ZHANG LEI, vice president of Beiing Parkour Committee of Extreme Sports Association, passed away from a heart attack in Beijing on June 12, Chinese-language media reported. He was 39.

No further details concerning the circumstances of his death was available.

His name may not ring a bell to many people who are not familiar with China’s Parkour community, but his performance in the 2009 action movie “Bodyguards and Assassins” as a stuntman for Hong Kong kung fu star Donnie Yen during a chasing scene must have left an impression on those who had seen the film. Zhang showcased agility and creativity as he navigated various obstacles in the bustling streets of Hong Kong’s Central in 1906 with remarkable speed and efficiency.

He also served as Donnie Yen’s stunt double in films such as “Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen,” “Dragon,” “Iceman,” and “Special ID,” among others.

Zhang was an OG in the extreme sport of Parkour in China, and had spared no efforts in promoting the development of this particular form of “art of movements” in the country since his foray into the sport in 2007.

Zhang set up a Parkour sport club in 2008, and was actively engaged in all kinds of extreme sports challenges and competitions, taking home several prestigious accolades within the Parkour community, including the 2010 National Parkour Rally Championship. Working with his fellow Parkour pioneers, Zhang played a crucial role in formulating industry standards for the sport last year, guiding its development down the right track.

Zhang’s premature death sparked contemplation among the public, questioning the correlation between physical fitness and overall health, with some claiming that exercising doesn’t necessarily bring us health.

According to health experts, a heart attack may appear sudden and unexpected, but it is actually a long-built outbreak of a number of poor lifestyle choices and unhealthy habits, such as smoking and excessive drinking, staying up late, heightened stress levels and insufficient physical exercises.

It is a misconception that heart attacks are primarily associated with senior individuals; doctors caution that young people should remain vigilant and seek timely treatment if they have certain symptoms like shortness of breath and intermittent chest discomfort.

More importantly, regular exercises are effective means to prevent obesity and enhance cardio-respiratory fitness, which are vital to prevent heart conditions.

Originating in the suburbs of Paris, France, in the late 20th century, Parkour is a dynamic and expressive physical discipline that focuses on efficient traversal of urban or natural environments through physical agility and expression.

It is not confined to a specific set of movements or techniques; instead, it encourages practitioners to adapt and improvise based on their surroundings, becoming a form of movement art that transcends traditional athletic boundaries.

(Claudia Wei)