About
Dan
Edwardes
Working at the intersection of movement, learning, and human capability for over two decades.
I work at the intersection of movement, learning, and human capability.
For over two decades, my work has focused on a simple but increasingly overlooked question: how do humans learn to become capable in a complex, uncertain world? Parkour has proven to be a powerful lens through which to explore this — not as spectacle or performance, but as embodied education.
I am the founder and CEO of Parkour Generations, an international organisation dedicated to developing thoughtful, responsible approaches to movement, coaching, and long-term physical development. Through this work, I have helped establish parkour as a legitimate educational and coaching discipline, grounded in pedagogy rather than trend.
I was a founding figure in Parkour UK, the world’s first national governing body for the activity, and have been closely involved in building what is now the most widely adopted parkour teaching framework globally, the ADAPT Qualifications.
The work
Education
ADAPT Qualifications
The international standard for parkour coaching — a suite of accredited qualifications built to prioritise judgement, responsibility, and progression over performance alone. Now supporting thousands of coaches and educators worldwide each year.
adaptqualifications.comOrganisation
Parkour Generations
An international organisation dedicated to developing thoughtful, responsible approaches to movement, coaching, and long-term physical development. Spanning education, certification, schools, military training, facility design, and international operations.
parkourgenerations.comBook
The Parkour Handbook
A comprehensive guide to parkour philosophy, training methodology, and long-term development. Written for practitioners, coaches, and anyone interested in the deeper dimensions of movement as a practice.
About the bookTraining
PKGen London
London-based parkour training, courses, and coaching. Classes for all ages and levels, led by some of the world’s most experienced practitioners and educators.
parkourgenerationslondon.comCurriculum
Parkour for Schools
A dedicated movement education programme for schools, designed to develop physical literacy, confidence, and resilience in young people through structured, safe parkour-based activities.
parkourforschools.comWorkshops
Movement DNA
Immersive movement workshops for practitioners of all backgrounds. Exploring the principles, patterns, and philosophy of human movement across multiple disciplines.
movementdna.comBackground
Following a childhood immersed in martial arts, philosophical study and physical adventure, I went on to complete degrees in history and Japanese at Cambridge University before spending five years in Japan working as a university professor while training in some of the oldest and most venerated schools of fighting arts in the world.
Discovering parkour in 2001 when it was a fledgling discipline known only to a handful of people, I embarked on a lifelong journey into practical movement training and applicable philosophies, and have since delivered courses, workshops and presentations to tens of thousands of people in more than 40 countries, helping many go on to become certified parkour or fitness professionals themselves through his programmes.
Alongside education, my work has been featured across international media, conferences, and publications, and I have produced a considerable body of literature on parkour which has been translated into several languages and published across various media, as well as contributed to books, research-led writing, and public discourse on movement, expertise, fear, and risk.
I have also worked as a performer, choreographer, and consultant across film, television, and live projects for more than twenty years.
Today, my primary interest lies in long-term human development: how people learn to assess risk, manage fear, enter flow states, and build durable capability through contact with the real world.
I continue to travel internationally, working with coaches, educators, and institutions who share a commitment to developing capable, confident, and considered human beings.
This site is where I think out loud — about parkour, coaching philosophy, physical literacy, the science of movement, and what it means to train for life, not just for performance.
Milestones
Parkour Generations founded
One of the world’s first parkour organisations, built from the ground up in London.
Parkour UK co-founded
The world’s first national governing body for parkour, established to bring structure and legitimacy to the discipline.
ADAPT launched
The world’s first accredited parkour coaching qualification. Now the global standard, used by thousands of coaches across 40+ countries.
The Parkour Handbook published
A comprehensive guide to parkour philosophy, training methodology, and long-term development.
By the numbers
Work with Dan
Whether you are interested in consulting, personal coaching, or a speaking engagement, get in touch to explore what is possible.