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Inclusive Fitness Blog
Neurodivergent Fitness – Redefining the Status Quo
When most people think about adaptive exercise for neurodivergent people, they have a narrow concept of what is possible, desirable and necessary. In terms of what’s possible, We’ve often heard things like, “Oh, she won’t do that kind of exercise,” “I don’t think he...
Setting a Standard with a Sturdy Foundation; Programming from All Angles
"How did you get them to do that?” Certainly not an uncommon phrase heard from parents when watching what their children, teens, and adults are capable of during an IF fitness session. The secret is our coaches don’t “get” athletes to do anything. Instead, we set a...
What is Evident in Research Must be Addressed in Reality
By: Eric Chessen, Director of Neuroadaptive Programming, Inclusive Fitness A recent study, this one from Oregon State University, has quantified what many parents and advocates likely experience: that physical activity for those with ASD sharply declines between ages...
Self-determination is key to creating a long-term healthy lifestyle
Over the years, I have learned so much from other parents, advocates and neurodivergent people in our community. Just last week, I read a great post by Jess at Diary of a Mom (if you don't already follow her, I encourage you to visit her page, as her thoughtful...
I Can Do Anything!
Lucas, our autistic teenage son, was never a stranger to the world of triathlons. He was well aware of what they entailed since it was something he knew Mom did. So when we pitched him the idea of participating in one himself, he was up for the challenge! And a big...
Benefits of Exercise for the Neurodiverse Population
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think about the benefits of exercise? Increased strength and endurance, more energy, maybe maintaining a healthy weight, right? These benefits apply to everyone, whether neurotypical or neurodiverse. However, the...
2020 – An Amazing Year After All?
I keep thinking that finding and maintaining some semblance of a balanced life will be - should be - getting easier. Sure, we've been adjusting to wearing masks, talking more loudly to each other in distanced groups, being home a lot more, etc. But the routine we were...
Miss Piggy And A Moment Of Zen
Lucas and I were driving to his school (Nashoba Learning Group) this morning, and we were - as usual - having a "conversation" with Miss Piggy, Luke's favorite personality to speak to several times a day (I do a mean Miss Piggy impersonation, if I do say so...
A Story Of Transformation Built On Teamwork And Raising The Bar
Yesterday, I had an awesome experience.... the kind that is so energizing and rewarding! Start Where You Are And See The Potential I was leading a small virtual group exercise session with parents and neurodiverse athletes. One of the young participants, when he first...
Applying The Research on Exercise – Easier Said Than Done
Okay, so I'm a dweeb: I love academic research. With that in mind, I was reading a relatively recent (2019) research study in the journal Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders entitled "Physical activity rates in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder...