Ryan Doyle, a world-champion free runner sponsored by Red Bull, showed off his daredevil moves--and learned a few--while here at Auburn.
He demonstrated his movements and style of parkour Friday for the student-run parkour group at Auburn.
Doyle started free running professionally when he was 18 years old.
Doyle emphasizes that he never started, just never stopped, when he talks about the beginning of parkour in his life.
His preferred definition of parkour is his own.
"Efficient movements to achieve a goal," Doyle said. "I lived in a soccer-orientated area, so I got bored of that really easily, so you're forced to find something else to do."
Originally from Liverpool, England, Doyle branched out and is now able to travel the world because of his talent.
He has been named champion at the National Extreme Tricks in 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2010.
Doyle also appeared on MTV's Ultimate Parkour Challenge, winning in the third episode as well as gaining recognition through YouTube.
Doyle started out trying to find movements to incorporate into his free running. He looked into martial arts, gymnastics and even breakdancing.
Doyle emphasizes the importance of freedom in parkour, contrasting it with gymnastics and its structured movements.
"My mission is to find out what the body can do when it's not suppressed by what society says is socially acceptable behavior," Doyle said.
While traveling the world and meeting new people, Doyle learns new moves that many have been perfecting for years.
When Doyle isn't practicing free running, he likes to research various topics, insisting that keeping his mind sharp helps with his parkour.
Doyle's main interests include ancient history and philosophy, and he spent four years exploring different religions.
Recently he has been most intrigued with astrology and action choreography.
When Doyle is not free running or doing research, he spends his time teaching students at Airborne Entertainment, an academy dedicated to teaching teens ages 15 through 18 the art of parkour and martial arts.
"Teaching is to learn twice," Doyle said.
He also makes sure to not teach his students to be exactly like him, emphasizing that a person's parkour style can only come from within.
"You can't teach someone parkour, you can only help them," Doyle said.
Having broken his shin in two places and separated his collarbone, among other injuries, Doyle said he hopes to ease out of the parkour scene and into something less harmful to his body.
He said he wants to break into the media industry where stunts would not be as harsh.
Despite the pain and risk of injury, however, Doyle is not leaving parkour behind just yet.
Doyle is always trying to find places to perform that are completely different from previous stunt locations.
Whether he's somewhere in Europe, or here on Auburn's campus, Doyle continues to make art by creating his own identity through movement.
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