Slorunner Freerunning offers Parkour classes for the whole family
Parkour and freerunning classes are available at Slorunner Freerunning, the only studio of it’s kind on the Central Coast.
– The French discipline known as Parkour can now be practiced right here on the Central Coast at Slorunner Freerunning in Paso Robles. Parkour is a unique movement discipline that focuses on participants learning about how to get from point A to point B in the most efficient way possible. This is done using only the human body and the surroundings for propulsion, with a focus on maintaining as much momentum as possible while still remaining safe.
Freerunning is a ease of movement discipline with the addition of acrobatics for amusement purposes. Freerunning and Parkour can include running, climbing, swinging, vaulting, jumping, rolling, quadrupedal movement, and other, similar movements depending on what movement is deemed most suitable for the given situation.
“We try to encourage parkour as a family fitness lifestyle,” said Slorunner co-owner Orion Dow. “One of our mottos is, ‘Any size, any shape, any age…. Parkour is for everyone!'”
Slorunner began in 2009 as a club with a small group of advanced students from the Parkour and Freerunning program that the owners ran at the local YMCA. Eventually the traceurs —the name for the practitioners of parkour— outgrew the space. The group then moved to a gymnastics training facility, but after a while, it became evident that they needed a specialized training gym.
Slorunner Freerunning officially opened their doors in October 2014. They are now the only Parkour and Freerunning specialty gym in San Luis Obispo County and one of the only ones in the state of California. Their goal is to lead the Parkour industry to new heights with standardized teaching systems, regular competitions and a “fun for the family” environment.
“The focus of Slorunner Freerunning is to provide an environment enabling a person to learn the physical skills, the personal drive and the self discipline that are the foundations of all traceurs, and the cornerstone of the international culture of movement that parkour has become,” said Dow.
The group recently performed at the Mid-State Fair.
Slorunner trains boys and girls of all ages and skill levels. They endeavor to inspire a lifetime love of fitness through movement and acrobatic fun. The staff at Slorunner Freerunning are focused on helping each and every student meet their greatest human potential at their own pace.
The group recently performed at the Mid-State Fair, and they offer monthly challenge events. The challenge is $10, and is open to everybody ages five and up. Participants run the obstacle course four times:
one timed run, one scored run, and two timed & scored runs. Challenges begin at 9 a.m. and run for two hours. New participants are asked to arrive at 8:30 for safety training. Upcoming challenges are scheduled for:
• August 8
• September 12
• October 10
• November 12
• December 12
Slorunner Freerunning also offers what they call, “Parents’ night off,” where they offer 3.5 hours of child sitting on the first and third Friday of every month from 6-9:30 p.m. The nights are open to kids ages 5-15. They provide a pizza dinner, parkour play. a snack and show a movie.
Slorunner Freerunning is located at 1131 Creston Rd., Unit 104 in Paso Robles. For more information about Slorunner Freerunning, call (805) 369-2070, or visit their website at slorunnerfreerunning.com.
