, the unavoidable influence of business practices on Parkour, and the challenge of teaching children while preserving the deeper philosophical aspects of the discipline. There is also a focus on personal injuries, their impact on training, and how physical setbacks shape the journey of a Parkour practitioner.
Takeaways
The growth of Parkour communities — Scaling introduces structure and money, often challenging the core values that initially attract practitioners.
Leadership’s role in community — The personality and values of leaders heavily influence the community’s trajectory and inclusivity.
Business and Parkour — Structuring Parkour as a business introduces operational necessities that can shift focus from movement and personal growth to profit and efficiency.
Teaching children Parkour — Teaching children emphasizes physical skills over the deeper self-exploration aspect inherent to Parkour for adults.
Injury and recovery — Personal injury experiences reshape one’s relationship with movement and coaching, often influencing how practitioners train and teach.
Cultural perceptions of Parkour — Public perception, especially from institutions like police or schools, shapes the accessibility and acceptance of Parkour in local communities.
Community dynamics — Communities inevitably evolve based on the personalities and shared experiences of the core members.
Parkour as self-exploration — The practice naturally fosters personal growth and reflection, often leading practitioners to deeper self-awareness.
Resources
ADAPT Qualifications — Mentioned in the context of coaching certifications for Parkour instructors.
David Belle Speed Vault — A classic example of the Parkour speed vault technique referenced during the discussion.
(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)
— 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.
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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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