Adaptive Fitness Exercise program

This course is intended to be used by anyone wanting to incorporate fitness & health into the lives of the people they live and work with, who have special needs – and do not know where to begin.

For Fitness Professionals

The Adaptive Fitness Exercise Programming training will guide you through the process to create individualized and group fitness plans for specialized diagnoses.

.4 CEU’s for ACE

For
Educators

The Adaptive Fitness Exercise Programming training will prepare you with the knowledge and skills needed to effectively incorporate health & fitness into the lives of the kids in the special education program at your school.

What's in the Curriculum?

This course will provide you with: 

  • An understanding of the common diagnoses
  • An understanding of caregivers and how to incorporate them into the programs
  • How to communicate best with each population
  • A detailed plan for the initial consultation
  • How to prepare a program for each population
  • Suggestions to motivate clients and caregivers
  • How to plan for group sessions
  • Suggestions for building a client base

How Do I Learn More About Adaptive Fitness Exercise Programming?

To become an Adaptive Fitness Exercise Specialist, you must complete eight modules, each of which requires reading a handbook, watching videos and passing an exam. Upon completion, you will be recognized as an Adaptive Fitness Exercise Specialist. This specialist course is valued at .4 CEU’s for fitness professionals through the American Council on Exercise.

Meet sheStrength Founder,
ANNA WOODS

Different diagnoses, triggers, and anxieties, along with varied abilities, warrant an individualized approach to health and fitness for these clients. If you have an open heart, a passion for helping people, and also know how to have fun, you will quickly find working with special populations to be some of the most challenging and most rewarding training of your career. The clients will want to continue to work with you and their parents and caregivers will thank you for your hard work and dedication to improving the quality of life for the special people in their lives. And it will change your life as much – or more – as it changes your clients’ lives.


Listen to how it changed my life:

Meet Amy

I met Amy in 2008. Amy had Down syndrome and her family was concerned that her obesity was going to lead to an early death, and they had tried desperately to motivate her to lose weight. Amy and I began to meet two times a week to get her on track with her eating and exercise. Slowly, week by week and pound by pound, weight began to fall off, and the first year she lost almost 85 lbs.

While it was meaningful to support her in her physical health, what I most loved about working with Amy was the endearing, personal relationship we had. She shared her desires, hopes, and dreams with me, and we became dear friends.

Amy quickly introduced me to her other friends, and it wasn’t long before I was providing exercise sessions for many of Amy’s friends – those in wheelchairs, those with Autism, Down syndrome, genetic disorders, and much more, in addition to my work with other individuals at Disability Supports of the Great Plains, LLC. They became some of my best friends, and eventually my second family. I no longer saw their disabilities. I looked at them and saw their capabilities, their motivation, and their joy. They changed my life far more than I could ever change theirs. In fact, my work with special needs populations – and Amy in particular – is the single biggest reason we decided to bring Blake into our family.

Living with Special Populations – Meet Blake

If someone had told me when I started working with Amy that she would inspire my husband and me to adopt a precious, blond-haired, brown-eyed boy with Down syndrome from another country, I would have said they were crazy. But here we are.


In 2011, we adopted Blake, knowing he would need life-long care and assistance. After we committed to adopting Blake through Reece’s Rainbow, I wrote in my journal:


“As I’ve been reflecting on how we reached this point in our lives, I now see the plan God has slowly been revealing to us over time. He has gently introduced people, experiences, struggles, and joys bit-by-bit to soften our hearts and prepare us for Blake.”


You can read more here on social media using the hashtag #blakesstory.

Testimonials

Welcome to the sheStrength Squad

Please fill out the information below to the best of your knowledge. And we will get started! I can NOT wait to meet you and introduce you to our sheSTRENGTH Squad. Ready to gain new confidence and strength?? Let’s do it. See you soon, Anna