We all know that the concrete mixer has been instrumental in the development of urban landscapes, cities, and business districts. But one thing that often passes over our heads unnoticed is the role that the concrete mixer plays in shaping modern sports. Without concrete mixers to facilitate the building of skate parks, promenades, basketball courts, and BMX parks, we would never have known about the possibilities of sporting activities in our very own concrete jungles.

 

Traditional sporting has almost always involved grassy fields and open air, but within modern cities we have had to become more innovative in how we design and build recreational facilities for local athletes to enjoy. In this sense, concrete has become a significant material, and the concrete mixer is its equally important counterpart— so, if you’re interested in learning how these two resources have played a role in shaping urban exercise, then read this article.

 

The History Of Concrete Is Deeply Intertwined With Sporting

 

The history of urban sports is closely intertwined with the history of concrete. The rise of concrete usage began as early as 300 BCE in Ancient Rome, with Romans developing their own ‘opus caementicium’ using volcanic ash, lime, and rubble. This concrete was famously used for the development of the Pantheon and the Colosseum, which are still lauded for their architectural innovation and achievement.

 

But along with this creation of Roman concrete also came two historical types of sport: chariot racing (which took place in massive concrete stadiums known as a ‘circus maximus’) and gladiator combats (which took place in amphitheatres, such as the Flavian Amphitheatre). Without the innovative application of concrete to grand, large-scale construction projects such as these, who knows how the sporting world would have developed?

 

Since then, the relationship between concrete and sport has become less obvious. In the Middle Ages, and particularly during the Renaissance, concrete was applied to classical architecture, as well as fortifications and bridges that did not necessarily overlap with any particular sporting developments. Likewise, during the Industrial Revolution, the early 20th century, and the Post-World War II era, concrete was used and viewed primarily as a construction material that could assist in the creation of residential, commercial, and industrial construction. It was a useful material that was applied to infrastructure projects such as the building of highways, dams, and skyscrapers. Reinforced concrete was particularly useful for these types of buildings and projects because it offered increased strength and durability at a cost-effective rate.

 

But in the late 20th century, the widespread use of concrete throughout the world has led to some new and surprising developments. Today, with a huge portion of the population living in urban areas, certain people have pioneered new ways to make use of concrete outside of residential and industrial construction projects. Nowadays, concrete is being used to build major sporting arenas and stadiums, and it has become the number one material for the development of recreational and competitive sporting areas like skateparks, BMX parks, and street basketball courts, to name a few.

 

Hard concrete surfaces, which are produced with the help of a tool such as the concrete mixer, make the perfect site for athletes to bust out tricks, turns and chases. Concrete parks developed particularly for sports allow locals to enjoy physical fitness and sports without having to escape to fields and countryside far away from city centres — and what has resulted is the increased popularity of urban sports.

 

Urban Sports

 

 

Parkour

 

Parkour is a sport dedicated to overcoming physical obstacles using one’s body, and it usually involves the navigation of urban landscapes using efficient movement and acrobatic tricks. If you live in a city, you’ve likely seen guys doing backflips off of ledges, or running and jumping from balcony to balcony. This is a sport that has become increasingly popular in the last few years, and chances are that once you notice it, you’ll see it everywhere.

 

There are entire competitions, channels and social media accounts dedicated to parkour. The sport can involve anything from scaling walls to flipping over railings or jumping up and down stairs, essentially utilising whatever surfaces exist, but also definitely working with concrete.

 

The movement has been linked to David Belle’s military obstacle course training, which was developed in Paris in the late 20th century — but it has definitely evolved to a global practice over time. This is a sport that requires flow, seamless transitions, flexibility, strength, and precision. Naturally, there is a lot of risk involved in doing such major tricks and turns in busy cosmopolitan environments, and injury is always a possibility.

 

Practitioners, also known as traceurs or traceuses, have to be very vigilant when it comes to their safety. This requires a lot of conditioning and training, but if you’re just an enthusiast, then you can also enjoy watching and following some of the competitions listed below.

 

Parkour Competitions:

 

• 2023 Montpellier Parkour World Cup
• World Parkour Championships
• International Parkour Federation (IPF) Sponsored International Parkour “Jump Off”
• World Freerunning Parkour Federation Sanctioned Competitions
• Zenith International Parkour Games
• Brick Parkour Asian Tour
• FIG Parkour World Championships

 

Skateboarding

 

 

Skateboarding is probably one of the most well-known urban sports of the 20th and 21st centuries, becoming particularly popular in the 1960s and 1970s. Taking a lot of its influences and technical know-how from surfing, this sport has adopted the essence of surfing to the streets. For those who cannot access ocean waves, coastline, and beachfront, skateboarding serves as a welcome alternative for people living in cities and urban areas.

