March 2005

'No excuses' ...

Congenital amputee to attempt world power lifting record

by Eric Plasker, DC

Kyle Maynard is an inspiring young man. Born without any arms and legs, it would have been very easy for him and his family to succumb to a limited life. Instead, on March 5, 2005, Kyle will be attempting to set the teenage world power lifting record of 400 pounds at the Arnold Classic in Columbus, Ohio. With an indomitable spirit, humble attitude, and chiropractic care on his side, he's sure to accomplish this goal and then tell his story in Atlanta, April 8 and 9, at the Family Practice Seminar.

You may have seen Kyle on HBO's "Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel." Maybe you saw him on "Larry King," ESPN's "Cold Pizza," the ESPY awards, in USA Today or any one of the numerous publications where his story has been told. When I first saw him on TV, I instantly went to his website to learn more about him. I called his agent and made arrangements to speak to him.

My connection with Kyle was immediate for several reasons. First, my oldest son was paralyzed as a baby and my wife and I had to overcome tremendous challenges to help him heal and live a productive life. He is now on his high school tennis team and chauffeurs me around town with his driving permit. Second, I have a cousin Rebecca who was born as a congenital amputee with no hands and only one leg. She is a magna cum laude graduate of Brown University with a degree in psychology and is involved in public relations. People who overcome obstacles such as Kyle's touch me in a very deep way, as I know they do you as well. We connected immediately and made arrangements for him to begin receiving chiropractic care.

Kyle's primary sport is wrestling which he began when he was in the sixth grade. After several years of not winning, Kyle continued improving his skills and his passion for the sport grew. Last year as a senior in high school he just missed making All American, and only a broken nose kept him from finishing the state tournament.

Wrestling and weight lifting have been very hard on Kyle's spine. When I spoke to him on the phone for the first time and shared the chiropractic story, Kyle became excited about the opportunity to get started with care. I picked him up from the University of Georgia and took him to HealthQuest Chiropractic in Marietta, where Dr. Chris Rechter and I performed a complete chiropractic exam including an SMEG scan with the Insight Subluxation Station, and x‑rays. Kyle had a moderate amount of pressure in his low back at L5 and the SI joints bilaterally, as well as in his upper cervical spine.

During his chiropractic report, I showed Kyle where his subluxations were and made recommendations for an active life plan to get him feeling his best and in optimum condition for his upcoming wresting season and world record lift. His first adjustment produced an immediate sense of relief and euphoria as a lifetime of cumulative pressure was released from his spine and nerve system. Regular chiropractic care is helping him get to his peak level and giving him the best chance to accomplish his athletic goals.

Kyle will attempt his world record setting lift by strapping 200 pounds to each of his upper limbs and performing a supine fly press. It is amazing to see his physical strength, but much more impressive is his strength of spirit.

"No excuses" is Kyle's message. He is an excellent speaker, wise beyond his years, and a very excited and passionate chiropractic advocate. With a new book deal, massive television and print media exposure, and an exciting speaking career, Kyle has become an inspiration to millions.

Kyle's story was the spark behind our best selling lifetime care marketing program for chiropractors called, "Live Your Life without Limits." Released in the summer of 2004, it's creating thousands of new wellness patients for chiropractors worldwide. Now that chiropractic has become an integral part of his wellness and training lifestyle, Kyle will be sharing the chiropractic message with his audiences everywhere.

Don't miss the opportunity to see and hear Kyle "live" at our upcoming Family Practice Seminar on April 8 and 9 in Atlanta. In addition to all of the other human potential information and state of the art practice building strategies you'll receive, Kyle will inspire you and your team to reach your goals and help as many people as possible with chiropractic care. Be there. No excuses.

(Dr. Eric Plasker is the CEO and founder of The Family Practice whose mission is LCFE, lifetime care for everyone. Through their wellness‑based marketing, training and coaching programs, they provide chiropractors with the resources to generate millions of new patients every year and build some of the largest family wellness practices in the world. He can be reached at 866‑532‑3327 or www.thefamilypractice.net. You can link to Kyle Maynard's website through The Family Practice website.)