David Belle quotes

David Belle is a French actor, stunt coordinator, and founder of parkour. His innovative approach to movement inspired a worldwide discipline focused on agility and overcoming obstacles. He continues to influence generations of athletes and performers through his work and philosophy. Here are 16 of his quotes:

First, do it. Second, do it well. Third, do it well and fast - that means you're a professional. (David Belle)
If someone puts you in front of a 30m high wall, tells you to get over it, and then comes back two years later and you're still there, you've made no progress. You should find another wall. View quote
David Belle
Obstacles are found everywhere, and in overcoming them we nourish ourselves. View quote
David Belle
Parkour belongs to the ones who live it, not the ones who want to live thanks to it. View quote
David Belle
Our aim is to take our art to the world and make people understand what it is to move. View quote
David Belle
If you are in front of a wall that you cannot get past, would you just keep banging your head into the wall?... No, you would find a new wall. View quote
David Belle
Bare feet are the best shoes! View quote
David Belle
A little backflip (backflips), but it's not part of Parkour, but I like doing this since I did gym. View quote
David Belle
Down there we know, the streets we know, but up here? Nobody's been here. View quote
David Belle
Understand that this art has been created by few soldiers in Vietnam to escape or reach: and this is the spirit I'd like parkour to keep. You have to make the difference between what is useful and what is not in emergency situations. Then you'll know what is parkour and what is not. So if you do acrobatics things on the street with no other goal than showing off, please don't say it's parkour. Acrobatics existed long time ago before parkour. View quote
David Belle
My thing from the beginning is to have it be useful, and be able to help others. It's about being efficient and getting there as fast as you can. If people want to do it more artistically or in a freestyle way, I have absolutely no problem with it - that's the way it's going to evolve. It's not my style, but if it's other people's [style], that's perfect. (David Belle)
The evolution of Parkour sort of happens with time and age as you change, and the body has a certain memory of Parkour. There is a sort of thing that remains intrinsic, but then the choreography will adapt to whatever the necessity of each particular film needs. View quote
David Belle
Parkour is really a practice of getting to know yourself, what you're able to do, what are your limits. As you train, you start knowing what you can do. View quote
David Belle
We shouldn't force ourselves to do something that really is just painful to us. If there is a discrepancy between what we are doing or putting our bodies through and then what our minds are telling us, you really have to look at yourself, and the most essential part of it is the pleasure aspect. View quote
David Belle
Sometimes you have to stop something to really measure the passion that you have, and either you feel like moving, or you don't, and then maybe it's time to stop. View quote
David Belle
The Parkour is with me, and it will continue to be with me. It is something that I love, and it's intrinsic to me. View quote
David Belle