MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. — A new parkour studio is just a hop, skip and a jump away in Milledgeville. If you're not familiar with parkour, it's an athletic training discipline where the athlete attempts to get from point A to point B in the most fluid way possible.
It involves running, jumping, swinging, climbing, flipping and tricking. It's not easy, but the people over at Dynamic Movement Academy Parkour make it look that way.
Owner Steven Graham started working with married couples on dancing and then got into parkour, which took over everything else.
Graham has five kids who parkour around the house, but they're not going to classes just yet.
"My wife, she works much harder than me, she stays at home with the kids," he said.
And that's saying a lot since Graham could potentially break bones every day.
He says safety is his top priority, but what's also important is the lesson in parkour too. Their motto is "be strong to be useful."
"Be strong so you can help others," Graham said. "I don't see obstacles like I used to... In DMA parkour we like to see our obstacles as something that lies in the path, becomes the path. Something that stands in the way, becomes the way."
Graham sees a lot of kids and he also has an adult class. 51-year-old Chris Chapman goes each week.
"When you hit your 50s, things slow down, and this kind of speeds it back up. Plus, most of the people in the class, even the adult class, they're a little younger, so they kind of keep you motivated," he said. "By the end of the hour, I'm kind of like a puddle on the floor. It's a really good feeling."
The sets change every week. You can challenge yourself on speed, tricking, or play world chase tag.
There are also bands you can earn from white to black after passing skills tests, like in karate.
"Whatever you think you can do, you can achieve. That's what I always say to myself when I think I can't do something," said 11-year-old student, Aedan.
They have classes at 4 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. Adult classes are Tuesdays from 7:30-8:30 p.m.
If you're interested, they are located at 571 Hammock Rd NW and have directions on their Facebook page.
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