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28TH AUG 2008
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 Traucers don't just walk, they do it with style. A new trend is catching on at college campuses, and two university students on the roof of the Clifton Court Garage volunteered to demonstrate the sport of parcour.
One of the guys is tall and slim. He runs towards a wall that leads to the sidewalk above the garage entrance. With a leap, he runs up the wall and grabs onto the top with both hands. Using his feet, he pushes his body upward to get a better hold, then pulls himself over the wall and onto the walkway. He runs down the stairs and repeats his wall climbs.
This is one of Matt Simpson's drills to better his parkour skills. Simpson, 20, is not a student at UC, however he often practices on campus. He and Andrew Leitholf, a second-year chemistry student at UC, are traceurs who met on an online forum at fluxbound.com.
Fluxbound is the Web site for Cincinnatians who parkour. A traceur (pronounced
trah-soor) is someone who practices parkour.
Parkour itself is a sport in which traceurs try to overcome obstacles in the most efficient manner. Frenchman David Belle is often credited for founding it. The name is a play off the French word "parcours" which means "course." It can be done with a number of moves traceurs practice.
Their techniques can be simplified as vaulting, jumping, climbing, rolling and running. A traceur is limited only by his or her environment.
Parkour is a total body workout. It requires strength training and endurance. It's not easy to parkour, drills often help the body get used to the various movements.
"Lifting weights and all is good, but if you can't do a pull up or move around efficiently, what's the point to all that muscle?" Leitholf said.
Parkour can be a dangerous activity without proper training and awareness.
Simpson said simple vaults could cause ligament damage, which may result in jumper's knee, a medical condition requiring several surgeries. Drops performed improperly can cause knee and ankle damage.
Provided by The Student Zone (United States)
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