Kyle Maynard Biography

Kyle Maynard has appeared as a guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Larry King Live, ABC's 20/20, Good Morning America, The CBS Early Show and as a cover story in USA Today. He has been featured on HBO Real Sports, Spike TV, as well as countless local and regional TV shows and in print. He continues to inspire as the author of his book, No Excuses (2005), a New York Times best seller.

Maynard was born March 24, 1986 with a condition known as congenital amputation that has left him with arms that end at the elbows and legs that end near his knees. His story begins as an 11-year-old that wanted to wrestle and a coach that gave him an opportunity to try. After losing every single match his first year and most his second, Maynard, with his iron will and a coach with a heart of gold became a very successful varsity wrestler on one of the best teams in the Southeast. In spite of his limitations, Maynard found a way to win 36 varsity matches his senior year, while defeating several state place finishers and state champions during his final season.

But Maynard's accomplishments extend far beyond the wrestling mat. With basically two elbows he can type up to fifty words per minute, eat and write without any adaptations, and drive a vehicle that has little modification. Maynard began weight training as a youngster and with leather straps and chains attached to his arms he lifted over 400 lbs. In November 2003, he attained the unofficial title of the World's Strongest Teen at the GNC Show-of-Strength by butterfly pressing 23 repetitions of 240 lbs. In 2005, he set the World Record in the modified bench press at the Arnold Fitness Classic with the bench of 360 lbs. In February of 2009 he successfully benched 420 lbs.

Maynard is a two-time ESPY Award Winner for Best Male Athlete with a Disability (2004 and 2012), and was included in ESPN The Magazine, ESPN 100th single list that ranks the top 100 sports personalities, moments, trends, games and stories that mattered in 2004. He is the recipient of the 2004 Presidents Award for the Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame. One year later, Maynard was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame with the Medal of Courage. In 2007, he was elected by the U.S. Jaycees as one of the Top Ten Outstanding Young Americans. In 2008, Maynard received the Highest Recognition Award of the Secretary of Health and Human Services because of his efforts as a life role model, motivational speaker and humanitarian.

Maynard is a CrossFit Level 1 Certified Instructor and has always had a passion for helping people reach their fitness goals. In 2008, Maynard saw one of his most fervent dreams become a reality when he built his first fitness center, No Excuses CrossFit, where he endeavors to motivate people to better their lives on a daily basis.

Maynard's spent the last seven years giving motivational speeches all over the world. And in 2005, he also started training in the sport of Mixed Martial Arts. His focus in the sport is with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, which is the art of pressuring an opponent to tap-out and submit. On April 25th of 2009, Maynard became the first quadruple amputee to step into the cage and compete as an amateur no-holds-barred fighter.

A Fighting Chance, the documentary chronicling his life and the pursuit of his first Mixed Martial Arts fight was released on ESPN in November of 2010.

Maynards most recent goal, which earned him his second ESPY award, was to reach the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, the tallest mountain in Africa. On January 15, 2012 Maynard and a team of several wounded veterans reached the peak of Mount Kilimanjaro becoming the first quadruple amputee to get to the top without assistance.

As a renowned expert and highly sought-after speaker, Kyle Maynard's expertise is in high demand. To book Kyle Maynard for your next event, conference, or workshop, please contact our speaker booking agency. Our experienced team will work closely with you to understand your specific needs and help secure Kyle Maynard's participation. With our professional guidance and seamless booking process, you can ensure a memorable and impactful experience for your audience. Don't miss the opportunity to engage your audience with Kyle Maynard's compelling insights and inspire positive change within your organization. Fill out the booking request form to take the first step in securing Kyle Maynard for your next speaking engagement.