Parkour, or free-running, is a form of training developed in France in the ’80s. Van Zyl said it had become the fasted growing non-commercial sport in the world.
The philosophy behind the sport involves moving from one place to another in the most efficient way possible, and this can see the utilisation of flips, vaults and other complex movements.
The club hosts workshops with top athletes from all over South Africa to help further the public’s understanding of the discipline. One of the founders of Concrete Foundation Crew, Dillon Davidson said, “All of us came from very different places, some with a martial arts background and others with a break-dancing background, and just used the skills we learnt to create a place where parkour can be taught correctly.”
Explaining how the club came by its name Van Zyl said, “The biggest question is ‘why the name?’, and I tell people that we trying to build a concrete foundation within all our students. Not only in a physical sense, but also mental stability.”
Trainer Bjorn de Klerk said their classes offered the correct way to utilise the skills of Parkour, and in the safest way possible. “I’ve been practising Parkour for two years,” he said. “If I had been training by myself it would have taken me six years to get where I am now. So CFC have bumped me to a higher level.”
And with the growing Parkour culture in South Africa, Concrete Foundation Crew are set to spearhead a sporting craze. The club currently hold classes at George Lea Park in Parkmore on Tuesdays and Thursdays for beginners, intermediates and advanced students from the ages of eight to 45, and junior beginners workshop for children under 12.
Details; www.concretefoundation.co.za
