Parkour & Free Running: History, Origins & Key Figures

Free running, also known as parkour, was not invented by a single individual. It evolved from military obstacle course training and gymnastics and grew into a separate activity over time. The term "parkour" was first used by David Belle, a French practitioner, in the late 1980s. However, the origins of the activity can be traced back to the early 1900s when Georges Hébert, a French naval officer, developed a training method called the "natural method" that involved obstacle courses and climbing techniques.