Craig Constantine

Nancy Lorentz: Cancer, PK Move, and parkour spirit

What impact can parkour have on recovery and personal growth after a serious health challenge?

Nancy Lorentz opens up about her experience fighting cancer, and the role that parkour played in her recovery. She unpacks how her recovery inspired the idea of PK Move, and shares her ‘parkour origin story.’ Nancy discusses her thoughts on parkour’s growth and spirit, PK Move’s current goals, and finishes with her insights on how to attract older individuals to parkour.

[A]t the time of the diagnosis and going forward from there, I was not thinking about how parkour was part of this until afterward. I think once you are in that situation, you’re just going through the steps and getting through the treatment and what you have to do— the surgery or whatever. The fact is that, it did occur to me afterward— I thought, oh my gosh, [yes.] I really do say that parkour saved my life.
~ Nancy Lorentz (5:13)

Nancy Lorenz shares her personal journey of surviving cancer and how parkour became a crucial part of her recovery. She describes how the physical and mental resilience built through parkour helped her endure treatment and how this experience inspired her to co-found PK Move, a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing parkour to underserved communities. The conversation covers her introduction to parkour, the challenges she faced during and after her illness, and how the supportive community around her played a significant role in her healing process.

The discussion highlights the mission and vision of PK Move, which focuses on providing adaptive parkour training to individuals who may face barriers to participating in traditional gym environments. Nancy details how PK Move brings parkour directly to people in their own communities, particularly targeting older adults and cancer survivors. Additionally, she reflects on the broader impact of parkour and the importance of preserving its core philosophy as it expands into mainstream fitness spaces.

Takeaways

Parkour and Recovery — Parkour played a crucial role in aiding physical and mental recovery from cancer.

Community Support — A supportive parkour community can make a significant difference during personal health battles.

Inspiration for PK Move — Personal experiences with illness and recovery inspired the founding of PK Move to make parkour more accessible.

Target Audience — PK Move focuses on underserved communities, including older adults and those facing physical challenges.

Health Benefits — Parkour can improve muscle mass, mental resilience, and overall health, which are important for aging populations and cancer survivors.

Adaptive Training — PK Move adapts parkour training for people with mobility issues, ensuring inclusivity.

Expanding Parkour — The future of parkour may involve integration into mainstream fitness, but maintaining its philosophical roots is essential.

Overcoming Stereotypes — Educating the public and challenging misconceptions about parkour can help broaden its appeal to different demographics.

Strategic Growth — PK Move aims to scale its PK Silver program to reach more older adults, emphasizing fall prevention and functional fitness.

Resources

PK Move — A nonprofit organization co-founded by Nancy Lorenz that focuses on bringing adaptive parkour to underserved communities.

Urban Evolution — A parkour gym in Alexandria where Nancy Lorenz trained and found support during her recovery.

Forever Young Program — A UK-based parkour program focused on older adults, which inspired the PK Silver initiative.

National Breast Center Foundation — A foundation supported by PK Move’s fundraising events, helping underinsured women receive cancer care.

Tempest Freerunning Academy — A welcoming parkour gym that left a lasting impression on Nancy Lorenz during her travels.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

PK Move: Community partnership, programs, and seniors

What factors contribute to the success of PK Move’s mission to make Parkour accessible to underserved communities and older adults?

PK Move founders Nancy Lorentz, Jean Lam, and Rosy Noguchi sit down to discuss everything PK Move; how they started, the challenges they face as a non-profit, and the unique relationship they have with their community. The team explains PK Move’s mission, the specific groups they serve, and the programs they run, including their PK Silver seniors program. They unpack the details of the recent study conducted on the PK Silver program before delving into the pop-up playground program, and their current goals and opportunities.

We wanted to go to them, people who had some barrier to getting to the gym. Sometimes it is financial. Sometimes it is being intimidated.
~ Nancy Lorentz (10:50)

PK Move’s founders discuss their nonprofit’s mission to bring Parkour to underserved populations, particularly seniors and communities with limited access to traditional fitness facilities. They detail the origins of PK Move, describing how personal experiences and a shared passion for Parkour led them to develop programs that focus on inclusivity, confidence-building, and strength development. A major part of their work includes the PK Silver program, designed for older adults, which offers step-by-step Parkour training tailored to the needs of participants with low fitness levels.

The conversation explores the challenges PK Move faces as a nonprofit, such as fundraising and obtaining grants. They explain how they forged partnerships with local governments and community organizations to provide free and low-cost classes. The team highlights the success of their recent study, which demonstrates the effectiveness of PK Silver in improving cardiovascular health and strength among participants aged 60 to 80. Additionally, they touch on their pop-up Parkour playground initiative, which brings portable Parkour equipment to community parks to encourage physical activity in children and families.

Takeaways

PK Move’s origin — The nonprofit was founded to bring the transformative benefits of Parkour to underserved communities.

PK Silver program — A structured Parkour program designed for older adults with low levels of physical activity.

Community partnerships — PK Move collaborates with city parks and recreation departments to offer outdoor and indoor classes.

Fundraising challenges — The organization relies heavily on grants, community donations, and volunteer support to sustain its programs.

Accessibility focus — Classes are held in public parks and community spaces, ensuring accessibility for participants who may feel intimidated by traditional gyms.

Pop-up playground — PK Move created a portable Parkour playground to engage children and families in physical activity in underserved areas.

Health benefits — A university-led study demonstrated improvements in cardiovascular health and strength among PK Silver participants.

Volunteers’ role — The majority of PK Move’s classes and programs are run by volunteers, including experienced Parkour coaches.

Future goals — PK Move aims to expand to more cities and conduct additional studies to solidify their evidence-based program.

Resources

PK Move official site — The nonprofit’s website with information on programs, events, and ways to donate or volunteer.

American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) — The organization where PK Move’s study was presented, promoting health and fitness research.

Marymount University — Partnered with PK Move to conduct the PK Silver study on older adults.

Del Ray Business Association — A local business association that supported PK Move with fundraising and community outreach.

Movement Creative — A Parkour organization that inspired and mentored PK Move, providing equipment for their pop-up playground.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)