Interview with a Pro
We sat with Parkour legend and pro athlete Kyle, for a peek into the mind and spirit of someone who takes an all out assault on the status quoe. Kyle pushes life to the next level as well as the sport of Parkour Freerunning. Read below our in depth interview with the legend himself.
LBG: Ok, so LBG (Laurie’s Buffalo Gourmet) is developing a team of athletes, or people that are taking life to the next level. We're calling this team V2 (Vitality Squared). Our first athlete that we have the pleasure of working with is Kyle "Epic" Mendoza. He is one of the leaders in the new, up and coming sport of Parkour. Thank you for joining us today, and to start, give us an idea of your sport speaking to someone that is new to it.
Epic: Parkour is using the urban environment kind of like an obstacle course. Using your body, learning how to get over, under, around things and just turning everything into a playground.
LBG: Nice. How do you train for that?
Epic: You start with the basics and then you work your way up with like simple jumps, and little turns and hops and then you move up to bigger drops. After that you move up to rolls and dives and then go up to more advanced stuff like flips, and twists. And it just kinda progresses from there, you keep pushing the envelope.
LBG: So how did you get started in that? What age were you?
Epic: I started in martial arts when I was 11. I had a lot of A.D.D., and I drove my sensei crazy so she started teaching me some of the fancy stuff and I just took to it and it progressed from there.
LBG: How did you hear about Parkour? How were you introduced to it?
Epic: I started out with the martial arts and fancy stuff and then I got introduced to Copoeira [Kap-oo-air-uh] which is kind of like martial arts and break dancing and they do a lot of flips and stuff and I found out there's people that do that stuff and put videos on the Internet but they also do a little free-running. I saw them run up a wall and do a back flip and I thought, "This is amazing, this is what I want to do." So I went to a local gym and started imitating some of the moves I saw them do and the skills just started to skyrocket from there.
LBG: What was your first extreme move?
Epic: I'd have to say a wall flip, and it was actually at lunch at my high school. I used to do fight choreography because I was so into martial arts at the time and there was this move were I ran up the wall over the guy and I told him to hold on a second I want to see if I can do this. And little by little I built up the courage to do it and I ran up the wall and just kicked one foot off the wall and did a back flip and I was ecstatic. I was pumped, hooked from there.
LBG: So you were hooked from there and you were excited to expand your horizons. How does it work after that? Where do you go from there? Do you go to a playground and see if you can do some big moves in that area?
Epic: Now I know of a bunch of different spots in the area that I know I can go to regularly. But the way I found new spots is if I'm wandering around with some friends I'll pass by and area and see something and think, "hey that looks like a fun place to go" and so I'll make some time to go there, I'll play around for a little bit, and before you know it I have a new training spot to go to and the possibilities are endless and every time I go there, there is always something to do.
LBG: So now there are competitions. How does that work?
Epic: The competitions are a lot of fun. There are usually about 20 athletes and it's never one athlete against another, it's more about every athlete against the course every time. And whoever uses the course with the best, with the most creativity, execution, and difficulty, wins.
LBG: How does the judging work?
Epic: There are two heats and usually all twenty athletes will go. And they will take the top eight. Then the top eight will go again. And then they announce the first, second, and third place winners after that.
LBG: How rapidly do you think this sport is growing?
Epic: I think it's growing pretty steadily, it's kind of like skateboarding, but it's in a bit more control now. When skateboarding first came out, it was something that was so new and exciting and no one knew about it, except when Skateboarders would go into people's pools in their backyard. But for free running we don't go in people's back yards, we just go on private property and we'll use their building and rooftops and stuff. The only difference is when we get kicked out, we try not to be negative and retaliate, we try to be respectful because our philosophy is the world is our playground so what's one spot taken away from us when we have the whole world.
LBG: That’s a great attitude to have. How high of a flip have you done or what's the highest you've been while doing Parkour?
Epic: Oh my gosh, it really depends and I've done some pretty high jumps. There was one where I was at least a story high. I jumped a good 15 feet out and 8 to 9 feet down that was a lot of fun. That was at a local park.
LBG: That's insane. So that leads to what's your worst injury so far?
