Learned to jump and conquered Hollywood: the story of parkour creator David Belle

The French stuntman has become the leader of the world parkour movement. However, he always warns his young followers that they should seriously think a hundred times before engaging in this extreme sport.

Luc Besson’s cult film “District 13” brought another dose of fame not only to the recognized master of cinema. Overnight famous for the entire planet became David Belle. Let’s learn his story in detail.

The role model was his father

David was born on April 29, 1973 in the small town of Fekan. Role model for him has always served as a father – Raymond Belle. The head of the family literally went through fire and water. He was an outstanding athlete and athlete, served as a soldier in the French army in Vietnam. It was in the jungle that Raymond developed incredible strength, agility and endurance. He moved easily and unnoticed by enemies through vines and trees. His coworkers even gave him a nickname – Force of Nature.

After his military service, Belle Sr. became a lifeguard and firefighter. Under his strict guidance David learned the secrets of martial arts, intensely engaged in gymnastics and athletics, running every day for several kilometers.

Young David arranged a real training ground in the vicinity of his hometown. He jumped over trees, stormed high walls, practiced jumps. His whole daily life was parkour.

Then it dawned on David that to improve strength and endurance, you don’t need gyms or special equipment at all. It is enough to have obstacles. By the way, David never finished school. At the age of 15, he dropped out of school and went to the city of Liss.

In the new place David began his service in the fire department. Just like his father, he became a record holder and champion of the regiment in rope climbing. Soon Belle met Sebastian Foucan, who became not only a friend but also a like-minded friend. He too was fascinated by the idea of parkour. And in 1987 the Yamakasi team was born, which quickly gathered about a dozen enthusiasts of a new kind of street sport.

The first disappointment became motivation

At first, David didn’t think about a stellar career. He just did what he loved to do. In 2002, he was invited to shoot a BBC commercial where he had to act as a stuntman.

David performed unique stunts and that famous jump from the roof to the roof of a multi-storey building. Virtuoso stunts and physical preparation of the guy made the directors and producers of the commercial clip open their mouths. Subsequently, this clip would win several awards.

David also expected to get a decent reward, because he gave his best and worked in the frame without insurance. Friends jokingly asked David: “How many Mercedes are you going to buy? Two? Three?”. But Belle received for the risks on the set of only $ 5 thousand, while the fee stunt director, who just watched what was happening, was much more.

David was upset and decided to create and promote parkour movement himself. Only he could fully appreciate its future impact on the world of sports.

Together with his father he developed the concept. He added new techniques, techniques from oriental martial arts and martial arts. Eventually David developed a fundamentally new and unique method of parkour, centered around overcoming urban obstacles.

“From a philosophical point of view, parkour is similar to martial arts, but instead of a specific enemy in front of you only obstacles that you must overcome,” – emphasized the essence of his approach the famous stuntman.

How to Belle came to fame

His undoubted talents caught the eye of Hollywood. In 2004, the French parkourist made an enviable offer – to star in the movie “13th District”.

Then followed two more parts of the action movie. After the release of Luc Besson’s films with the participation of Belle and his friends, a new sport has attracted a lot of young people.

David even admitted to journalists: “After a good training and good physical preparation, we know exactly what we are capable of and that we can develop without interfering with others. Respecting others, but also without interference from them. Nowadays I often have to make excuses, especially to police officers. But on the other hand, I understand them. When they see me climbing everywhere, they might think I’ve stolen something”.

Conflict with the team and leaving Yamakasi

Gradually, David began to become disillusioned. Alas, parkour had become more of a commercial movement than a sporting one. Only the founder himself and his loyal friend Sebastian Fukan adhered to the basic ideals.

Belle was even more angered by the fact that his once like-minded friends had completely changed the concept. David and Sebastian left the Yamakasi team. But their colleagues continued to promote the idea of parkour, encouraging young people to join their ranks.

Belle himself repeatedly emphasized that parkour is not just beautiful jumps that can be mastered in a couple of months. It is many years of training, the ability to control your body and mind, to use logic when staging stunts.

Belle was concerned that among the fans of the movement are many teenagers who without any training try to perform tricks seen in commercials and movies. Unfortunately, not without terrible tragedies and accidents that led to the death of young parkour fans. Then David once again noted how dangerous this sport is.

“I’ve been doing parkour for over a quarter of a century! I know everything about parkour. I am the one who initially put my life in danger for the existence of this sport! I made sacrifices and put my whole heart into it!” – Belle said.

Interestingly, David, despite doing all the tricks without insurance, has not suffered a single serious injury during his career. At most – sprains, bruises and abrasions. And that’s thanks not only to excellent physical preparation. Belle carefully thinks over the setting of jumps, the correct landing, listens to the body and calculates the possibility of overcoming an obstacle.

And now?

A few years ago, the stuntman shocked fans with the admission that he leaves parkour. The 51-year-old athlete rarely takes part in rollerskating and competitions. David himself holds parkour championships, he founded PAWA (Parkour Worldwide Association), whose members travel the world with his tour. Belle also has his own clothing line. Now David devotes more time to his wife Bella and his sons: Sébastien, Benjamin and Isaiah.