Flipping and Parkour

So the other day I'm outside training and as usual I get approached by some youngsters maybe around 12-14 asking me what I'm doing. So I tell them I'm training in the art of parkour. So they respond "no you're not, people who do parkour can flip." I said "that's not always the case" and they respond "well if you can't flip then you don't know how to do parkour." You know the thing that I hate is that no matter who I've talked to who wasn't informed on what parkour actually is always reverts back to "Can you flip?" Look I train in the art of parkour a discipline that requires plenty of time and dedication in order to become efficient in movement. Now I'm not dissing any guys who trick or flip or any other moves that look awesome and appealing to the eye, I commend their talents actually. Me on the other hand I'm focused on the flow of movement, not the flashy aspect of parkour. Which people otherwise refer to free running is some thing that I'm not necessarily into. I don't knock other people for their choice in art style because its all a matter of freedom of movement, but don't knock me for not being into flipping. If you want to flip go right ahead, I train in parkour as a way to keep myself in shape as well its just plain fun. This is more or less an informative post about people who only look at parkour as flash and frills. Like any other physical activity parkour takes a lot of time and dedication just like basketball, skateboarding, swimming, or any other activity. If a guy can't dunk in basketball does that mean he can't be a future All-Star, if a cyclist isn't as fast as others does that mean he still can't endure the Tour de France and win it. I'm not saying this in reference to competitions but in life as well. Just because a warehouse worker isn't as strong as others does that mean he or she can't still unload a pallet, just because a cop isn't in tremendous shape does that mean he still can't chase down a guy on foot. Everything takes training and patience to endure anything in life. Those who choose to flip are doing them because they want to, those who don't do it because they don't. I happen to fall in the latter category. Sure I like to see guys who are athletic and trained enough to flip because it's appealing to the eye, but I don't discourage them by saying all you do is flip let me see your precisions. Its not about that its about encouraging others no matter what their skill level is. I wish the stereotype as it relates to parkour wasn't relegated to just flips in the public's eye. The media is part to blame for this but its also in the media that they look for grounds to entertain the masses. No one wants to get cancelled on tv so they have to portray things a certain way. It shouldn't be discouraged what a guy's skill level is in terms of their training, everything and everyone has their limitations to what they can and can't do and what they are willing or not willing to learn. We need to spread the word about the freedom of what parkour represents as well as what free running represents. It doesn't matter what you are whether you're a traceur, trickster, free runner, stuntman, whatever it may be, I encourage you to continue training hard in your craft and everyone TRAIN HARD!!!!