This week on Under the Radar:
The Tokyo Paralympics were held this summer and American elite athletes, who have physical and neurological disabilities, medaled in competitions from archery to swimming. Paralympians like Breanna Clark who is autistic, the first female U.S. athlete to win gold for 400m track in 2016 and who broke a world record this summer in Tokyo.
But had Breanna not been an athlete with access to custom training, she would likely not have been able to work out in a gym.
Typical gyms normally don't accommodate people like her: with autism, Down syndrome, or cerebral palsy. Not only are the flashing lights and sounds in typical gyms often disorienting, but also many physical trainers haven’t worked with neurodiverse people.
But one local gym is changing that – Greater Boston’s Inclusive Fitness is creating both a workout space and a community.
GUESTS:
Greg Austin, founder, president, and coach at Inclusive Fitness, a Boston-based gym that specializes in training neurodiverse people.
Kristin Abendroth, director of client experience and head neurotypical coach at Inclusive Ftiness.
Barbara Baker, parent of Mary Gwen, an Inclusive Fitness athlete.