A Matlock man who climbed from the depths of despair to achieve death-defying feats of parkour has set his sights on breaking unofficial world records for jumping from height this summer – and he is shouting from the rooftops on social media about the lessons he has learned along the way.

By day Hurst Farm resident Louie Parsons, 35, is the site manager of the Whitworth Centre in Darley Dale, but in his free time he can be spotted in unlikely places and poses all around town like a friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man.

His adventures in the athletic training discipline of parkour began almost three years ago, as he searched for direction out of a crisis.

Louie said: “I was going though a dark patch – the kind of bad times we all might go through – and I wanted to do something positive so I wrote down all the things I was good at.

Louie Parsons can often be found in unusual poses and places around Matlock. (Photo: Brian Eyre/Derbyshire Times)

placeholder image — Louie Parsons can often be found in unusual poses and places around Matlock. (Photo: Brian Eyre/Derbyshire Times)

“I used to work as a roofer, and I had a trick of jumping from the scaffolding and always landing safely. I’ve always been flexible too, and I used to do flips as a teenager, so I thought I’d see if I could still do it.

“Parkour was something that intrigued me for a long time, so I moved on to training myself on small jumps, moved up to cliffs and roofs, and I’ve just kept pushing myself from there. It became like a light at the end of the tunnel, and it’s saved me in a way.”

Entirely self-taught, today Louie trains seven days a week, begins each morning with an ice bath and has kitchen cupboards stuffed with superfoods.

It is a lifestyle shift which illustrates an important component of parkour – freedom through discipline.

Louie says the discipline involved in parkour helped lift him from a dark time in his life. (Photo: Brian Eyre/Derbyshire Times)

Louie said: “The thing I enjoy most about it is feeling free. It gives me chance to express myself. Through both the physical and mental side, the whole experience has mad me think about life better and and I’m the fittest I’ve ever been.

“But the mental side is still the most challenging and the hardest to master. When you’re on top of a house or a cliff, or getting ready to jump across a river, everything in your body is telling you not to.

“You could seriously injure yourself, so you really have to trust your body and have confidence in your technique. You do it once, get more comfortable, then you go again and again until you progress further.”

Though he can scale buildings in seconds like many of the parkour runners whose videos circulate on social media, Louie’s superpower is getting down.

Louie discovered a talent for dropping from height in his former career as a roofer. (Photo: Brian Eyre/Derbyshire Times)

He said: “I’m trying to set a record for the highest ever drop on to concrete. I’m a couple of feet off at the moment – my highest is a cliff around 28 feet. I’ve already scouted a few locations around Derbyshire, and this summer I’ll go for it.”

There are few official records kept in parkour, given the variety of techniques and surfaces involved, and the unregulated nature of the sport.

The longest drop of the sort Louie is targeting is thought to be set around 32 feet.

The prospect is not without risks – and the Derbyshire Times cannot recommend trying any of this at home – but Louie has so far avoided any serious injuries.

Louie said: “Touch wood, I’ve always been lucky, and I always listen to what my mind is saying. If I’ve ever gone for a jump and I’m not feeling it, I’ll stop and come back next week.

“You have to make sure you’re in the right mental state, and be in flow, but the more you believe in yourself, the more you can achieve, and you push those limits bit by bit.”

Louie has also been lucky to avoid any run-ins with property owners who might not appreciate his presence, whether he is clambering up shop fronts, public buildings or abandoned structures found in all corners of Derbyshire.

He said: “If I’m doing anything on private property, I’ll go in and ask.”

While parkour is popular around the world and online, it is generally set in more urban environments. In a small semi-rural town it is Louie goes solo.

Louie said: “I’ve never encountered anyone else doing this in Matlock. The architectural environment is quite unique, but the buildings are perfect to climb with lots of great features, and it’s a very tranquil place to do it compared with big cities where everything is rushed. I feel very free here.

“It’s completely changed the way I look at the world. Everywhere I go I’m thinking: ‘Can I jump over that, or flip or twist off it?’ Before I began, I’d look at life as though it was set in stone, now it’s constantly flourishing.”

He added: “There is a big community to it too. Sometimes I link up with people in Derby and Sheffield to train, and I’ve done free lessons for kids. That social side of it is a big thing for me, and I’d like to get a group together and start travelling to new places to try stuff out.”

For the time being, Louie is reaching out to that community via his own social media channels, mixing parkour and calisthenics demonstrations with instructional videos and podcast conversations with his peers focused on positive thinking and overcoming life’s obstacles.

He said: “I want to give back and help people through everything I’ve learned, and I believe in manifestation. To achieve something amazing, set the goal, believe in it, and you’ll get there.”

To see more of Louie’s feats, go to youtube.com/@louieparsons, facebook.com/louie.parsons.3 or tiktok.com/@Louieparsons2022.