As I mention below, parkour is not actually "flashy". From Wiki: However, the term free running has come to represent a separate concept, distinctly different from parkour — a distinction which is often missed due to the aesthetic similarities. Parkour as a discipline emphasizes efficiency, whilst free running embodies complete freedom of movement — and includes many acrobatic maneuvers. Although the two are often physically similar, the mindsets of each are vastly different.
It's not just semantics; "real" parkour and free running are very different approaches to interfacing with the urban environment. This article clearly refers to literal parkour, not free running— a little confusing since the embedded video has a lot of flashy stuff going on that "real" traceurs wouldn't put up with.
If you want a better example of "real" parkour, think of the opening scene of Casino Royale. That guy (Sebastien Foucan, one of the "founders" of Le Parkour) was running away from a professional killer, he didn't have any time to stop and do a handstand. And yet the entire time that Bond is crashing through walls trying to keep up, Foucan is moving with speed, grace and elegance.
Parkour is not intentionally flashy for the mere sake of being flashy. However if the fastest way to go from point A to point B is to leap over an obstacle, a lot of people are going to be impressed with the leap regardless of why it was made.
It's not just semantics; "real" parkour and free running are very different approaches to interfacing with the urban environment. This article clearly refers to literal parkour, not free running— a little confusing since the embedded video has a lot of flashy stuff going on that "real" traceurs wouldn't put up with.
If you want a better example of "real" parkour, think of the opening scene of Casino Royale. That guy (Sebastien Foucan, one of the "founders" of Le Parkour) was running away from a professional killer, he didn't have any time to stop and do a handstand. And yet the entire time that Bond is crashing through walls trying to keep up, Foucan is moving with speed, grace and elegance.