A line of young boys hurdle towards a stationary ramp one by one, sometimes gracefully clearing the top while others underestimate the speed and footing needed to reach the top. One of the last boys swiftly propels himself up the structure and clears the top, supporting himself with one hand while kicking his legs out to his left.

“Good job,” says Kyle Groussman, co-founder of Move Free Academy. “You got that speed in four steps. Next time, see if you can do it in three.”

The boys are practicing parkour, an activity and form of exercise that revolves around finding creative ways to move from one point to another in an environment filled with obstacles. It reportedly originated in France in the 1980s and was developed from a military training program.

Unlike most sports, parkour is less about competing against others and more about personal betterment, Groussman said. He and his counterparts give individualized feedback to participants, and don’t generally set overarching goals for their classes.

The kids who take their classes at the South Bellevue Community Center float between different stations where they can practice on ramps, different courses or work on their reflexes by playing different games.

Parkour penetrated the mainstream after practicers began posting videos of themselves bouncing around rooftops and such on Youtube.

“There are people in the parkour community who have been doing this for years, and have no signs of stopping soon. If done correctly, it is, without a doubt, the safest sport. If done incorrectly, it is one of the most dangerous,” said Jaazih Stone with Move Free Academy. Untrained persons attempting parkour can experience various injuries, including to the head, arm and knees.

The organization focuses on building a good foundation of agility, balance and strength before attempting any distinguished parkour “moves”. A year into his parkour work, Stone himself has yet to master a standing front flip — in which the person flips forward without the use of any hands — and is not pushing himself to do so.

Most important is making sure their students have fun and challenge themselves — safely.

Move Free Academy conducts classes across the Eastside and conducts multi-week summer camps annually. They are hoping to open their own gymnasium later this year.