How to Freestyle Walk

Dunes on the Oregon coast

2009-02-15T21:01:00.001-08:00

This is a special one: the Leprechaun Layout. It's like the Leaping Leprechaun, but the torso should tend towards parallel to the ground.

And just because, here's a classic front tuck:

Presidential Inauguration edition: the Flagpole

2009-01-20T10:20:00.000-08:00

There's a difficult move called the Flagpole, taught to me by my father when I was a lad. He doesn't freestyle walk, but he taught me this move. I dedicate this video to The United States of America, on this inspiring day of President Barack Obama's inauguration.

Truck Stoppin' (Freestyle Walking in Rural Idaho) from Garrett Wesley Gibbons on Vimeo.

Freestyle Walking includes Parkour spoofs like this one

2008-12-09T11:21:00.001-08:00

Shameful, yet humorous.

PARKOUR from ijustine on Vimeo.

"A Day of Few Spoken Words" on Vimeo

2008-12-08T14:27:00.000-08:00

An amazing video showing some of the Parkour philosophy that is exactly in line with Freestyle Walking. I love the conversations. By some genious named Kaspar Astrup Schröder, at kasparworks.com

A DAY OF FEW SPOKEN WORDS HD from KASPARWORKS on Vimeo.

Truck Stoppin' in rural Idaho

2008-12-08T09:05:00.000-08:00

Truck Stoppin' (Freestyle Walk in Rural Idaho) from Garrett Wesley Gibbons on Vimeo.

More Portland photos

2008-12-05T13:29:00.000-08:00

It took me a while to get photos from my photographically-inclined friend, Nathan Cashion, but here is awesomeness:

This one has a story: I mistakenly thought that the orange rubber thing was a stiff post, so I Jumped into a handstand on it, holding it from the top with my feet straight above my head.

Of course, the rubber didn't hold, and this photo was taken about .2 seconds after I realized that I was going to be picking concrete out of my cheeks if I didn't act fast.

Lesson 4: Freestyle Walking to financial independence

2008-11-04T00:02:00.001-08:00

This is a photo of a prominent businessman in Nerja, Spain, pulling a foot-side seamless vault over a sign. Freestyle Walking in high society.

Lesson 3: Urban Freestyle Walking (Portland, OR)

2008-11-03T23:43:00.001-08:00

Brent, here, is a master at grace and finesse. His moves aren't large, like many of my old girlfriends, nor do they involve a lot of air, but they are fine-tuned and carefully crafted. Enjoy this gallery of his work.

Photography by Garrett Wesley Gibbons. Canon 400D, 18mm f/3.5 lens.
October 2008, Portland, Oregon. USA

I call this move (depicted in the "Safeway" shot) the "Toyota," since it involves jumping like the people used to do in those nerdy 1980s Toyota commercials. Nerdy commercial, sweet move.

The Koala stall is a type of Treehugger stall (very appropriate, given the proximity of the large SUV behind Brent). A Treehugger stall involves just jumping at a tree and grabbing it so the Walker sticks and doesn't move. I recommend long sleeves. The Koala stall is when the hands go to branches instead of hugging the trunk of the tree, as seen here. Very nice form.

Lesson 2: Nature Running is also Freestyle Walking

2008-11-03T23:37:00.000-08:00

Instead of fire hydants to jump over and rails to grind, try running down a trail and hitting a fakie off of a stump off of some trail somewhere.

Lesson 1: Freestyle Walking is a way of life

2008-11-03T23:23:00.000-08:00

Freestyle walking is a way of life.

It is a way to interact with history and your present surroundings, and shape your future.

Your future is freestyle walking.