Fitness fans jump to new parkour exercise craze in Dubai

Paul, a student, practices climbing the wall. Lee Hoagland/ The National

Stephane Vigroux teaches the class climbing techniques. Lee Hoagland / The National

The class attempts climbing a wall in Umm Suqeim Park. Lee Hoagland / The National

Stephane Vigroux (far left) goes over the techniques of wall climbing with the class. Lee Hoagland / The National

Stephane Vigroux’s students practice jumping. Lee Hoagland/ The National

DUBAI // With daredevil leaps between tall buildings, crazy acrobatic tricks in mid-air and an element of danger, on the face of it parkour might not seem like a sport for everyone.

Now Stephane Vigroux, one of the early pioneers of the sport in France in the 1990s, has brought the high energy, agility, flexibility, mobility workout to the UAE, albeit with a little less risk.

The classes, held in Umm Suqeim Park, regularly involve jumping over walls, railings and benches, and build up from small obstacles to more advanced techniques.

“It’s traditional to train outside for parkour, so we’re sticking to its roots, although we are looking to combine it with some indoor spaces too. We use the outdoor environment to learn to move in different terrains,” Mr Vigroux said.

“Training outside is more of a mental challenge. If you can do it in the summer, you can survive the rest of the year easily.”

The classes are designed to vary as the temperature rises. “It’s more manageable in the heat because we’re not working at 100 per cent intensity, but looking at technique, mobility. We spend time on things,” said Mr Vigroux, who runs classes together with Chris Sotiriou.

“It keeps things natural when you’re outside. It’s just you and the heat.”

› Watch: Staying fit with Parkour - video

Jonathan Clayton, a personal trainer and keen parkour student, has been working with Mr Vigroux since he came to Dubai earlier this year.

“I think we have got into a routine of working out for the sake of it, getting better at fitness with no real purpose.

“Fitness facilities are popping up all over Dubai, but they are all offering similar classes, the same concepts, all performed in similar settings.

“None really develop us in the way that human beings were designed to move in a natural environment. This is where parkour is unique. It forces us to develop many physical attributes that we may neglect in a typical gym environment, things such as climbing, jumping, brachiating [swinging from object to object using the arms], running mechanics, locomoting and developing fine motor skills.”

Mr Clayton said living in Dubai can make it difficult to escape the culture of air-conditioned malls, home-delivered meals and being stuck behind a desk all day.

“Interacting with nature helps to shift the mind to a more relaxed and passive mode. We need to take every opportunity we get to be outdoors, and training in parkour outside offers the perfect excuse to do this. Dubai offers few opportunities for us to be outside and get in touch with our roots.

“Parkour opens the doors to a world of new possibilities. It’s a fun way to train, taking us back to how we used to play as kids. It physically develops you, it’s mentally stimulating and it also forces you to face and deal with some of your fears, which will no doubt have a positive impact on the rest of your life.”