A wingsuit flier hits a target during a competition in Zhangjiajie, Hunan province. (ZHOU GUOQIANG / FOR CHINA DAILY)

Running, climbing, suddenly swinging and rolling the body, then jumping from a high wall－these smooth parkour moves provide 27-year-old Zhang Yunpeng with the unrestrained freedom he is obsessed with.

Like many other extreme sports participants, Zhang has gained a lot from the pursuit, both mentally and physically. His passion for and devotion to parkour have never wavered in the 11-plus years he has been chasing that elusive feeling.

He has never considered giving up, even during tough times when he was injured or lacked resources to practice. Instead, he constantly pushes the boundaries and promotes his sport.

Since the early 1990s, when they first became known in China, extreme sports have grown rapidly and become increasingly popular among young people, and although the sector is improving in terms of safety, experienced athletes still urge participants to practice carefully to avoid unnecessary injuries.

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Joy and risks

Zhang, from Datong, Shanxi province, holds a Guinness World Record for parkour. He started practicing the discipline in 2008 as a junior high school student who hated studying because he believed academic work was affecting his enjoyment of life.

He was immediately attracted when he saw parkour on a television program and started imitating the moves whenever he had enough time－he practiced on his bed, on stairs and in parks.

"Injuries are quite common among participants, but they can be avoided as long as the athlete trains step by step. People may have misunderstandings about parkour and think it is risky. I think it is a safe sport, even safer than basketball or swimming. Parkour masters practice their highly dangerous maneuvers hundreds of times, so they are fully confident when they undertake the moves. Also, the sport has boosted my agility and balance," Zhang said.

A paramotorist flies over a park in Hunan last year. (ZHOU GUOQIANG / FOR CHINA DAILY)

He does not believe that the sport itself is dangerous, but that some parkour athletes－known as "tracers"－introduce risks by recklessly attempting moves that are beyond their capabilities, which can have serious consequences. He has seen many friends sent to the hospital with training injuries, while one died after attempting a risky maneuver.

"Parkour is about respecting and focusing on the body and people's connection with the environment. You can feel the freedom and don't have to compete with other people, as in sports like basketball or soccer. Whenever I complete a new move I feel pure joy and my inner nature is released," he said.

Wu Enming, a professional longboard rider from Jilin province, said injury is inevitable for extreme sports' novices, but the pain enables participants to understand the pleasures earned and lessons taught by the pursuits.

"Nowadays, young people enjoy good financial circumstances and smooth lives. They need to go longboarding, feel frustration and pain and develop willpower. Otherwise, they could easily feel discouraged if they encounter setbacks," the 29-year-old said.

He has experienced countless failures and training injuries, but he has got back up again and again. If he gets scrapes and cuts, he simply covers the wounds with plastic wrap when he takes a shower. Sometimes when he injures bones and muscles, he may need to rest for one to two months, which frustrates him because he cannot ride his board. Instead, he devises new moves during the recovery period.

Wu said that unlike China's first batch of extreme sports enthusiasts, who had little knowledge and limited means to protect themselves, the current crop is more mature, so younger participants can learn from experienced devotees and avoid making too many mistakes. They can also enjoy professional training, which makes life safer. Of course, they also need to prepare for possible injuries, he said.

Limited resources

Initially, Zhang had no proper training partners or places to practice, while his hometown lacked professional guidance and other resources. However, after about a month, he discovered a parkour group in Taiyuan, capital of Shanxi, and joined it.

"The people around me had no idea how to practice parkour, so to continue my studies I had to take a train to Taiyuan every Friday and practice with the group at the weekend. I gradually discovered that I was quite talented and after training for about two months I surpassed all my peers," he said.

Initially, his parents did not oppose his interest. They thought the sport would at least help to cure his addiction to online games and improve his health, but after Zhang started getting injured they began to express concerns about his safety.

"I was quite stubborn, and I cared little about what my parents said. They knew I had a hard time finding something I was really interested in, so they kept their concerns to themselves and never stopped me taking part in the sport. I now realize that my biggest sporting resource is the support of my parents," Zhang said.

Liang Wenqing, 36, is a professional bicycle motocross rider and also coach of the Beijing Freestyle BMX team. Before taking up the sport, he had no interest in the things his peers enjoyed, such as basketball, soccer, toys or video games, which made his parents very concerned.

