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Parkour

The low-down: Parkour, or freerunning, turns the urban environment into a playground as ‘traceurs’ perform jumps, somersaults and twists over walls, lampposts and other obstructions. Offers a full-body workout but especially good for the glutes. Injuries are, clearly, a potential drawback. Try it here: Urban Freeflow (www.urbanfreeflow.com ) organises classes in London.

Calories burned: 500 per hour.

Weight loss: 6/10

Muscle building: 5/10

Strength building: 7/10

Toning: 6/10

The Parkour community in New York, USA, has just been dealt a big blow by authorities over there, who have banned the practise of ‘Parkour’ in the Battery Park location along with the surrounding downtown areas. Battery Park alone, has in recent years become a major hotspot for practitioners and this news coupled with the redevelopment of the Brooklyn Banks (another well known and much used NY hotspot) casts a dark shadow over all the good work that’s being done there right now. There is a jam planned there for the 29th as part of a protest. To find out more, go to the relevant Facebook group which can be found by clicking here