The Founder of Freerunning, Sebastian Foucan
# The Founder of Freerunning, Sebastian Foucan
## The Early Beginnings
This inspiring story starts on May 27th, 1974 in Paris, France. Each time Sebastian did something it was preparing him for his future. He quickly learned of his fear of heights and found a love for Dragon Ball Z. In the 90s, Sebastian decided to express himself through an innovative sport called parkour. Being one of the first to live and breathe parkour with a dozen of young men in Lisses and Evry, France, through the art of movement, Sebastian started to become stronger physically and mentally.
## Overcoming Challenges
This group of traceurs was incredibly hard to join and stay a working part of. This left Sebastian with a big problem, his fear of heights. Every member of this group had to work on the same jumps and learn the same skills, with absolutely no excuses. If Sebastian didn’t want to do a certain jump, because of his fear, he had to work twice as hard to keep up with these other athletes. If he didn’t do the jump, he would hinder the group and Sebastian would be kicked out. Parkour started as a game of ninjas and superheroes with this group of children.
## Evolution to Freerunning
The older they got, the scarier and harder challenges became. To stay part of the group, Sebastian had to free his mind so he could keep the freedom he desperately needed, and most importantly, not lose his inner child. This group of traceurs was soon named the Yamakasi and is responsible for the sport we have today. After learning and growing with the team, Sebastian still had not found his limits. So Sebastian leaves the Yamakasi in search of a new path to truly pass his limitations, coming up with freerunning, or parkour with flips. This changed his training from efficiency based to creativity by transcending his own discipline and following the values Bruce Lee followed.
## Influence on the World
Sebastian once again left his comfort zone. In 2003, Jump London a documentary showed Sebastian and three French free runners doing their discipline in London’s greatest architecture. Sebastian Foucan was able to teach the world what “Freeing your mind” is. This video showed the world what it means to not be confined by your environment and the video was popular enough to get a sequel, Jump Britain. This time being with Sebastian Foucan and Urban Free Flow, a popular parkour team. And boom! Freerunning has exploded, leaving Sebastian even closer to his biggest goal.
## Facing Fears and Triumph
Sebastian started to put in countless ads for his stunts, was chased by an angry chicken, and soon going to be in a James Bond movie, Casino Royale. This is where Sebastian would have to face his biggest test yet, having to do huge stunts in a James Bond movie and then Sebastian can truly be triumphant. Everything was going perfectly, until Sebastian Foucan learned about his first stunt, jumping from one crane to another crane extremely high in the air. Sebastian’s fear of heights was getting in the way of his success, but he was not going to let that happen. To beat his fear, Sebastian had to ask himself three questions: What am I risking, Why am I doing this, and How is my ability to stay focused? After reflecting, Sebastian felt ready and decided to get used to the crane’s environment. He climbed around the crane with strong focus and determination and was ready. Sebastian had to become less afraid of being afraid to find success.
## Legacy and Inspiration
Beyond his parkour and freerunning feats, Sebastian is a hero in many other ways. He is a father and a firefighter, a humble and wise soul who inspires millions. His story teaches us the importance of imagination and the power of pushing our boundaries, both physically and mentally. Thank you, Sebastian Foucan, for being a true inspiration to us all.
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