Then, in 1995, he watched a BMX competition on television and fell in love with the sport. He saved more than 1,600 yuan from lunch money, pocket money and gift money from his parents and relatives and bought his first bike in 1999. His BMX life really started then.

There were no professional BMX facilities for Liang to use, so almost every weekend for two years he rode many kilometers to meet friends in parks and practice.

"I just wanted to enjoy BMX and didn't want to take a career path. We were one of the earliest groups of BMX enthusiasts in China, so there was no one to guide us－we just had some magazines about BMX and a worn videotape about the sport. Today, riders can get systematic training materials online or receive professional training and purchase professional protective items for their head, knees and elbows," Liang said.

Li Wenjin performs a skateboard trick in Beijing in 2018. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

Dedication

Some of Liang's friends have quit BMX, having just wanted to experience it for a while and then return to other pursuits. He has never thought about giving up, though, and he keeps publicizing the sport as his passion and devotion push him to continue riding.

"My family has been concerned about my career development and my future. They think the sport will never bring me promotion, a good reputation and a stable life. But I will never quit. Every time I perfect a new move I feel real satisfaction," he said.

Despite his coaching duties, he squeezes in time to practice at least three days a week. He believes the challenge of the sport is endless, because even a world champion cannot claim to be the best and other riders always have the chance to set new records.

Li Wenjin, a professional skateboarder from Beijing, took up the sport in 2001. Two years later he gained sponsorship, so he quit his job in the information technology industry and focused on the skateboard, running an online shop and working in a skateboard store.

For the first few years, he felt confused about his prospects as a professional because China's skateboard scene was in its infancy.

"I tried many times to persuade myself to give up my dream of becoming a professional skateboarder, but my perseverance and love of the sport always overcame the difficulties and pushed me to carry on," he said.

Skateboarding has changed Li's attitude to life, providing the passion and willpower to face difficulties. As an indispensable part of his life, he is stepping up efforts to promote the skateboard culture.

Life-changing pursuits

Before he became interested in parkour, Zhang was introverted and stubborn. He appreciates the way parkour has changed his life, turning him from a shy boy who was addicted to online games into an energetic and outgoing young man.

He said if he had not taken up parkour, he might still be confused about life and lack a clear goal. In addition to parkour, Zhang has started working as a stunt director in movies and taken up acting.

"The sport has brought me honor and reputation in parkour circles and also changed my inner world. I am no longer confused, and it has given me the faith to face and solve all difficulties and break through my limitations. No matter what job I do in the future, the spirit I have learned from the sport will accompany me and help me conquer all obstacles," he said.

Wu's life has also been changed, thanks to the longboard. He has seen highs and lows, but he is grateful for all the experiences.

He took up the sport as a sophomore in 2012, and worked as an urban planner after finishing college in 2014. However, quit his "boring job" after a few months, because it was making him depressed, and moved to Beijing alone to focus on the longboard.

"I like the inner peace and happiness brought by the longboard, which my previous job could not offer. So, I set a goal, giving myself three years to focus on the longboard－if I could not achieve anything, then I would find another job," he said.

For a year he worked as a longboard salesman, living in a basement in Beijing and earning 3,000 yuan a month, which strengthened his desire to realize his dream. In 2015, when his mother and sister visited Beijing, he moved out of the basement and rented a new, smarter apartment. He decided to start his own longboard brand and take part in commercial exhibitions to raise his company's profile.

Extreme sports have had a profound influence on Wu, turning him from an unsociable youngster into an outgoing person. He has also made many friends by attending competitions and other activities.

Wu believes that doing extreme sports can bring one closer to nature. Riding the longboard makes him feel an almost childish wonder and he feels brighter, more positive and younger.

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Last year, Wu moved to Zhengzhou, capital of Henan province, and focused on his longboard brand, organizing competitions and operating new media platforms related to the sport. His parents have gradually changed their minds and now actively support his career choice. Privately, though, they still worry that his life is unstable and think he would be better off working for a big company.

"If I hadn't chosen this path, I would not have experienced so much. I have felt grief, confusion and hesitation during the past five years, but I have learned to overcome difficulties, constantly asking myself what I want and whether I am good enough. I am so glad I stuck with it, and the years I spent in Beijing provided enough spiritual wealth for a lifetime," he said.