What role does community involvement and accessibility play in shaping inclusive, multigenerational spaces for Parkour and movement practice?

Blake Evitt discusses the importance of partnering with your community, creating multigenerational spaces for training, as well as how he does that in his hometown of Boston. He unpacks the influence that traveling had on his training, coaching, and business, as well as his own personal growth. Blake shares his thoughts on a number of subjects, including becoming vegetarian, the ADAPT coaching qualifications, and the United States Parkour Association.

“Our goal with the park was to make a multigenerational movement space, not just a place where Parkour can happen but also a place where people can explore and be comfortable.” ~ Blake Evitt (3:37)

The conversation explores how Parkour can serve as a tool for creating inclusive, multigenerational community spaces. A key focus is the development of public Parkour spaces, particularly in Somerville, Boston, where Parkour generations have helped design and steward municipally funded parks. The dialogue highlights the integration of Parkour for all ages, with specific classes for children, adults, and older practitioners, ensuring accessibility and fostering a communal experience. The discussion underscores the importance of designing spaces that allow for interaction across generations and between different activities, such as skateboarding and basketball.

Blake Evitt’s personal journey through international travel and cultural exchange plays a significant role in shaping his approach to Parkour and community building. His experiences training with Parkour groups worldwide inform his leadership in Parkour Generations Americas and the growth of Parkour Generations Boston. The interview touches on Evitt’s coaching philosophy, the significance of adapting Parkour for older adults, and the broader value of Parkour as a means of personal development, community engagement, and positive social change.

Takeaways

Community-driven Parkour spaces — The creation of municipally funded Parkour parks can foster multigenerational interaction and community engagement.

Inclusivity in coaching — Offering classes for different age groups, including older adults and young children, increases accessibility and broadens participation in Parkour.

Travel as professional growth — Exposure to global Parkour communities enriches personal development and informs local initiatives and coaching practices.

Public Parkour spaces — Collaborative efforts with city governments to build Parkour spaces ensure long-term stewardship and positive community relations.

Adaptive teaching methods — Classes are designed to accommodate varying physical capabilities, promoting longevity and inclusivity in the practice.

Cultural exchange through Parkour — Hosting international events like American Rendezvous creates opportunities for idea sharing and global collaboration.

Integrating Parkour into family life — Simultaneous adult and children’s classes encourage family participation and deepen community ties.

Coaching as a refined skill — Effective Parkour coaching requires development and refinement, similar to technical Parkour skills.

The role of competition — Personal goal-setting and competition provide structure and drive for practitioners, complementing non-competitive aspects of Parkour.

Resources

Parkour Generations Boston — The Boston branch of Parkour Generations, focusing on inclusive community programs and coaching.

Parkour Generations Americas — The parent organization overseeing Parkour Generations branches in the U.S., supporting growth and community engagement.

American Rendezvous — A large international Parkour event in Boston fostering cross-cultural exchange and community building.

Adapt Qualifications — International Parkour coaching certification program, emphasizing structured coaching development.

United States Parkour Association (USPK) — National organization fostering collaboration, safety standards, and community growth in the Parkour community.

(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.

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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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