Let’s Get Movin’ is a wellness program generating exceptional results at an Active-managed community fitness center in New York City. The program provides an individualized approach for autistic children to improve motor skills, balance, endurance, flexibility, and response to sensory information, through exercise. 

Launched in January 2018, the program’s first participant, Max, achieved incredible changes in his first year. At the start, he was 13, had poor posture, wouldn’t engage with other children and when he ran, his feet made loud sounds on the ground. After weekly sessions for a year: Max now stands straight, runs around the track in marathon-runner form, and he plays basketball with other kids.

The change in Max transcends the physical. Max’s mom is amazed how much calmer and self-regulated he is, especially after his weekly session. The regularity of sessions with the same instructor has boosted Max’s social skills and self-esteem. About six months into the program, Max connected with his instructor, Kim. Max’s mom describes this as his first “friend” and says the Let’s Get Movin’ program has “unlocked” Max in a way no previous therapy had.

The program’s founder, Kim Weiss, is an Autism Fitness Specialist and ACE-certified personal trainer who customizes her approach for each child. “I have never met two children on the spectrum who are alike. Each has his or her own responses to sensory information and each has a unique personality. I take the whole child into account to develop an individualized program,” says Weiss.

The first step is a movement screen and physical assessment to determine the child’s skill levels in running, hand-eye coordination with a basketball, symmetrical movements like jumping jacks, and balance beam agility. While designing the Let’s Get Movin’ program, Kim discovered that TRX Training Equipment was one of the better tools as it helps support posture and foundational movement, while making exercise more interactive and fun. Kim says:

"We enhance physical abilities and achieve empowerment with fun, laughter, goal setting, visualizations, and positivity. And we use fitness to create the building blocks for self-esteem, self reliance, and social interaction." 

Active Wellness is beyond proud to partner with our client in support of this life-changing program.

Contact ourteam@activewellness.com to discuss developing a Let’s Get Movin’ program for autistic children in your community.