The ICA holds its annual "natural fitness" symposium each year in conjunction with the Arnold Schwarzenegger Bodybuilding Classic, a prestigious bodybuilders' competition that has been held in Columbus since 1989. This union of bodybuilders and chiropractors is an effort to promote the value of natural fitness, and to develop injury-free training skills.
Schwarzenegger, the former bodybuilding champion (13 world titles) turned mega-film star action hero, is a long-time chiropractic patient. His association with chiropractic began in the '70s when his workout partner, Franco Columbu, began going to chiropractic college. "Franco would go very intensely to chiropractic college every day," Arnold told the crowd of over 200 DCs, students and friends of chiropractic. "He worked on me all the time. During the course of his education he got incredibly good with both the theoretical and the practical (aspects of adjusting) ... every time I had an injury, I could call Franco ... I would get an adjustment, three or four, and the problem would be gone. So you know, when you see that happening in your own body, that with chiropractic you will be 100 percent, it's just fantastic."
Arnold spoke about those that are skeptical about chiropractic: "They say, 'I can't believe that this can make me feel better just like that, without a shot, without drugs...' It is amazing, and that is what is unbelievable for people. I have seen first hand how it works."
Arnold told the crowd about his recent skiing trip: "I was really feeling something was wrong with my back. I felt even more pain at ten o'clock that night. So I called a chiropractor. ... by 10:30 the (doctor) was over at my house adjusting me ... the next day I was fine and skiing again. These are the kinds of things when you experience them you feel great about this profession. That's why I have always been so proud of Franco and so proud of you all."
"The energy at this event was at a record level for a chiropractic gathering," noted Gerald Mattia, DC, president of the ICA's fitness council. "So many fitness stars are putting their celebrity status behind chiropractic, and ... (we're) excited about this because it helps to spread the chiropractic message. Through the fitness medium, we can educate the general public on the power of our unique, drug-free science, and on the vital relationship between fitness and health."
This year's program also included television fitness instructors Denise Paglia and Pete Gratale, DC. Also in attendance was Tom Deters, DC, the developer of Muscle and Fitness magazine, and Bob Delmonteque, 78, a senior fitness editor who personifies fitness.
The continuing education program of the ICA's symposium was sponsored by Life University and focused on specific components of fitness in relation to chiropractic care. The faculty included DCs Coralee Van Egmond, Richard Gennaro, and Gerald Mattia, all members of the ICA's fitness council.
The ICA Council on Fitness and Sports Health Science has announced that next year's natural fitness symposium will again be held the first weekend in March in Columbus, Ohio, and Arnold will be back.
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