An exploration of a traceur's experience of lack of progression in parkour: a grounded theory study
type: CreativeWork
description: Parkour is an exciting, complex and at times risky art form in the sporting world. Officially incorporated as a sport in the UK in 2017 (Parkour UK, 2019) but born in France almost 30 years ago (Belle, 2009). Parkour consists of practitioners finding a route through predominantly urban terrain, mastering various physical and psychological skills to overcome obstacles in the most efficient, effective way possible (Belle, 2009). Although initially proposed as a noncompetitive discipline, it is now headed for the Olympics in 2022 (Gillen, 2020). Possibly due to the relative novelty of parkour and the buzz surrounding it, little to no research to date has reviewed the deterrents, hurdles and various physical, mental, emotional and social stressors that practitioners may experience during parkour training, that is in direct relationship with the discipline’s practice and delivery hurdles. The main aim of this study was to explore accounts of parkour practitioners who no longer engage in the sport, to gain deeper insight into their experience of parkour training and the processes leading up to their stopping. The subsequent aim was to co-construct an explanatory grounded theory (GT) of the process. The study adopted a social constructivist GT methodology (Charmaz, 2010), initially using purposeful sampling, and recruiting four parkour practitioners. Refining the developing theory further, theoretical sampling was adopted, recruiting four further parkour practitioners and one gymnast for theoretical sampling. Overall, nine participants informed the co-constructed final GT model. The psychosocioemotional process co-constructed from the data indicated that participants experienced several forms of losses that were paradoxical. The losses could be attributed to an experience opposite to that anticipated, which in turn, over time, cost them a lack of progression (LoP) as opposed to meeting their needs. This led to such a significant struggle, it forced them to cope in various …
abstract: Parkour is an exciting, complex and at times risky art form in the sporting world. Officially incorporated as a sport in the UK in 2017 (Parkour UK, 2019) but born in France almost 30 years ago (Belle, 2009). Parkour consists of practitioners finding a route through predominantly urban terrain, mastering various physical and psychological skills to overcome obstacles in the most efficient, effective way possible (Belle, 2009). Although initially proposed as a noncompetitive discipline, it is now headed for the Olympics in 2022 (Gillen, 2020). Possibly due to the relative novelty of parkour and the buzz surrounding it, little to no research to date has reviewed the deterrents, hurdles and various physical, mental, emotional and social stressors that practitioners may experience during parkour training, that is in direct relationship with the discipline’s practice and delivery hurdles. The main aim of this study was to explore accounts of parkour practitioners who no longer engage in the sport, to gain deeper insight into their experience of parkour training and the processes leading up to their stopping. The subsequent aim was to co-construct an explanatory grounded theory (GT) of the process. The study adopted a social constructivist GT methodology (Charmaz, 2010), initially using purposeful sampling, and recruiting four parkour practitioners. Refining the developing theory further, theoretical sampling was adopted, recruiting four further parkour practitioners and one gymnast for theoretical sampling. Overall, nine participants informed the co-constructed final GT model. The psychosocioemotional process co-constructed from the data indicated that participants experienced several forms of losses that were paradoxical. The losses could be attributed to an experience opposite to that anticipated, which in turn, over time, cost them a lack of progression (LoP) as opposed to meeting their needs. This led to such a significant struggle, it forced them to cope in various …
author: Torchia, Kasturi D.
keywords: 610 Medicine & health, 790 Recreational & performing arts
date published: 2021
date modified: 2026-07-24T02:54:33Z
provider: London Metropolitan University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: London Metropolitan University