An Unexpected Encounter

The Parkour trip to Switzerland didn’t start as a planned project. It began with a simple Instagram message.

I reached out to Alan after seeing that he was based near Stuttgart. We met there, talked, shared ideas, and I handed him a SOMA package. A few weeks later, I saw a photo of him wearing a SOMA hoodie - tagged somewhere in Switzerland.

Curious, I wrote him again. He replied that he was in Neuchâtel.

Crossing Paths

Neuchâtel is only about an hour away from where I live.
What followed was spontaneous and unforced - exactly the kind of encounter SOMA is built around.

Alan was traveling with a close friend, moving through cities, exploring spots and training wherever they felt inspired. They had already been exploring Neuchâtel, discovering rooftops, staircases and hidden urban structures that most people would never notice.

The way they moved through the city was precise, fearless and deeply connected to the environment.

Movement As Exploration

Watching them train was intense. They climbed rooftops, moved across buildings, lowered themselves down facades, and jumped gaps with full commitment and control. Parkour reveals a city differently.

What most people see as barriers, Parkour athletes read as possibilities. Lines, flows and connections appear where others only see walls. It was a perspective shift for me - similar to what Inline Skating once did, but expressed through a completely different language of movement.

A Shared Stop

Later that day, they came to my place and stayed overnight.

The next day, we explored Fribourg together. Walking through the city, stopping at spots, talking about movement, training, life and creativity. It wasn’t about content or performance. It was about exchange.

Entering A New World

This trip marked my first deeper step into the world of Parkour. Alan and his friend explained movements, mindsets and training philosophies. I listened, observed and learned. The openness, discipline and mental clarity required for Parkour resonated strongly with SOMA’s core values - presence, embodiment and trust in one’s own capabilities.

Beyond Disciplines

The Switzerland Parkour Trip was a reminder that SOMA is not tied to a single discipline. Whether Inline Skating or Parkour, the essence remains the same - movement as a tool for awareness, expression and connection.

Sometimes, the most meaningful moments aren’t planned. They simply happen when paths cross.

Written by Michael Maier · Published in December 2025