This Month’s FEATURED ATHLETE of the month is a young man who is taking the arm-wrestling world by storm. This young puller hails from Escondido, California and is a disciple of Allen Fisher. Kyle has pulled wrestlers from three separate weight classes and completely dominated them. Beaten men twice the size of him self. Oh and he is only 14 years old.
Kyle Depew, 14 Escondido, California
Q.Hey Kyle thanks for taking the time to talk to us at Country Crush. So lets get down to the nitty gritty. How long have you been involved in the sport of armwrestling?
A. I’ve arm wrestled my whole life. I’ve always had a connection with it at a very young age even before my dad happened to really get into it.
When the legendary Allen Fisher introduced my dad to the sport of armwrestling 6 years ago I had been armwrestling kids at school for a year and when I found out he was training with a pro I asked my dad to show me some tips I could use to beat the bigger guys. I could beat everyone except those bigger guys who played a ton of sports, I mostly played Video games, used to draw and watched TV.
I’d ask for one tip everyday and that would be what I would work on. From the word GO I would make sure to be the first one to turn my wrist. The next day to make sure my wrist is higher than theirs. Eventually I beat the bigger guys and no one wanted to arm wrestle.
I was reintroduced into the world of armwrestling last year, my dad decided to take me to an armwrestling tournament where I met world champions and professionals and that inspired me to get back into it. Over the time of a year I really gave up everyone I once liked, playing video games etc. and completely devoted my self to improving in the sport.
Q. How many tournaments have you pulled in and what was your best finish?
A. So far I have pulled in seven (7) tournaments and my best experience wise was the PULL HOOK PRESS my dad put on at The GRINDERGYM. I got six (6) wins at that event and received 5 medals. I pulled in the 148’s, 165’s and 180’s amateur and open.
Q. How would you describe your preferred style of pulling. (Hook, Press, Top Roll etc.) Maybe give us a little insight on what strategies go through your mind when you step up to the table and during the match.
A. That is the hardest question for me when asked. A lot of it goes into what I want to do at that second on the table. I have developed the ability to be fully confident with whatever move I want to do as I feel them on the table. A lot of my style reflects off of the hundreds of people who have critiqued my moves. I find that everyone wants to give you a little bit of them-self when they work with you. I take everything people say. Analyze their moves. How my mind processes, I analyze moves and know what I want to do to combat it. This is why I tend to be better in practice pulling. It gives my time to analyze who I am about to pull with. My technique is the biggest thing I rely on because it is how I manage to beat these people who are stronger than me. My move I have been working on and trying to set is a versatile hook, exerting force in every direction, up, down to the side, just try to tire out the other persons arm. I also like to catch in the hook. My 2nd move is a backpressure Top Roll. My moves are often compared to the moves of Allen Fisher my Armwrestling coach.
Before a match I try to clear my head of another thoughts. I focus on harnessing my strength and controlling all my emotions into these blasts of power. As I get on the table I like to focus on the grip. It’s my scariest attribute in armwrestling. I mentally concentrate on beating that person. Imagine my self beating them.
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So my next question is, who is your biggest armwrestling inspiration.
Q. Who would you love to pull one day and why?
A. My biggest inspiration is Allen Fisher and my dad Dave Depew. Allen has been armwrestling so long and always wants to give back to the sport. I inspire to love armwrestling the way he does. My dad is by far my biggest inspiration. He does everything he can in his power to make my family and I happy. He works a ton to support me and my dreams in the sport. He is always taking me to these big tournaments and being a great dad and role model in my life. He has certainly set the bar very high for me and I thank him for that. - Well I would love the chance to pull Ethan Fritsche one day. There are so many people I wish to pull in my life but the next would be Ethan because obviously he is the prodigy of Cobra Rhodes and I the disciple of Allen Fisher.
Q. Speaking of the Great Allen Fisher, being his disciple and all, do you bring the same intensity when you come up to the table? Do you manhandle the table and try to psych the other guy out?
A. Psyching guys out is something I naturally do but I haven’t dome much experimenting trying to. I naturally have this beast inside of me. When Im in a tournament all of these emotions bundle up into raw power… I grasp ahold of this power and let it all out on the table. I shake the table; I scream I get fired up. I would say that my intensity has been compared to Fisher’s.
Q. So when someone finds out they have to pull you next…What should they be thinking?
A. They should be thinking how they are gonna lose gracefully or that if they won…they beat a 14 year old…if they lose they lost to a 14 year old beast.
The Manimal Kyle Depew everyone! He’s definitely not a boy but he’s not yet a man..He is the beast.
-Mike Waterhouse