We engage our friends and form relationships. Through this relationship the coach introduces fitness to his friend. The friend and his individual differences and preferences comes first. Communication, whether verbal, written, through a device is critical. The coach meets his friend at his level and together they advance.

We work with students of all ages from toddlers with motor planning difficulties to elderly patients with diabetes, osteoporosis, obesity and arthritis.  Programs are designed to advance the individuals level of fitness in the  five primary areas of fitness.

Fitness is divided into five components for the purpose of assessment and development in people with autism.          Body Image

This includes body composition. Looking unfit and having a poor body image affect self-esteem and mental wellbeing as well as physical health. Body image also includes becoming familiar with all the parts of one’s body. Oftentimes, clients with autism live sedentary lifestyles, so it’s important that the client understands their body well enough to follow directions and understand when something doesn’t feel quite right.

Posture

With sedentary lifestyles come posture issues. They’re practically one in the same. Bad posture results in muscular skeletal pain and injury. Generally, improving one’s overall fitness leads to an improvement in posture. Core strength including and in addition to leg and glute strength improves posture.

Motor Coordination

A wonderful benefit of exercise for those with special needs is improved motor function. This includes motor planning which is particularly important in young children. It also includes gross and fine motor skills, balance, agility, and eye hand coordination.  

Muscular Fitness

Building muscle requires endurance and resistance training, usually involving weights. This includes core strength which is important for essentially all real-life physical activities. Sedentary people have week cores which leads to back pain, injuries, and an even more sedentary life.

  Cardiovascular Fitness 

It is important for health, mental health, body weight, and wellbeing.