Youtube Is a Launching Point for Reckless Daredevils and New Age Athletic Expression, by William Howard
NOTES: Origins and Context | See Also
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Origins of this content
This texteo was made by William Howard as his final for 2010 LFYT.
Contextualization
Though the true origins of Parkour are disputed, it is widely believed to have been founded in the late 1980s by French Athlete David Belle. A french term for "the art of movement", Parkour is the process of moving from point A to point B as swiftly, efficiently, and gracefully as possible. Often associated with, but not restricted to, urban environments, Parkour is concerned with using ones entire body to transfer momentum in order to maintain the highest possible average speed when moving. The original philosophy behind the physical activity was embodied by David Belles group, the Yamakasi's (a congo term meaning strong spirit, strong body, and endurance), and has since spread to be a widely practiced discipline.[cit] and [cit]
Since its explosion into the pop culture scene in the early 20th century, parkour has grown from a loosely defined physical activity to a full blown means of expression with its own community.

Nothing has been more intricately linked with parkour's rise from obscurity to instant-recognizability than YouTube (with the possible exception of James Bond).

From instruction videos to superhuman feats of athleticism, just about everything concerning parkour is documented in one way or another on YouTube.

For better or for worse, parkour and YouTube share a common ground (or wall, as it were).