Kurt Gowan Q&A

Who knew watching a couple of videos online had the power to inspire someone?

This was the case with Kurt Gowan, parkour instructor and founder of Art du Déplacement Chicago and Parkour Ways. Gowan, who hails from Lansing, said he simply stumbled upon a video online, which he says appeared at the right time in his life.

Gowan was 22 and at a low point in his life; just working and not attending school. Then it just so happened something that seemed fun to do in his free time turned into something that changed his life completely: parkour.

Parkour, is a training discipline using movement to help practitioners get from one point to another in a complex environment, without assistive equipment and in the fastest and most efficient way possible.

Can you take me through your first parkour experience?

 Kurt Gowan: My first experience is actually quite embarrassing.  I’m glad nobody can watch it on video or something. It was with a friend of mine, Chris. I had shown him some videos and told him I was thinking about giving it a try. He agreed to go out to a park with me one day to try some things. We had no idea what we were doing; I think we ended up just jumping over a fence a few times and trying to run across a brick wall. It’s not even really something done very often in this discipline by the way.

What does parkour mean to you? How has it impacted your life?

KG: I would say everything but that sounds cheesy and may not be entirely true. The discipline has changed my life entirely, I say that with a 100 percent honesty. I would not know the people I know and have the friends that I have. I would not have traveled to some of the places that I have traveled.  I wouldn’t have learned so much about myself that I know now and I have no idea what I would be doing to make a living. It is impossible for me to imagine what my life would be like without it now.

Can you take me through your training for parkour?  What is your favorite place to prepare?

KG: I don’t really have a favorite place. One of the nice things about this training is that you can find things to do and work on literally anywhere. Because I live in Lansing and I teach in Chicago, I get to see a lot of different spots in the two areas. One of my favorite spots is in Indiana; it’s new to me so there are many jumps and movements to find in the areas still. There are plenty of obstacles to work with. Mainly I am drawn to the railings but there are some nice walls, planters, stairs, tables and more to work with.

How did you learn everything that you know?

KG: Much of what I have learned, I have learned on my own. I have learned quite a lot from others too. But one of the things about this discipline is that even if you are not alone if there are people around you while you train or you have someone teaching you and talking you through a movement, you are doing that jump, or that vault, or whatever the skill is, all on your own. Unless of course it is some sort of a teamwork drill, like helping each other get up a much taller wall, you are always alone in the movement and doing it on your own.

How does your mind and body play a role in parkour?

KG: The use of the body I think is pretty clear when we see this practiced. The mind is not so obvious. Many times the mind is a bigger opponent than the body; it’s when we are facing a movement that we have some difficulty.  There is much that goes on in the mind. Sometimes, in order to do what we want to do, we also need to learn how to shut it off and just move.

Can parkour and freerunning be done anywhere other than outside?

KG: Yes. It can be done in your home. It can be done anywhere.

Do ever fear of getting hurt while freerunning? Have you ever?

KG: We always deal with some fear. Even when we are confident with something there can still be a bit of fear going into it. We just learn to operate with it instead of letting it stop us. I have been hurt.  But nothing really serious from my actual training: bruises, bumps to the shin, scrapes, things like that. I have separated a shoulder doing stunt work and I believe I may have broken a toe recently. I do not have money to see doctors but this was not from actual training. The broken toe was from goofing around a bit. It’s funny actually, even though we can move well we still make mistakes that other people do, like tripping up the stairs or something.

What’s the safest, most efficient way to practice and get better at freerunning and parkour?

KG: Take it slow. It is not a race.

Where do you see yourself in the future with parkour or freerunning?

KG: Honestly I cannot say. Right now we have ideas in the pipeline for where we will take the organization, Parkour Ways and Art du Déplacement Chicago. But nothing is set in stone. I will want to continue to teach, and I know that I will want to continue to train. I would like to travel more, meet more people and have conversations about the discipline and the world.

What inspired Parkour Ways?

KG: When I started training in this area I knew that there was no organized way of learning the discipline and once I had found it, it was very clear to me that there was no one in the area that understood the discipline and its roots. I started Parkour Ways because I thought that it could help people find a way that had not yet existed in Chicago.

Is there a deep philosophy behind parkour?

KG: It depends on who you ask. For me, yes there is. It is not easy to explain. The training can be applied to every part of life, like fear and risk management, taking leaps with some level of uncertainty, being confident and committing to what you want. This is life.

Any advice to new freerunners or those interested in parkour?

KG: Take your time and really understand what you are doing. There are too many people now who think that the discipline is about recklessness, about seeking danger, about thrills and stunts and tricks. It is none of that. The aim is not to climb onto rooftops and get into trouble. It is not an extreme sport either; there should not be competitions. Energy drink companies should not be sponsoring events, gyms and teams. This is all fake. People getting into it now are getting into it to compete, or to make money, or to get famous on YouTube. Those things are not important. If you really train the discipline, you really take the time to understand what it is and you wouldn’t care about any of that. Learn from the founders. They are still here, still alive and still training. That is rare. You cannot get into Karate and say I will go train with the guys who did it first.