Epic: My biggest injury so far would have to be.... while I was shooting a movie and I had to do a stunt fall for a character. So I was geared up as a ninja and I was supposed to get punched in the stomach, I was sitting on a rail, and I was supposed to get punched in the stomach again and then I was going to fall off the rail and do a back flip and they were going to make it look like I fell on my head. I did a couple test runs and it felt good. And then I did the last one but it didn't feel right and I slammed my head into this beam and fell right onto the mattress and my head was bleeding. They took me right to the ER and I got seven stitches in my head that night.
LBG: Ouch! Sounds painful. Has anyone inspired you in this sport?
Epic: There are a lot of people that have inspired me; I'm inspired by people that don't even do what we do because it's such an open floor of applying the philosophy of yourself and understanding the human body. You can be inspired by dancing, martial arts, gymnastics, any movement. You can be inspired by, a kid on the playground you could see him do something and then take that move and think, "what if I took that move and refined it?" that could be the next, new move in Parkour free running.
LBG: Nice, so you just keep an open mind. Any names of people who inspired you?
Epic: Yeah, Vinny Correale, he lives in Colorado, really, really great runner and positive attitude. He has a disease that he fights, and Parkour keeps him alive so the way he always struggles with that and keeps pushing forward is really inspiring to me. There's another guy in my area named Donny Martin. He inspires me because in a short period of time he's gotten better than me. He started training after me and he's now blowing me out of the water. So training with people like that really inspires me to push harder and go further.
LBG: I guess on the flip side of that, any people or things that have kept you down within your sport?
Epic: There are some things that used to bring me down within my sport, like I focus on more legs than arms when I'm training. So when I climb up a wall or do a technique, it's all technique and strength with the arms and that's not something I focus on a lot so sometimes I'll get hammered on for that. And there are people that will post things on the Internet or YouTube and totally twist out of proportion what I'm doing and make it seem like I'm a horrible person. But then there are people that put me in perspective and explain to me that if I were a horrible person I wouldn't be taking time out of my day to post YouTube videos and tutorials and entertainment for people.
LBG: How many followers do you have now on YouTube?
Epic: I'm up to over 46,000 now.
LBG: Wow! Nice dude.
Epic: Definitely a lot of fun.
LBG: There's a phrase that says, "Life begins when you step out of your comfort zone" what does that mean to you?
Epic: For me it's that moment when you face your fear and you overcome that fear. It's one of those thrill-seeking moments. An example is when I have been working on a big trick, something I've been working on so hard, and never been able to do it and finally that one time you actually do it you're like, "Oh my God, I faced my fear. I did that." You can look back at that moment and know that you did that movement. It's one of those moments that push you and you're happy that you overcame something and it drives you further to want to do more. It's s huge spiritual growth kind of thing.
LBG: Has this made you a stronger person?
Epic: I think it has, it's made me grow as a person. Now I don't have to rely on another person to train with me, I'm able to push further on my own. I'm able to find the will within myself and I'm more aware of my own limits and how to push them.
LBG: What's more important to you, talent or heart?
Epic: I think heart is more important. I think a lot of people take to the heart, especially in today's world. There are many people that are better than me, but a lot of people have told me they admire me for how much time I take to help people and reach out to their fans and followers and take the time for them. It's something I enjoy doing.
LBG: Our company mantra is "Be Good. NATURALLY." and my next question was how you applied that to your life, but that pretty much explains it. Are there any people or things that you couldn't have made it to where you are without?
Epic: I probably couldn't have made it without a video camera. A video camera is the main reason I'm out there to spread my knowledge, and without a video camera, or a friend's video camera, I wouldn't have been able to make the videos and teach the people I teach. It's kind of why, and how I got out there.
LBG: We imagine that with helping pioneer a new sport, you travel a bit. What are some of the most amazing places you've been because of Parkour?
Epic: Because of Parkour, I've been to places like NYC, Oklahoma City, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Tampa Bay, Miami, and Chicago.
LBG: Who are some of the most amazing people you've met?
Epic: Definitely a lot of companies. I've met companies like Life Proof, like LBG. When I go to conventions I meet a lot of different people from the companies that are looking to work together they're always really kind and looking to further the sport. I met the guys, bigger guys, who run the World Free Running and Parkour Federation; I met those guys in New York. The free running community in Las Vegas was really kind and open minded. I met the guy who runs American Parkour, over in DC, so it was really great to meet him and other guys that have heard about me and appreciate what I do and are really looking to work together and have a passion for Parkour.
LBG: How big do you think this sport can become, Parkour?
