CORE Opening Features World's Greatest Strongman Bill Kazmaier

PARSONS, Kan., Dec. 15, 2009 – Labette Health’s new Center of Rehabilitation Excellence (The CORE) houses outpatient rehabilitation, a medical-based fitness center and an aquatic therapy and fitness facility with not one but two pools, all under one roof. What could be better?
Maybe having Bill Kazmaier, three-time world’s strongest man — a guy who pulls loaded school buses and crushes frying pans for fun — on hand for the opening.

Although Labette Health’s team of outpatient rehabilitation specialists made the move across the parking lot and began seeing patients in the new facility before Thanksgiving, the actual ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house was not held until December 15. Kazmaier who is a spokesman for StarTrac Fitness, the company that provided much of the equipment for the medical-based fitness center, visited area schools and talked with students as well as helping cut the ribbon to officially open the new facility.

The CORE is part of Labette Health’s $32 million expansion and renovation program, now nearing completion.

“The CORE represents Labette Health’s further commitment to improving the health of our community,” said William Mahoney, Labette Health President and CEO. “Not only does it include a state-of the-art environment in which our outstanding rehabilitation staff can work with their patients, it also includes medical fitness and aquatic components that will certainly have a significant impact on our community. We’re grateful that Bill Kazmaier and Star Trac could be a part of our celebration.”

Kazmaier, who won the World’s Strongest Man contests in 1980 through 1982, also visited area schools, including Oswego High School, Labette County High School and Parsons High School. He also visited the Rector Diabetes and Education Center on the Labette Health campus that evening to speak to children with diabetes and their families.

Although he no longer competes, Kazmaier has remained active in the sport and has appeared on ESPN for the past 10 years as a commentator. He also travels the country as an advocate for healthy lifestyles and fitness, as well as a spokesman for Star Trac, the manufacturer of the fitness equipment in The CORE.

In addition to his three World’s Strongest Man titles, Kazmaier won the American Powerlifting Championships and the IPF World Championships in 1979.

• The first person to bench press over 660 pounds, he held the world record at 661 pounds for many years.
• He was the first man to lift all five McGlashen Stones in competition.
• He was the first man to lift the Thomas Inch Dumbbell overhead.
• He can cheat curl 400 pounds for one rep.
• In 1981, he set the current IPF and USPF Senior American record total in powerlifting, with 2,425 pounds.
• He squatted 865 pounds, benched 622 pounds and deadlifted 804 pounds, amassing a total of 2,292 pounds in the 1978 National Championships.

The CORE’s medical fitness center was designed around Medical Fitness Association  guidelines. It offers a state-of-the-art exercise facility with medical oversight that addresses each member’s individual needs through medical screening, educational resources and continued health risk monitoring, according to Gail Billman, assistant director of Rehab Services, who oversees the new facility.

“It is designed to be a fitness center for the ‘other 80 percent,’ the 80 percent of the population who would not ordinarily join a fitness center or who, for medical or other reasons, would not be comfortable in other workout facilities,” Billman said. “We don’t offer lifetime memberships. Memberships are available based on medical need. We want to help those individuals achieve their wellness and fitness goals and go on to join a regular fitness center.”

To qualify for fitness-center membership, those who join must have one or more of the following areas of need, as well as a physician’s clearance to participate.

• Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than 25;
• Blood pressure higher than 140 systolic over 90 diastolic;
• Cholesterol levels greater than 300 mg/dL;
• Triglyceride levels greater than 350 mg/dL;
• Glucose levels greater than 200 mg/dL;
• Be post-rehab, having been dismissed from therapy with a physicians’ approval to participate.

With two separate swimming pools, The CORE offers the only year-round aquatic facility in the Parsons area. One 25- by 25-foot pool will be heated to 92 to 94 degrees and be primarily for aquatic therapies. The other pool, 25 by 50 feet, will be held at 89 to 91 degrees and be used for both aquatic fitness programs and aquatic therapy.

Membership to the Aquatic Fitness Facility is separate from the medical fitness-center membership. Aquatics programs are staffed by certified aquatic providers and certified lifeguard staff are on duty during all pool activity.