Every year since 2011 around the 20th of June, hundreds of parkour practitioners from around the world flock to San Francisco for the annual San Francisco International parkour Jam (SFIJ). Athletes from the Temecula community have literally attended every single SFIJ since its creation. The SFIJ consists of 3 days of training, community, and getting so sore you think you might have to go home early (but you don’t, of course).
Group photo from Day-2 of SFIJ 2015.
Freedom in Motion coaches along with several TPK community members will be driving up for the weekend of jamming to continue this tradition. If you’re hoping to attend, then you should prepare for a 7+ hour drive (leaving from Murrieta). Once you arrive you may be hoping to stay the night at a local SF Parkour athlete’s house, otherwise be forced fork up some cash to sleep In a dingy Motel 6 or sleep under the stars. Don’t let the long drive scare you off, the next 3 days are well worth the travel.
Jimmy Davidson jumping a gap at the Embarcadero Fountain in SF.
DAY 1 | Satellite Jam Day The Bay Area is a huge place. Traditionally, on the first day of the jam, the greater Bay Area movement Community coordinates about 10 jams all over the BA. From a high school session in Sacramento led by a local guide to a beachside cliff exploration. You and your friends just take a look at the event schedule and set your Google Maps for whichever of the satellite jams sound like the most fun. If you plan well enough, you might be able to catch an early jam, eat lunch, then meet up with a crew going out later in the evening.
(From right) Sam, Weston, Nick F, Taylor, Jacob, Spencer, Jimmy, Gavin, Josh, Nick moving from one speed course location to the next during a campus-wide speed competition.
DAY 2 | UCB Takeover Day two is always the biggest most unified day of the whole weekend. If you could attend just one of the 3 days, this would be the best pick in my opinion. Every year from dawn to dusk the SFIJ athletes completely takes over the University of CA, Berkley campus. Hundreds of parkour practitioners meet in the morning in front of the Doe Library for a massive group warm up session usually led by Community Organizer, Raul Piscoya. If you get the chance, make sure you say hi to Raul. He puts a lot of work into making the SFIJ happen each year, and he is overqualified to receive each and every hug he is given this weekend.
Jimmy flipping a gap at one of the iconic UC Berkeley training spots.
After the warm up, you have the option to explore the campus with your friends and check out the numerous small, medium, and large-sized training spots that decorate the campus. Most years, the BA community sets up a parkour competition of some kind on this day. Sometimes it’s a massive multicourse speed run or an Instagram-style competition. The best part is, they make these awesome looking gold parkour shoe trophies for the comp winners. Take a look, maybe you have noticed a few of these bad boys around in Freedom in Motion?
Day 3 | Head For the Bunkers Day three tends to be less training as much as possible, and more about coming together and taking it slow with the community. The day usually begins at Battery Godfrey, which is this massive concrete structure meant to be a WW2 bunker and cannon mount. Seated right beside the Golden Gate Bridge, Battery Godfrey is easily the most scenic location of this 3-day jam. Later in the evening, sometimes athletes will move into the city and have a cook out B-B-Q for one last community get-together. By this point, everyone is sore from all the non-stop training. Once the food is eaten, the final group photo has been snapped and cleanup is a warp, you look to your crew and prepare for the 7+ hour drive through the night to get home early Monday morning.
Group photo at UCB.
If you’re curious about attending a large Parkour Jam, the San Fran International is a great first experience. SFIJ offers locations for beginner and experienced athletes of all ages. The community is welcoming, and the egos are in check. This jam is all about exploration, community, and a good day of jumps. If you missed out on this year feel free to live vicariously through the numerous video recaps of this year’s jam that most certainly will trickle out via YouTube over the days following the event.
Taylor Cathcart with a huge 180 cat grab at UCB.
Click the links below to jump to the videos!
SFIJ 2011 (Lowest quality, but it’s fun to see TPK athletes so young haha)
SFIJ 2012 (This one is a Ninja Warrior course they had set up!)
SFIJ 2013 ( Best video out of the bunch, captures the true vibe of the jam) SFIJ 2013 #2 (This is a pretty solid recap from MuchRockness)
SFIJ 2014 (Best movement, loads of cool tricks) SFIJ 2015 (Clips of the huge speed course. FiM athletes took 1st place!)
SFIJ 2016 /17/18/19 — Actually, I don’t think anyone made a video of it in 2016. huh.
No SFIJ in 202/2021/22 due to covid
Temecula Parkour writes a thank you note to Raul for allowing them to sleep in his house and hosting yet another great event.
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