APEX Movement Englewood, Boulder

Clambering up a brick wall. Vaulting over a railing. Somersaulting down from the top of a wall. It's all part of parkour. In APEX Movement’s 11,000-square-foot gym, parkour classes build a fitness foundation for students aspiring to these advanced tricks. APEX’s founder, Ryan Ford, mastered these moves—as well as basics such as quadrupedal movements, basic gymnastics, and freerunning tricks—through trial and error. Now that parkour has become a more established sport, he teaches newbies more efficiently than he taught himself, aided by a team of instructors. All have completed a 120-hour training program, and are well-versed in subjects such as “Demon Drills,” an online series focused on complex parkour stunts rather than on donning a horn-equipped headband.

The team complements their parkour training with a variety of other classes in gymnastics, freerunning, and daily changing CrossFit workouts. The gym also hosts solo workouts, where visitors can conquer Ninja Warrior obstacles such as the salmon ladder and the unstable bridge or bounce on trampolines and other gymnastics equipment. They can also wield strength-training tools such as kettlebells, dumbbells, and bells that have hands and try to push pack.