chilling with NICO STOPFORTH

Who needs gym when you’ve got buildings made for all the gravity defying stunts you can dream of? Jump right in, Nico’s here to tell you all about it!

What inspired you to take up this gravity-defying sport?

Action movies like The Matrix and stars like Jackie Chan influenced me to start experimenting with stunts and acrobatics. Also, shoutout to my friends who I train with and the awesome Parkour community in Cape Town.

How many years have you been doing it for?

I originally started playing around at 10 or 11 but this was mostly just jumping off my parents’ roof and doing flips on soft grass. I only started taking it seriously and learning proper techniques when I was about 17.

Finish this sentence: I do parkour because…

It makes me happy and it frees my mind.

What makes the perfect outfit for parkour?

Anything that doesn’t restrict your movement, durable and comfortable fabrics and shoes with grip are a must!

Any advice for someone who wants to get into the sport?

YouTube tutorials are your best friend - they really drill and focus on the basics like safety rolls and proper techniques when it comes to jumping, vaulting and landing. Don’t take it too seriously, don’t overthink it, you should just be having fun.