Adaptive athletes get ‘Fit With Friends’
CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Gyms are about to get more crowded at the start of the New Year. Trainers at CrossFit Mecklenburg say everyone is welcome, but one Saturday each month a workout group takes over the space to prove that’s true.
Fit With Friends is a CrossFit class for adaptive athletes. People who need modifications due to physical disabilities can individualize the workout plan while getting the energy and support of a group class.
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“Our goal is to empower adaptive athletes in the Charlotte area,” said physical therapist Dr. Ashley Clark.
Licensed physical and occupational therapists like Clark partner with athletes to ensure each person gets the most out of their training session.
“Someone’s ability to participate in fitness shouldn’t be limited when they have a physical impairment. Exercise is vital for them to maintain or gain their independence, decrease the risk of rehospitalization, and decrease social isolation,” she said.
Clark owns Revive Neurorecovery Center in Charlotte. She said her experience of working with people who have had traumatic brain injuries or severe physical impairments is helpful, but a CrossFit class requires her to “put on a different hat and think differently,” as the class is not a therapy session, but a true workout.
Clark got involved with Fit With Friends after seeing a former patient of hers, Jimmy Eichorn, post on Facebook about the opportunity to support the group.
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“I wanted to make a place where everyone knows they could come, even if they have a disability, they could come and work out and not be judged about it,” Eichorn said.
In 2010, Eichorn fell from his second-story bedroom window while studying at the University of South Carolina. He suffered a traumatic brain injury. The former Charlotte Catholic football player said recovery is a long process with many emotional and physical setbacks. He said working out remains a passion of his. Eichorn said the supportive yet competitive environment of a CrossFit session is something he wanted to see adapted to all ability levels.
“It doesn’t really matter if you’re something the person next to you isn’t. But yeah, in the back of your mind that being competitive probably affects some people,” Eichorn said. “I know it does me.”
Healthcare professionals say life after an injury can be isolating.
“Whether they are just starting their fitness journey or wanting to get back into fitness after a catastrophic injury or wanting to get back into fitness after a catastrophic injury, or just wanting to build their confidence in the gym,” said Gabriella Avellone, the COO of Fit With Friends.
Athletes said they have been looking for this kind of collaborative fitness session for a long time.
“For so long, disabled people and non-disabled people have been separated and it’s really cool to have them brought together in one space,” said Jesi Stracham.
Stracham is an adaptive athlete and the founder of Wheel With Me Adaptive Fit. The group aims to support wheelchair users through community meet-ups, independence assistance and educational resources.
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“When I first became a paraplegic, I had no idea where to start,” she said. “I gained 30 pounds my first year after being injured and then I found adaptive CrossFit and it completely changed my life. Not only can I be fit, I can compete. I can be an athlete. My disability doesn’t take away from that, it adds to it.”
Participants say the feeling of community lasts longer than the duration of the workout.
“You don’t have to be fit to start this. That’s one of the biggest misconceptions. Everyone starts at the bottom.” Said Eichorn
To sign up for the free Fit With Friends classes, athletes can fill out a form through Revive. The last class of 2023 is Dec. 9.
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