From Top Student to Parkour Coach: Parkour Runs in My Blood | China Youth Portrait⑩

Editor's Note: At 33, Wen Shunyao, a Chongqing native, is a parkour coach at a local club. He's one of the leading figures in Chongqing's parkour training. Despite being perceived as a top student, Wen Shunyao decided to venture into the world of parkour after his sophomore year in college. Here is his story.

Passion for Beauty, Freedom, and Parkour

In my sophomore year, I discovered parkour through a movie, and I instantly felt like I had a connection with it, as if I should have known it long ago. Some people might view it as a risky endeavor, but for someone who has never been able to sit still, I knew at first sight that it was my kind of sport. After watching the movie, I went on a wild spree of searching for parkour tutorial videos and started learning by myself. This was back in 2007-2008, and a few people in Chongqing were already into parkour, forming various parkour groups. I played around with it for some time and eventually found many like-minded friends.

Actually, I used to do pretty well in my studies and often ranked first, haha. Before getting into parkour, I thought I'd become a civil servant after graduation. At that time, I hadn't considered what I wanted to do in the long run; I was just going with the flow. However, once I discovered parkour, my whole life changed. My passion for parkour made me deviate from the traditional path of being a good student. After graduating, I tried out other jobs, but no matter where I turned, I felt I couldn't stop thinking about parkour. I couldn't give it up and had to keep running.

This restlessness stems from the parkour practitioner's pursuit of beauty. We don't just do somersaults on flat ground for no reason. Parkour is a sport closely intertwined with nature. While running, we contemplate how to harmonize the movement trajectory of our bodies with the terrain we're in, creating graceful maneuvers.

I Once Regretted in the Mid-air

Parkour can be risky if not done correctly. About eleven years ago, I competed with a skilled Beijing practitioner. I wanted to challenge him, so I attempted a front flip from a high platform but regretted it mid-air. Hesitation causes the body to lose control; failures are almost inevitable in such moments.

Regret is also a common issue among novice parkour enthusiasts, and my way of overcoming this is to change my mindset. Instead of asking if this move can outdo someone else, I ask myself if I can do it. The first step is knowing that I can make the jump; the second is believing in myself, and then I go all out.

Not Jump on Roofs and Walls, But Stay Grounded

I've never really considered parkour as an extreme sport. While outsiders may see athletes leaping from rooftops and scaling walls, in our eyes, it's just what these athletes are capable of. If you can do it, how can it be extreme? Isn't the extreme about challenging what you can't do right?

Once you get a glimpse into the daily life of parkour practitioners, you'll realize just how safe this sport is. During training at the club, we have soft landing mats, professional protective techniques during instruction, and, most importantly, a gradual progression. We venture into outdoor practice only after countless 'safe training' sessions.

Like all sports, parkour has evolved into what it is today through the accumulation of countless experiences and lessons learned by those predecessors. So this is really a sport for everyone, where we can all participate and build on the solid foundation established over the years.

I hope to introduce more people to parkour. So, in addition to our daily training, club members and I also create short videos to attract and encourage more people to try it.

Chongqing's Natural Terrain Perfect for Parkour

The varied terrain in Chongqing, with its ups and downs, allows us to explore various parkour movements.

We often explore the streets and alleys of Chongqing, capturing parkour videos when we come across suitable spots and sharing them on platforms like Douyin (TikTok). We also made a parkour documentary before, visiting numerous old Chongqing landmarks, parks, abandoned factories, and amusement parks. We even captured moments when Yangren Street was being demolished. We hope to capture the hidden beauty of Chongqing through parkour videos.