Epic: I think it can go pretty far, I'm talking where skateboarding is now with X Games and sponsorships, and I think it will get there a lot faster than skateboarding did because a lot of free runners are becoming little entrepreneurs, like I am, so there learning how to present themselves, and market themselves so I think it's gonna go pretty far.
LBG: What's your personal dream for Parkour?
Epic: My own personal dream is to stay active and mobile while I'm young able to do all the flashy stuff, but as I grow older, it would be to be able to handle myself and control any situation. I don't want to be falling down stairs and not control it; I want to be able to know how to control everything.
LBG: Yeah, that would be cool to be falling down stairs and jump into a triple gainer.
Epic: There are a lot of stories of people actually having to use it, mainly in Russia. But also a buddy of mine in St. Louis chased down a robber in plain sight. It was a huge hero story here.
LBG: Whoa! That’s insane. How many flips have you ever done at one time?
Epic: On a diving board I've done three, but on ground I've done two.
LBG: What's your favorite Laurie’s Buffalo Gourmet chip n' salsa combo?
Epic: I know my favorite chip is the Black Bean n' Garlic, I like the garlic in it. As far as salsa I like the medium one, the Pueblo Chile n' Cilantro, just the right amount of spice. It's so good; with the Black Bean and Garlic it's amazing.
LBG: As you know we're looking to get behind people take life to the next level, and we love how your message is "Stay Positive" so what would you say to someone that was thinking of getting involved in your sport?
Epic: You’re never too old, never too young, never too fat, and never too ugly, there's nothing to it but to do it. And if you're scared about hurting yourself, start with the basics, go at your own pace, and work your way up from there. But never forget it's always about having fun.
LBG: BAM! Exactly. We never touched on your "Stay Positive" message. Where did that come from?
Epic: A friend of mine was in the middle of an argument with a friend and he kind of inspired me with the whole stay positive thing. His mom was trying to bring him down because he was acting kind of childish about something, and she just wanted him to know how important it was but the way she was going about it was kind of... “mean-ish”, and he was like, "huh, cool mom, nice try ma, it's not going to work." And I wanted to say something, like Be Happy, but something more effective and simple and I just said "Stay Positive" and it's stuck ever since.
LBG: Nice dude, love it. Thank you for taking time to sit with us, and thank you for being such an inspiration to those trying to take life to the next level. We are stoked to have you on the V2 team. We’re looking forward to watching what you come up with next!
LBG: Ok, so LBG (Laurie’s Buffalo Gourmet) is developing a team of athletes, or people that are taking life to the next level. We're calling this team V2 (Vitality Squared). Our first athlete that we have the pleasure of working with is Kyle "Epic" Mendoza. He is one of the leaders in the new, up and coming sport of Parkour. Thank you for joining us today, and to start, give us an idea of your sport speaking to someone that is new to it.
Epic: Parkour is using the urban environment kind of like an obstacle course. Using your body, learning how to get over, under, around things and just turning everything into a playground.
LBG: Nice. How do you train for that?
Epic: You start with the basics and then you work your way up with like simple jumps, and little turns and hops and then you move up to bigger drops. After that you move up to rolls and dives and then go up to more advanced stuff like flips, and twists. And it just kinda progresses from there, you keep pushing the envelope.
LBG: So how did you get started in that? What age were you?
Epic: I started in martial arts when I was 11. I had a lot of A.D.D., and I drove my sensei crazy so she started teaching me some of the fancy stuff and I just took to it and it progressed from there.
LBG: How did you hear about Parkour? How were you introduced to it?
Epic: I started out with the martial arts and fancy stuff and then I got introduced to Copoeira [Kap-oo-air-uh] which is kind of like martial arts and break dancing and they do a lot of flips and stuff and I found out there's people that do that stuff and put videos on the Internet but they also do a little free-running. I saw them run up a wall and do a back flip and I thought, "This is amazing, this is what I want to do." So I went to a local gym and started imitating some of the moves I saw them do and the skills just started to skyrocket from there.
LBG: What was your first extreme move?
Epic: I'd have to say a wall flip, and it was actually at lunch at my high school. I used to do fight choreography because I was so into martial arts at the time and there was this move were I ran up the wall over the guy and I told him to hold on a second I want to see if I can do this. And little by little I built up the courage to do it and I ran up the wall and just kicked one foot off the wall and did a back flip and I was ecstatic. I was pumped, hooked from there.
