When most people walk past a parking garage, they might only think of parking their cars.

But to a certain group of people, this same building presents a plethora of possibilities. These agile folks practice Parkour or free running.

Free running is a mix of martial arts and gymnastics. It has become more popular in the U.S. in recent years, partly in response to music videos such as Madonna’s “Jump” and “Remember the Name” by Fort Minor. It has also gained popularity on Web sites such as YouTube.

On the American Parkour Web site, Parkour is defined as “the art of moving through your environment using only your body and the surroundings to propel yourself. It can include running, jumping, climbing, even crawling, if that is the most suitable movement for the situation. Parkour could be grasped by imagining a race through an obstacle course, the goal is to overcome obstacles quickly and efficiently, without using extraneous movement. Apply this line of thought to an urban environment, or even a run through the woods, and you’re on the right path.”

Raymond Bell, a French soldier in the Vietnam War, came up with the theory of Parkour by using it in search and escape methods. Belle passed his experiences on to his son, David Belle, who continued experimenting with new ways to move, and eventually created Parkour.

David Belle’s childhood friend, Sebastien Foucan, was the inventor of free running.

In the Roanoke Valley, several teens are traceurs (someone who practices Parkour).

Leon Mederos, a 19-year-old Virginia Tech student, could be considered an area master of the sport by free running for more than four years. He is a member of “Tribe,” which is the top national Parkour team in America.

“Fear plays a big part in what we do,” he said.

Chris Kessler, a Patrick Henry High School senior, said he and his friends always use caution while they practice.

“We always size up a jump, and don’t take any uncalculated risks,” he said.

But Parkour is not all about how far you can jump. Its focus is more about knowing what the body can do.

Parkour can be practiced almost anywhere, from schools to parks or sometimes on wheelchair ramps coming out of buildings. Though some people don’t ask permission before practicing on public property, free runners say they often leave as soon as someone asks.

“We don’t trespass because that is obviously illegal, but [we] just find a good place and if the police or the owners want us to leave we will, no questions asked,” Mederos said. “A lot of people think that we are destroying the property like skateboarders, but we are really careful and we try to take care of the property.”