🚀Start a federation!

Build parkour in your country – step by step!

By the community, for the community. Always.

This guide helps you understand:

  • where your country is today

  • what you can do next

  • how to grow towards a national federation

  • and how to become part of Parkour Earth

👉 What if gymnastics controls parkour in your country?
→ Jump to this section

FIND YOUR LEVEL

👉 Click your level and see what to do next

  • What it looks like:

    • Few practitioners or individuals

    • No connection between people

    • No visible community

    What you can do:

    • Create a WhatsApp / Discord group

    • Share your parkour clips online on IG, YT, FB, TT (tag locations!)

    • Map spots in your town and beyond (use parkour.spot or pkspot.app)

    Opportunities:

    • You are a pioneer in your coutry

    👉 Goal: find others

  • What it looks like:

    • Small groups training separately

    • No connection between them

    What you can do:

    • Organise a jam with other groups

    • Create a shared name / identity (like “Parkour + Your Country”) to promote and bring together your community

    • start communicating by creating group chats or discussion groups

    Opportunities:

    • First real community connections

    • Start building a national identity

    👉 Goal: connect the groups

  • What it looks like:

    • Groups are connected and communicate with each other

    • Regular sessions/trainings

    • Still informal

    What you can do:

    • Rent a gym space (school, hall)

    • Build simple parkour equipment (visit STURDYmade group on facebook)

    • Start workshops for beginners

    • Create national social media hub, most likely on instagram and facebook (e.g. showing athletes from your country, with news and information about events)

    Opportunities:

    • Start teaching

    • First events

    • Growing visibility

    • Get together and establish a local formal non-governmental organization(s)

    👉 Goal: become organised

🧩 What if Gymnastics Controls Parkour in Your Country?

You are not alone. Many grassroots organizations struggle with gymnastics control of parkour, a lack of recognition and community representation, and barriers to creating national parkour federation.

What you can do:

  • Establish a non-profit ogranization (NGO) dedicated to parkour. If sport structures are blocked, consider operating through culture, education, or community sectors.

  • Document your activity consistently (events, athletes, coaches, workshops, participation).

  • Reach out to multiple industries and areas – sports, education, culture, etc

  • Increase your scale and visibility, and remain independent and community-led.

  • If multiple organisations exist → connect with those that share similar values

  • Build a national body connecting organisations → this is your foundation

  • Apply to Parkour Earth as an Associate or Affiliate Member

As you work towards recognition by sports institutions in your country, at some point formal confirmation of Parkour Earth's recognition may be necessary – we will be happy to assist by issuing an official declaration. Our distinctiveness can be strongly argued for:

  • a history of active opposition from the parkour community since the encroachment by FIG in 2017,

  • the existence of fournational parkour governing bodies fully recognized by local governments (UK, Czech Republic, Finland, New Zealand),

  • completely different competition formats and rules,

  • ultimately defining our activity, including recognition of outdoor training as a core part of the discipline.

Parkour is not a discipline within gymnastics.
👉 It is a distinct movement, culture, and sport.

We are not gymnastics.

#wearenogymnastics

👉[BECOME A MEMBER]

  • What it looks like:

    • Local organisations / clubs / parkour gyms

    • Coaches and advanced athletes

    • Indoor + outdoor training possibilities

    • occasional events, including competitions

    What you can do:

    • If you have a formal NGO, you can apply for government funding

    • Connect organisations nationally

    • Create a team and define roles (leaders, coaches, organiseres, media experts)

    • Support athletes to compete abroad

    Opportunities:

    • Talent development

    • National collaborations

    • Foundation for federation

    👉 Goal: build national structure

  • What it looks like:

    • National coordination (formal or informal)

    • Multiple cities connected

    • Shared communication

    What you can do:

    • Register your organisation legally

    • Define mission, values, structure

    • Apply for public funds - locally and/or nationally

    • Organize national events (jams, retreats)

    • Build national competition:

    Opportunities:

    • Access to Parkour Earth membership and support

    • Start international cooperation

    👉 You can apply as Associate Member of Parkour Earth

    👉 Goal: become a national federation

  • What it looks like:

    • Nationalfederation functioning

    • Events, training, education

    • Growing structure

    What you can do:

    • Develop coaching education

    • Develop national competition system (see PKE guidelines)

    • Train judges and organisers

    • Create national calendar

    • 👉 You can apply as Affiliate Member of Parkour Earth

    Opportunities:

    • National championships

    • Structured athletepathway

    • Stronger position with government

    👉 Goal: become fully recognised

  • What it looks like:

    • Recognised by national structures

    • Running education + competitions

    • Stable organisation

    What you can do:

    • Run national league

    • Develop long-term strategy

    • Represent athletes internationally

    • Collaborate with institutions

    • 👉 You can apply as Full Member of Parkour Earth

    Opportunities:

    • Qualification systems

    • International events

    • Athlete pathways to World Championships

    👉 Goal: lead and grow the sport nationally