LBG: So you were hooked from there and you were excited to expand your horizons. How does it work after that? Where do you go from there? Do you go to a playground and see if you can do some big moves in that area?
Epic: Now I know of a bunch of different spots in the area that I know I can go to regularly. But the way I found new spots is if I'm wandering around with some friends I'll pass by and area and see something and think, "hey that looks like a fun place to go" and so I'll make some time to go there, I'll play around for a little bit, and before you know it I have a new training spot to go to and the possibilities are endless and every time I go there, there is always something to do.
LBG: So now there are competitions. How does that work?
Epic: The competitions are a lot of fun. There are usually about 20 athletes and it's never one athlete against another, it's more about every athlete against the course every time. And whoever uses the course with the best, with the most creativity, execution, and difficulty, wins.
LBG: How does the judging work?
Epic: There are two heats and usually all twenty athletes will go. And they will take the top eight. Then the top eight will go again. And then they announce the first, second, and third place winners after that.
LBG: How rapidly do you think this sport is growing?
Epic: I think it's growing pretty steadily, it's kind of like skateboarding, but it's in a bit more control now. When skateboarding first came out, it was something that was so new and exciting and no one knew about it, except when Skateboarders would go into people's pools in their backyard. But for free running we don't go in people's back yards, we just go on private property and we'll use their building and rooftops and stuff. The only difference is when we get kicked out, we try not to be negative and retaliate, we try to be respectful because our philosophy is the world is our playground so what's one spot taken away from us when we have the whole world.
LBG: That’s a great attitude to have. How high of a flip have you done or what's the highest you've been while doing Parkour?
Epic: Oh my gosh, it really depends and I've done some pretty high jumps. There was one where I was at least a story high. I jumped a good 15 feet out and 8 to 9 feet down that was a lot of fun. That was at a local park.
LBG: That's insane. So that leads to what's your worst injury so far?
Epic: My biggest injury so far would have to be.... while I was shooting a movie and I had to do a stunt fall for a character. So I was geared up as a ninja and I was supposed to get punched in the stomach, I was sitting on a rail, and I was supposed to get punched in the stomach again and then I was going to fall off the rail and do a back flip and they were going to make it look like I fell on my head. I did a couple test runs and it felt good. And then I did the last one but it didn't feel right and I slammed my head into this beam and fell right onto the mattress and my head was bleeding. They took me right to the ER and I got seven stitches in my head that night.
LBG: Ouch! Sounds painful. Has anyone inspired you in this sport?
Epic: There are a lot of people that have inspired me; I'm inspired by people that don't even do what we do because it's such an open floor of applying the philosophy of yourself and understanding the human body. You can be inspired by dancing, martial arts, gymnastics, any movement. You can be inspired by, a kid on the playground you could see him do something and then take that move and think, "what if I took that move and refined it?" that could be the next, new move in Parkour free running.
LBG: Nice, so you just keep an open mind. Any names of people who inspired you?
Epic: Yeah, Vinny Correale, he lives in Colorado, really, really great runner and positive attitude. He has a disease that he fights, and Parkour keeps him alive so the way he always struggles with that and keeps pushing forward is really inspiring to me. There's another guy in my area named Donny Martin. He inspires me because in a short period of time he's gotten better than me. He started training after me and he's now blowing me out of the water. So training with people like that really inspires me to push harder and go further.
LBG: I guess on the flip side of that, any people or things that have kept you down within your sport?
Epic: There are some things that used to bring me down within my sport, like I focus on more legs than arms when I'm training. So when I climb up a wall or do a technique, it's all technique and strength with the arms and that's not something I focus on a lot so sometimes I'll get hammered on for that. And there are people that will post things on the Internet or YouTube and totally twist out of proportion what I'm doing and make it seem like I'm a horrible person. But then there are people that put me in perspective and explain to me that if I were a horrible person I wouldn't be taking time out of my day to post YouTube videos and tutorials and entertainment for people.
LBG: How many followers do you have now on YouTube?
Epic: I'm up to over 46,000 now.
LBG: Wow! Nice dude.
Epic: Definitely a lot of fun.
LBG: There's a phrase that says, "Life begins when you step out of your comfort zone" what does that mean to you?
Epic: For me it's that moment when you face your fear and you overcome that fear. It's one of those thrill-seeking moments. An example is when I have been working on a big trick, something I've been working on so hard, and never been able to do it and finally that one time you actually do it you're like, "Oh my God, I faced my fear. I did that." You can look back at that moment and know that you did that movement. It's one of those moments that push you and you're happy that you overcame something and it drives you further to want to do more. It's s huge spiritual growth kind of thing.
