Navigating the urban jungle

• Source: Global Times
• [11:44 August 04 2010]
• Comments

Martin Chen jumps between rooftops near Huaihai Road Middle. Photo: Courtesy of Shawn Xi

Risky business

Since parkour hit the streets, the largest obstacle has often been public opinion. According to Shanghai members, this hurdle is exacerbated by conservative attitudes towards safety in China. "Chinese parents are generally more protective and usually don't let their children get involved in parkour," Qiu said.

In Shanghai most members only stick around for a brief stint. While some of this stems from natural turnaround, some feel compelled to leave the game due to new obligations. "I quit doing parkour when I started my job at an advertising agency last year," said former tracer Shawn Xi, who now documents Shanghai's parkour scene with his camera. "On the other hand, some guys have quit their jobs to do parkour as a career."

Shapiro is one such tracer. Alongside his involvement with parkour, he works as a full-time stunt man in Shanghai. He explained that when tracers take to the streets, security guards take the place of parents and bosses. However, compared with the Chinese public, Shanghai's guards show an ironic lack of concern for tracers' public antics. "In Toronto, a security guard will generally let us play for an hour or so, and then, like clockwork, stop us to prevent liability," Shapiro said. "But in Shanghai sometimes a security guard will even join the circle of people watching. The first time I've ever been stopped by security was a few weeks ago in People's Square."

A spokesperson from the Shanghai Public Security Bureau told the Global Times, "There are no formal regulations that prohibit sports like parkour in public. As long as an activity doesn't interfere with traffic or pose a threat to public safety, it is OK for them to practice."

On occasions injuries occur and when they happen in public, this can complicate matters. Tracers insist that most mishaps are minor and chalk them up to carelessness, and not the perceived level of danger in a certain move. "People sprain their ankles and bruise themselves," Shapiro said. "The worst I've seen is a broken bone. Most accidents happen not on the serious movements, but on something simple when you're not paying attention. I've sprained my ankle by hopping around or warming up." Qiu added, "This presents a paradox. Everyone wants to be cool without getting hurt. But this risk is also a part of what attracts people to parkour."

For hardcore tracers, this risk combines with the discipline to form something that transcends sport. While most flit in and out of the parkour community and only see the surface, the deeper impact of serious practice is reserved for those who stick around long enough. For this rare group of seekers, the results are worth the effort. "Parkour totally changed my life and outlook on everything," Shapiro said. "But only the most dedicated people get into the discipline of parkour. Most people start off wanting to show off. But like a martial art, it's a lifestyle. It trains your brain to assess problems in life and see how you can get past them. In the process, you learn all about your true capabilitie