The Sport Parkour is a discipline of movement that focuses on navigating environments—typically urban landscapes—by running, climbing, swinging, and vaulting over obstacles with maximum speed and efficiency. In 2026, the sport has evolved into two distinct competitive formats: Speed (racing through a designated course) and Freestyle (focusing on flow and technical tricks). Now recognized as a formal discipline under the FIG (International Gymnastics Federation) (https://www.gymnastics.sport), Parkour is widely praised as the ultimate “foundation sport” for children, building the spatial awareness and “safe-falling” skills used across all other action sports.
How We Can Help TheGlobalSportsMarket.com bridges the gap between “jumping on furniture” and professional movement. We help parents identify sanctioned Parkour gyms that prioritize safety infrastructure, such as high-density foam pits and soft-landing mats. Our platform assists in sourcing specialized footwear for wall-grip and impact absorption and connects users with WFPF (World Freerunning Parkour Federation) (https://wfpf.com) certified trainers who teach the “Level 1” safety fundamentals essential for injury prevention.
Governing Organizations
- FIG (International Gymnastics Federation): https://www.gymnastics.sport
- WFPF (World Freerunning Parkour Federation): https://wfpf.com
- USA Gymnastics (Parkour Division): https://usagym.org/pages/parkour/
Equipment Needed While Parkour is a low-barrier sport, the right footwear is the most critical piece of safety hardware.
- Footwear: We recommend shoes with a one-piece rubber outsole for maximum grip, such as the OLLO Sapien (https://ollopk.com) or Strike Movement (https://strike-mvmnt.com).
- Protection: For beginners, high-density foam landing mats from Norbert’s Athletic (https://www.norberts.net) are recommended for home practice.
- Tech: In 2026, athletes are using VBT (Velocity Based Training) sensors like Push by Science for Sport (https://www.scienceforsport.com) to track explosive power and jump height.
Major Global Events
- Professional: FIG Parkour World Cup Series 2026 (https://www.gymnastics.sport/site/events/search.php), Red Bull Art of Motion (https://www.redbull.com/int-en/events/red-bull-art-of-motion), and SportAccord World Combat Games.
- Amateur: WFPF Junior Parkour Championship, USA Parkour Cup (https://usaparkour.org), and regional National Ninja League (NNL) qualifiers.
Local Amateur Clubs Parkour progression thrives in a “Gym-to-Street” model. Parents should use the WFPF “Find a Gym” tool (https://wfpf.com/parkour-gym-directory/) to find facilities that offer IPN (International Parkour Network) sanctioned classes. Many local YMCA locations and gymnastics centers now offer “Ninja” or “Parkour” clinics for ages 6–14. For those in the UK or Europe, Parkour UK (https://parkour.uk) provides a comprehensive registry of qualified coaches and safe outdoor “Parkour Parks.”
