House Gymnastics is a sport

Sport

A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...

 created by James Robert Ford

James Robert Ford

James R Ford is a contemporary British mixed media and installation artist.-Work:Ford's projects include House Gymnastics , Feecal the little chocolate starfish , General Carbuncle and Six Degrees of Smoking...

 and Spencer Harrison.

This fitness regime is akin to an indoor version of Parkour

Parkour

Parkour is a method of movement focused on moving around obstacles with speed and efficiency. Originally developed in France, the main purpose of the discipline is to teach participants how to move through their environment by vaulting, rolling, running, climbing and jumping...

 or an internet based, Fluxus

Fluxus

Fluxus—a name taken from a Latin word meaning "to flow"—is an international network of artists, composers and designers noted for blending different artistic media and disciplines in the 1960s. They have been active in Neo-Dada noise music and visual art as well as literature, urban planning,...

"happening", which encourages maximum audience participation. The participant uses their surroundings in their house as apparatus. When someone performs House Gymnastics, the aim is to create human sculptures that last around 3 seconds. Viewers can sign up as members, submit photos and enter the Move of Month competition.

Origins

House Gymnastics originated during an attempt by Harrison and Ford to put up a bedroom blind. "The Brace" and "The 25th Element" were the first moves conceived. From there on in moves were being created on a daily basis. Language was developed to compliment the physicality of House Gymnastics, and new moves and areas of were given names. As such, words such as "busted" and "amped" were developed and entered the "House Gymnastics" vocabulary.

Injuries

Injuries due to the sport are seen as unfortunate, but inevitable, and one reviewer of the site and product said it would be more likely to lead to a trip to the hospital than a thrill, for people who aren't trained professionals.

External links

• Official House Gymnastics website
• James Robert Ford website
• House Gymnastics - the interview, December 2003, bbc.co.uk
• House Gymnastics - book review, December 2003, bbc.co.uk