Parkour bounding into schools

A young Adelaide man is showing there's more than meets the eye when it comes to concrete and scaffolding.

Travis Ranson is one of four South Australians in the running for a 'Young Australian of the Year Award', for his efforts teaching parkour, a sport which involves bounding and climbing over and through walls and buildings.

"[It's about] using the environment you're in, and getting yourself somewhere quickly and safely, so we train vaulting, rolling, jumping, climbing," Mr Ranson told Seven News.

"It turns heads, everyone. A lot of people stop and look."

Parkour has propelled the 23-year-old's passion into a whole new way of thinking, an "altruism" and "building useful strength and self-improvement".

"There's a whole philosophy that drives the training," he said, adding the inspiration came about partly from the opening scene in the James Bond movie Casino Royale.

Now Mr Ranson is sharing his passion. Each week he teaches dozens of people – from 10-years-old to those in their fifties – how to make the most of their surroundings. He runs free demonstrations and works with schools and disadvantaged kids at his city warehouse 'Point A', which was initially set up with Federal Government grants.

When he started parkour seven years ago, he was one of the first people in Adelaide to do so. Since then, the discipline has taken off in leaps and bounds.

While it may look risky, the sport teaches skills that are not too dangerous and are within the participant's own limits, say participants.

The Young Australian of the Year winner will be announced in November.

For information on parkour classes, head to the 'Point A' Facebook page.