 "Photo: Caleb Miller")
After precision jumping between rails, Patrick Yang focuses on gaining stability in a catlike pose. He pays little attention to fellow students who are getting around campus using the conventional method - walking.
Yang, a chemistry senior from Houston, practices parkour, a discipline that teaches acrobatic jumps, vaults and landings in order to get efficiently from one place to another. Parkour practitioners, or traceurs, use their surrounding environment to practice the craft. Walls, staircases, rails and the tops of buildings all become obstacles for traceurs, making UT's campus an ideal practice ground.
"One of the most fun parts is getting 'parkour eyes," Yang said. "You go around the city, and you see all these obstacles that you normally just walk by, and say, 'I can vault on that' or 'I can jump on that.' UT is a huge hotspot. It is full of obstacles that we can train ourselves on."
Originally developed in France, parkour has found a following in America through Internet videos, Web sites and blogs. Upon seeing these Internet videos, Yang became fascinated with the unexplored abilities of the human body. Yang is now one of about 20 members of the Austin chapter of Texas Parkour, a group that meets for training, conditioning and teaching at various hotspots around the city. Unlike the more strict training schools in France, the Austin chapter is loosely structured, with the only requirement for membership being a desire to learn.
Parkour's growing popularity in the states is partially due to its exposure in Hollywood hits like "Casino Royale" and "Live Free or Die Hard." Yang and other traceurs are concerned the recent exposure jeopardizes the safety of those who try and replicate the sensational movements without proper instruction. The extensive training schedule required to practice parkour includes both mastering technical elements, and gaining a heightened awareness of one's body and surroundings to avoid injury.
"There are some injuries, but it is not very common," Yang said. "We become so aware of ourselves and our surroundings that we are able to control our bodies in a way so we do not often get injured."
Despite all the attention to the athletics, parkour is above all a philosophy that teaches traceurs to efficiently overcome all types of obstacles. While it was the movement that originally hooked Yang, it is understanding the philosophy that drives his motivation.
"Once you start understanding it deeply, it is not just a physical discipline anymore," he said. "A breakup, financial difficulties or not getting the promotion are all obstacles in life. Now, what is the most efficient way to get around it?"
The philosophy, which Yang describes as empowering, allows him to seek out new experiences and is evident in his decision to move to Shanghai to pursue a career in photography after graduation. Yang hopes to find new hotspots and work on his skills to become a better traceur.
"When training in parkour, you have to learn when to listen to your fear and when to ignore it," Yang said. "Since I have started practicing parkour, I have acquired this new sense of wonder. Is it because of it? I don't know, but it is a lot of fun."
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