LBG: Has this made you a stronger person?
Epic: I think it has, it's made me grow as a person. Now I don't have to rely on another person to train with me, I'm able to push further on my own. I'm able to find the will within myself and I'm more aware of my own limits and how to push them.
LBG: What's more important to you, talent or heart?
Epic: I think heart is more important. I think a lot of people take to the heart, especially in today's world. There are many people that are better than me, but a lot of people have told me they admire me for how much time I take to help people and reach out to their fans and followers and take the time for them. It's something I enjoy doing.
LBG: Our company mantra is "Be Good. NATURALLY." and my next question was how you applied that to your life, but that pretty much explains it. Are there any people or things that you couldn't have made it to where you are without?
Epic: I probably couldn't have made it without a video camera. A video camera is the main reason I'm out there to spread my knowledge, and without a video camera, or a friend's video camera, I wouldn't have been able to make the videos and teach the people I teach. It's kind of why, and how I got out there.
LBG: We imagine that with helping pioneer a new sport, you travel a bit. What are some of the most amazing places you've been because of Parkour?
Epic: Because of Parkour, I've been to places like NYC, Oklahoma City, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Tampa Bay, Miami, and Chicago.
LBG: Who are some of the most amazing people you've met?
Epic: Definitely a lot of companies. I've met companies like Life Proof, like LBG. When I go to conventions I meet a lot of different people from the companies that are looking to work together they're always really kind and looking to further the sport. I met the guys, bigger guys, who run the World Free Running and Parkour Federation; I met those guys in New York. The free running community in Las Vegas was really kind and open minded. I met the guy who runs American Parkour, over in DC, so it was really great to meet him and other guys that have heard about me and appreciate what I do and are really looking to work together and have a passion for Parkour.
LBG: How big do you think this sport can become, Parkour?
Epic: I think it can go pretty far, I'm talking where skateboarding is now with X Games and sponsorships, and I think it will get there a lot faster than skateboarding did because a lot of free runners are becoming little entrepreneurs, like I am, so there learning how to present themselves, and market themselves so I think it's gonna go pretty far.
LBG: What's your personal dream for Parkour?
Epic: My own personal dream is to stay active and mobile while I'm young able to do all the flashy stuff, but as I grow older, it would be to be able to handle myself and control any situation. I don't want to be falling down stairs and not control it; I want to be able to know how to control everything.
LBG: Yeah, that would be cool to be falling down stairs and jump into a triple gainer.
Epic: There are a lot of stories of people actually having to use it, mainly in Russia. But also a buddy of mine in St. Louis chased down a robber in plain sight. It was a huge hero story here.
LBG: Whoa! That’s insane. How many flips have you ever done at one time?
Epic: On a diving board I've done three, but on ground I've done two.
LBG: What's your favorite Laurie’s Buffalo Gourmet chip n' salsa combo?
Epic: I know my favorite chip is the Black Bean n' Garlic, I like the garlic in it. As far as salsa I like the medium one, the Pueblo Chile n' Cilantro, just the right amount of spice. It's so good; with the Black Bean and Garlic it's amazing.
LBG: As you know we're looking to get behind people take life to the next level, and we love how your message is "Stay Positive" so what would you say to someone that was thinking of getting involved in your sport?
Epic: You’re never too old, never too young, never too fat, and never too ugly, there's nothing to it but to do it. And if you're scared about hurting yourself, start with the basics, go at your own pace, and work your way up from there. But never forget it's always about having fun.
LBG: BAM! Exactly. We never touched on your "Stay Positive" message. Where did that come from?
Epic: A friend of mine was in the middle of an argument with a friend and he kind of inspired me with the whole stay positive thing. His mom was trying to bring him down because he was acting kind of childish about something, and she just wanted him to know how important it was but the way she was going about it was kind of... “mean-ish”, and he was like, "huh, cool mom, nice try ma, it's not going to work." And I wanted to say something, like Be Happy, but something more effective and simple and I just said "Stay Positive" and it's stuck ever since.
LBG: Nice dude, love it. Thank you for taking time to sit with us, and thank you for being such an inspiration to those trying to take life to the next level. We are stoked to have you on the V2 team. We’re looking forward to watching what you come up with next!