A traceur is someone who runs at a wall or the edge of a roof and then flips, leaps or falls with a grace mere mortals could only hope to imitate.

Traceurs practice the sport of parkour, an activity seeing an increase in urban areas, including Sacramento. Parkour, which was derived from “parcours du combattant,” a classic obstacle-course method of military training, requires no equipment except a traceur’s environment and enviable bravery. Practitioners leap, flip, roll and vault off various obstacles such as walls, rails and curbs.

The two primary tools needed for the sport are speed and efficiency, along with a healthy dose of fearlessness. Parkour can be practiced anywhere, but environments dense with obstacles provide the best opportunities for practice in urban areas.

Cody Krantz, traceur with NorCal Parkour, embraces what it means to practice parkour.

“Parkour isn’t really something you can put into words – it’s an artform. Its an expression of self that is different for each person. I think in order to fully understand, (people) should come participate in a jam (a parkour demonstration),” Krantz said.

Ted Uhrich is the founder and one of two Sacramento area coordinators for NorCal Parkour.

“(Parkour practitioners are) everywhere these days, in every major city,” Uhrich said. “We’re on every continent. No one funds us, no one manages our activities, no one is in charge. No one can pull the plug. We gather of our own accord and train each other; we travel to train with others like us to become stronger.”

Parkour flourishes in urban areas and Sacramento is just one of the cities that intrigues those who participate in the sport, Uhrich said. Fellow Sacramento area coordinator and traceur with NorCal Parkour Bryan Jenks is involved with helping this sport thrive in the community.

“I help coordinate events, set up carpools, pick locations, exchange a little money around if a member is in a pinch and needs some help getting to a jam,” Jenks said. “(Uhrich) and I both just moderate the group online, coordinate events and have a blast training with anyone who’s willing to come out and train with us.”

The owners of the gym in Rocklin, Free Flow Academy, have dubbed it “The World’s First Superhero Gym” specializing in parkour, dance, martial arts, acting and singing.

Corey Romines is the head trainer of Free Flow’s parkour program as well as an affiliate with Sac PK.

“Parkour is growing very rapidly, mainly (reaching people) through YouTube. When I first started, nobody knew what it was. How it’s growing is actually a bit of a problem because people see it online and they don’t realize a lot of those people are hurting themselves,” Romines said.

Some of the more popular Parkour videos on YouTube have upwards of 36 million views.

Romines’ concern over the safety of amateur and beginner traceurs is partly what drew him to instruct newbies at Free Flow Academy. Some amateur moves include leaping over a concrete partition while a more advanced move can be a back-flip off a wall.

“It’s great that a lot of people come to the gym and the NorCal Parkour guys know what is right and what’s wrong,” Romines said. “Ultimately, it depends on where you’re at (in your abilities) because parkour is pretty much about bettering yourself using movement. You can use it in the creative arts aspect like dance or defensively if you need to get away. Typically for doing the acrobatic style, it should take a lot longer than most people give it.”

Although Sacramento State does not have a parkour club yet, the NorCal Parkour team will be on campus for a jam, or demo, on April 7 to stir up interest in the sport.

“Parkour is about turning off your head and thinking with your heart and your hands and the balls of your feet,” Uhrich said. “Parkour is about becoming unique in that we create ourselves through long years of rigorous training, sacrifice, denial, pain. We forge our bodies in fire of our will. Catch me if you can – I do parkour.”