Passion, pride and pain build character

Running, climbing, suddenly swinging and rolling the body, then jumping from a high wall－these smooth parkour moves provide 27-year-old Zhang Yunpeng with the unrestrained freedom he is obsessed with.

Like many other extreme sports participants, Zhang has gained a lot from the pursuit, both mentally and physically. His passion for and devotion to parkour have never wavered in the 11-plus years he has been chasing that elusive feeling.

He has never considered giving up, even during tough times when he was injured or lacked resources to practice. Instead, he constantly pushes the boundaries and promotes his sport.

Since the early 1990s, when they first became known in China, extreme sports have grown rapidly and become increasingly popular among young people, and although the sector is improving in terms of safety, experienced athletes still urge participants to practice carefully to avoid unnecessary injuries.

Joy and risks

Zhang, from Datong, Shanxi province, holds a Guinness World Record for parkour. He started practicing the discipline in 2008 as a junior high school student who hated studying because he believed academic work was affecting his enjoyment of life.

He was immediately attracted when he saw parkour on a television program and started imitating the moves whenever he had enough time－he practiced on his bed, on stairs and in parks.

"Injuries are quite common among participants, but they can be avoided as long as the athlete trains step by step. People may have misunderstandings about parkour and think it is risky. I think it is a safe sport, even safer than basketball or swimming. Parkour masters practice their highly dangerous maneuvers hundreds of times, so they are fully confident when they undertake the moves. Also, the sport has boosted my agility and balance," Zhang said.

He does not believe that the sport itself is dangerous, but that some parkour athletes－known as "tracers"－introduce risks by recklessly attempting moves that are beyond their capabilities, which can have serious consequences. He has seen many friends sent to the hospital with training injuries, while one died after attempting a risky maneuver.

"Parkour is about respecting and focusing on the body and people's connection with the environment. You can feel the freedom and don't have to compete with other people, as in sports like basketball or soccer. Whenever I complete a new move I feel pure joy and my inner nature is released," he said.

Wu Enming, a professional longboard rider from Jilin province, said injury is inevitable for extreme sports' novices, but the pain enables participants to understand the pleasures earned and lessons taught by the pursuits.

"Nowadays, young people enjoy good financial circumstances and smooth lives. They need to go longboarding, feel frustration and pain and develop willpower. Otherwise, they could easily feel discouraged if they encounter setbacks," the 29-year-old said.

He has experienced countless failures and training injuries, but he has got back up again and again. If he gets scrapes and cuts, he simply covers the wounds with plastic wrap when he takes a shower. Sometimes when he injures bones and muscles, he may need to rest for one to two months, which frustrates him because he cannot ride his board. Instead, he devises new moves during the recovery period.

Wu said that unlike China's first batch of extreme sports enthusiasts, who had little knowledge and limited means to protect themselves, the current crop is more mature, so younger participants can learn from experienced devotees and avoid making too many mistakes. They can also enjoy professional training, which makes life safer. Of course, they also need to prepare for possible injuries, he said.