Freerunning facts for kids

A person doing freerunning in Mexico City.

Freerunning is an exciting sport. It's a lot like parkour, but with a focus on creativity. Freerunners move through their environment in cool ways. They climb, jump, and run over obstacles. These obstacles can be special structures or just things in nature or cities.

Freerunning uses moves from other sports. These include gymnastics, tricking, and breakdancing. Freerunners can also invent their own unique moves. They create special "flows" and "lines" as they move. For freerunners, being artistic is more important than being super fast.

The Start of Freerunning

Freerunning was created by Sebastien Foucan. He first talked about it in 2003. This happened in a documentary film called Jump London.

Cool Moves in Freerunning

Freerunners perform many different jumps and movements. Some of these are called "flips" or "mortal jumps."

Basic Jumps

These are some common and important jumps in freerunning.

Front Flip

A front flip is a forward somersault. The person jumps with both legs. They do a full rotation forward in the air.

Back Flip

A back flip is a backward somersault. The person jumps backward with both legs. They complete a full rotation backward in the air.

Side Flip

A side flip is a sideways somersault. The person jumps sideways with one or both legs. They do a full rotation sideways in the air.

Wall Flip

A wall flip uses a wall to help. The person places one foot on a wall. They then jump with one leg. This helps them do a backward turn.

Harder Jumps and Rolls

These moves require more skill and practice.

Eagle Roll

The eagle roll is a fast way to get over things. The person dives forward. They then roll smoothly. This helps them move quickly over obstacles.

Hand Plant

In a hand plant, the person jumps forward. They place their hands on an object. Then, they push their legs forward over the object.

Wall Run

A wall run helps freerunners climb higher. The person runs towards a wall. They jump and place one foot on the wall. They take another step up the wall. This gives them an advantage for climbing.