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Traceur finds perfect playground
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TWO-TIME parkour world champion Ryan Doyle is at a crossroads in his life. At age 29, the Liverpool, England, native is getting on a bit for a competitive traceur and past his physical peak.
Doyle doesn’t see himself giving demonstrations or competing for much longer. He doesn’t train as much as he once did. He basically practices to maintain flexibility, strength and endurance. But his passion for the sport hasn’t died. He spends more time in dancing courses so he can create a new style of parkour movements.
He compares this stage of his career to when action star Jackie Chan, his idol, realized he could no longer continue doing some of the outrageous stunts he was famous for.
“I will try to be clever and look great in front of the camera (just like Chan),” he says as he seeks to extend his parkour career by creating new possibilities.
Doyle says Chan is the “godfather” of movements and that he and his friends have been inspired by his numerous stunts. “Jackie Chan probably didn’t realize he actually started doing parkour and free-running by falling from walls, jumping onto cars and other stuff back in his earliest movies.”
Doyle, who was recently in Shanghai to promote the Red Bull extreme sports, says the city is a perfect playground for the sport.
“There is so much to explore in a city like this,” he says. And the spirit of the sport goes in line with the pace of Shanghai.”
He has met some amateur Chinese parkour teams and says he was impressed by their devotion and creativity.
Doyle recalls going through a tough period in the sport back in 2007, when he won his first world championship at the Red Bull Art of Motion Competition (he won again in 2011) in Vienna, Austria. However, he fractured his left shin during the competition while attempting a trick during a 3.65-meter jump.
“That was a hard time,” he says. “I spent my first week after injury in a Viennese hospital where nobody spoke English. It was very lonely and I cried myself to sleep every night.”
It took more than eight months to recover. He still has 14 screws, a titanium bar and metal plate in his leg because of the injury. But the setback hasn’t stopped him as he picked up all the movements and tricks again within a year.
“Now the leg is strong and I know I’ll never break it again,” he says.
One of Doyle’s main goals is to help others understand the sport.
“Parkour is about understanding what a human body can do,” he says. “When a wall is in your way, most people will choose to walk along the wall or take the long way, while the fastest way is over the top. It’s a dangerous way, but only because you’ve been told it’s dangerous.
“Parkour makes us explore and learn our body better. We learn how to land with a roll to soften the impact and protect ourselves. From point A to point B, we make it a ‘journey’ by combining all kinds of skills like jumping, vaulting and martial arts elements. It’s a cool way to keep fit — a kind of lifestyle and philosophy.”
Doyle enjoys the feeling of “flying” over a city. Simply pick a starting point and a destination — traceurs call it a “line.” Doyle tries to complete the “line” in efficient movements, getting smoother after each attempt while adding in new tricks and techniques until he gets “bored” or “masters the challenge.” One line usually consists of five to six movements.
“It feels different every time you do it,” he says.
A pair of light, comfortable shoes and a pair of sweatpants is all Doyle needs. Traceurs believe using protective equipment takes away from the essence of the sport.
“You are born ready,” he says. “It’s a sport anyone can step into. You can create your own movement and give it a name. In the end, you should know who the traceur is by the way he moves. That’s his signature.”
Doyle says he picked up the sport at the age of 14. After learning gymnastics in primary school and picking up a black belt in martial arts in high school, Doyle and some friends wanted to do something new in the soccer-mad city of Liverpool.
With a love of both dancing and music, Doyle merged his hobbies into free-running, and created his own parkour style.
He also says his parents didn’t support his career choice in the early stages. “‘Go and get a real job!’ That’s what my parents would say,” he says, smiling. “It was only four years ago when they finally changed their mind and accepted that this is my lifestyle. They are proud of me now.”
Doyle says the sport has made him use his body to its fullest. “Parkour changes the way you look at your environment. The world becomes a playground. And it helped me to explore the potential of life.
“When you fail a movement, you’re collecting experience. Just find yourself a safe environment and make an attempt in a different way. People who have fallen the most are the safest,” he adds.
Doyle says anyone can start training for parkour around the age of 14. By this time, most teens have already tried different sports and have a better understanding of their bodies. This is a good time to start building the fundamental skills needed in parkour.
The Briton says he will continue as long as he stays healthy, but he has already made plans for his eventual retirement.
Together with his brother Ryan, they have started the Airborn Academy in Liverpool, where they hope to nurture a new generation of traceurs.
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