TOKYO (Kyodo) -- One of Japan's top parkour competitors is hoping to bring the acrobatic urban sport into the mainstream and develop its next generation of athletes.

Mutsuhiro Shiohata took freestyle silver at the International Gymnastics Federation's second parkour world championships last month in Kitakyushu, southwestern Japan.

An accomplished gymnast in high school, the 27-year-old Ibaraki Prefecture native developed an interest in parkour as a university student after watching YouTube videos of its practitioners, who combine athleticism, artistry and adventurousness to traverse urban environments in the most unconventional ways.

"I thought they were doing such incredible things and looked so cool. It made me want to know the limits of what is humanly possible," Shiohata said.

He worked and trained at a gymnastics club after graduating from university but eventually decided to quit his job and focus on parkour.

"I wanted to see how far (I could go) if I worked hard at it," he said.

He moved back to his parents' house and used his savings to set up a wall and horizontal bar for training in their garden.

The practice paid off at the recent worlds, where freestyle routines were scored for execution and difficulty of techniques.

"I'm glad I was able to do it without making any mistakes. I'm satisfied," Shiohata said after completing his run.

While the FIG has pushed for parkour's inclusion in the Olympics, the gymnastics body has also faced a swell of opposition to its governing of the discipline, which some have described as a hostile takeover.

Shiohata is hopeful of parkour's continued growth in Japan and sees a direct role for himself in helping young people to get involved.

"I'd be happy if more kids started here," he said. "I'd like to help train them, too."