Chris Rowat started freerunning in 2003 after watching a documentary on TV.

CHRIS ‘BLANE’ ROWAT started freerunning after being inspired by a documentary on an English television channel in 2003. The rest is history as he has gone on to become one of Parkour Generation’s most successful coaches and advocates.  

In this exclusive interview Chris talks to us about his journey into the discipline as well as his passion for teaching and working with young people. Read on to find out about his optimism for the year ahead and the new travels it will take him on.

You can find out more about Parkour Generations at parkourgenerations.com.

When did you first start out in freerunning and what inspired you to get involved?

I started training in 2003 after watching the Channel 4 documentary called Jump London. The feature showed some of the first and second generation practitioners running, jumping and climbing all over London’s most famous landmarks and as soon as I saw the movements I knew it was something I had to try. I fell in love with it pretty quickly and never looked back.

What had your sporting background been and what were any successes you’d had in the past?

I grew up climbing trees and jumping around my local playgrounds as a kid and prior to Parkour/freerunning. I spent years playing basketball and training in martial arts, particularly karate. I’ve always had more interest in the training side of those sports/disciplines than the competitive side so Parkour was a perfect outlet for me.

Tell us about your work as a senior coach and manager at Parkour Generations?

Every day is quite different for me which is why I love my job so much. My week can range from coaching indoor and outdoor classes for small groups and one-to-one private tuition for clients, Parkour training for stage actors, providing action for movies or choreography for films. I also deliver and assess ADAPT which is our global certification system for Parkour coaching all over the world. I am lucky enough to get to travel around the world and meet other communities and coaches and share our training methods with others.

The art of freerunning can make use of almost any urban landmark.

Who are the people you work with most and what message do you try to instil in them?

I work a lot with young adults who are trying to find a sense of identity and push themselves to see what their bodies and minds are capable of. Parkour provides a true test of one’s capabilities physically and psychologically and it’s very easy to measure your progress over the early weeks and months. We try to show people how to use their bodies in a new way and it’s a great compliment to us when a student reaches a stage in their training where they are figuring things out for themselves and finding new solutions to challenges and movements that are unique to them. Our ultimate goal is to make our students self-sufficient and independent.

Chris during a coaching session.

What can our readers expect from your training videos and what do you think has made them so popular?

I guess I’ve always focused on quality of movement over size and scale so I’ve been told my movements are quite refined and precise.

Totally in control: Chris shows why he is one of the most respected Parkour coaches in the UK.

What other sports and extreme sports are you also currently involved in?

Currently I spend a lot of time at the climbing wall and supplement my Parkour training with weight lifting.

Do you have any exciting plans for 2016 and beyond?

2016 is going to be a huge year for Parkour and for Parkour Generations. We have many international workshops, seminars and courses scheduled for the first quarter of the year and this month alone I’ll be in Boston, New York and Beijing for Parkour related work and coaching. Travelling is probably the most exciting part of my job.