 

The skateboard, which is a flatter board with four wheels attached, is the perfect piece of equipment to manoeuvre around concrete surfaces with ease, while also offering skaters the fun opportunity to attempt tricks, turns, jumps, spins, flips, slides, ramps, rails and ledges. In particular, the development of polyurethane wheels during the 70s made skateboarding on roads and ramps built with concrete even easier.

 

Then there’s also the fashion, culture and media that surrounds skateboarding — all of which contributes to the overall hype of this recreational and competitive sport. If it wasn’t for famous documentaries like Dogtown and Z-Boys, or their autobiographical Hollywood counterparts, Lords of Dogtown, who knows how our culture would have progressed? The association of skateboarding with Venice Beach and laidback Californian culture has made a lasting impression on people who want to enjoy physical exercise as well as a sense of cool.

 

What’s more, professional athletes like Tony Hawk, Rodney Mullen, and Stacy Peralta have elevated the sport to new levels, bringing it into the wider public eye and further mythologising the sport as an important part of the rebellious, alternative urban lifestyle. When complemented by a wide range of skater video games, skate-centric fashion and music, you have yourself the perfect sport fit for people living in and amongst the concrete.

 

Famous International SkateParks Developed With The Help of a Concrete Mixer

 

• Pietrasanta, Italy
• Gratitude Trails, Andros, Greece
• Stockwell, London, England
• Mystic Skatepark, Prague, Czechia
• Aljada Skatepark, Sharjah, UAE
• Bowl du Prado, Marseille, France
• Kaos Temple, Oviedo, Spain,
• Livingston Skatepark, Scotland
• Pura Pura, La Paz, Bolivia
• Famous Local Skateparks Developed with the Help of a Concrete Mixer
• The Shred Skatepark, Cape Town
• Hout Bay Eyethu Skatepark, Cape Town
• North Beach Skatepark, Durban
• The Wave House SkatePark, Durban
• Langebaan SkatePark, Cape Town
• Thrashers Skatepark, Pretoria
• Menlyn Skatepark, Pretoria
• Milpark Skatepark, Johannesburg

 

Street Basketball

 

 

In urban environments, street basketball is one of those accessible sports that can become a vital source of exercise and socialisation in public parks, schoolyards and neighbourhood courts. Street basketball requires minimal equipment and essentially can be played and enjoyed by any person, of any age, ethnicity, or skill level. This is one of those sports that anybody is welcome to jump in on, and the fact that it happens in public courts and spaces also makes it a low-cost means of staying fit. Unlike the more serious and formally organised basketball leagues, street basketball is all about fun and freedom of expression. This is where players can get experimental with their style, enjoy networking with locals, and enjoy the sport purely for the love of it.

 

Street basketball has long been entwined with street culture, especially in places like New York City. It is widely associated with a particular branch of subcultures: street fashion, art, music, and entertainment. It has resonance with many celebrities, and is widely respected for its contribution to skills development for kids in cosmopolitan and urban environments. Street basketball is a sport that has allowed many to enjoy the freedom of mixed matchups, dynamic plays, ball-handling, shooting, and teamwork in a more localised setting. When there is a lack of resourcing for formal basketball courts, the hard surfaces of concrete courts offer a great alternative for both players and spectators to continue enjoying the game, even in a cityscape.

 

• Famous Street Basketball Courts
• Rucker park, Harlem, New York City
• Mosswood Park, Oakland, California
• Pigalle Outdoor Court, Paris, France
• City Wall Rooftop Court, Dubrovnik, Croatia
• The Hole, Brooklyn, New York City
• The Cage, Manhattan, New York City
• The West Fourth Street Courts, Greenwich Village, New York City
• Dyckman Park, Manhattan, New York City
• 4th Ward Park, Linden, New Jersey

 

Roller Derby

 

 

Roller derby is a contact sport that involves two teams skating counterclockwise over an oval track, usually laid out with the help of a concrete mixer. Each team has 5 players, each with their own unique skills. Roller derby is a game of physical endurance and strength, as it requires a lot of strategy, physicality, and athleticism to stay up on the track, especially in the face of tough opponents. Among the team, you will find one jammer and four blockers. The jammer works to score points by passing and overlapping other teammates, while the blockers attempt to stop them from scoring points by physical contact and force.

 

Roller derby is a relatively new sport that has definitely been associated with industrial growth, and especially the evolution of female-driven sportsmanship. Roller derby is a vibrant and inclusive sport that is as colourful as it is rough, with plenty of performative tropes intertwined within it. The sport makes use of large open tracks and concrete surfaces as the perfect location for easy gliding on rollerskates. The smoother the track or the concrete, the easier it is to navigate the track and score points with each and every lap. Overall, this dynamic sport has drawn in a huge crowd of young skaters who are looking for a place to not only express themselves but also experience an exhilarating opportunity to participate in contact sports in a safe but fun way.

 

• Roller Derby Leagues
• Cape Town Roller Girls
• Women’s Flat Track Derby Association
• London Roller Derby
• Angel City Derby
• Helsinki Roller Derby
• Swamp City Roller Derby