What leads someone to transform personal passion for parkour into a career in coaching and movement education?

Frank Mejia discusses PK Move and Urban Evolution, and the path to how and why he became a coach. He reflects on his experience with World Chase Tag, explaining the game and its intricacies. Frank shares his thoughts on travel and the role it’s played in his journey, before wrapping up with his thoughts on competition.

“Teaching is such a privilege. It’s so much fun to bring people up and show them this thing they didn’t think they could do.” ~ Frank Mejia (13:20)

This conversation explores the journey of a parkour enthusiast transitioning into a coach, beginning with an incidental school project and evolving into a full-time commitment to movement education. Frank recounts how early skepticism about coaching shifted as he experienced the satisfaction of teaching and guiding others. His involvement with organizations like PK Move and Urban Evolution highlights his contributions to both senior fitness programs and general parkour instruction.

The discussion also touches on his participation in World Chase Tag, offering insights into the competitive aspects of the sport and the mental strategies involved in high-pressure movement environments. Frank reflects on how coaching has enriched his personal training and fostered community connections. Travel, competition, and collaboration emerge as recurring themes, showcasing the broader opportunities that parkour and coaching can provide.

Takeaways

The transition to coaching — Frank’s path to becoming a parkour coach began with a school project and gradually transformed into a passion for teaching.

Impact of coaching on personal training — Teaching others highlighted gaps in the guest’s personal practice, leading to self-improvement and more balanced training.

Community and connection — Observing the camaraderie and enjoyment among other coaches shifted Frank’s perception of teaching from a chore to a fulfilling activity.

World Chase Tag experience — Participation in this high-stakes competition offered insights into mental strategy, teamwork, and navigating pressure in competitive environments.

Role of PK Move and Urban Evolution — Frank describes involvement in specialized parkour programs for seniors and general community classes, emphasizing inclusivity and adaptability.

Value of travel and exploration — Travel and working in different parkour communities broadened Frank’s coaching skills and deepened his appreciation for diverse training environments.

The evolution of competition in parkour — Frank’s views on parkour competitions evolved, recognizing their value in fostering personal growth, collaboration, and community bonding.

Resources

PK Move — A parkour organization focused on movement education for seniors and underserved communities.

Urban Evolution — A gym in Alexandria, Virginia, offering parkour and movement classes for all ages.

World Chase Tag — An international competitive tag organization that blends parkour with high-speed evasion challenges.

Phoenix Freerunning Academy — A Michigan-based parkour gym with a strong sense of community and long-standing instructors.

Movement United — A gym in Michigan where the guest expanded his coaching experience.

(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.

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.

I appreciate your time and attention, and I don’t take it for granted.

— 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.

Thanks for listening!

ɕ