For autistic college students, these guidelines can be instrumental in minimizing stress at the grocery store.
I used to hate the term “special needs,” but now I can’t stand people who say they hate the term. FACT: My son has special needs.
In a traditional gym class, how will the concept of jumping rope look for an autistic child? Considering that 79–83 percent of the autistic population does not display the appropriate motor skills for their age group, their needs will likely not be met. Until now…
Somewhere between a child eloping, having a meltdown, or worse, associating everything miserable toward training, circle back to play with these exercises.
Where does a child go when their physical world is too loud or quiet, bright or dim, uses jargon that makes no sense? Somewhere worth visiting.
The Power of a Note is an outreach tool for parents, educators, and personal trainers to help a child with autism reach his highest potential through movement and health.
Now at home, this is a great opportunity to get the family involved by creating new healthy habits using indoor and outdoor space.
Marge Tate could have allowed labels, sickness, and loss to paralyze her legacy. Instead, through passion, tradition, and communication, her commitment to human connection and service is alive — and she passed it on to Dave.
In preparation for our next training session, I knew I needed the help of my coworkers. The next morning they all received the following email blast…
“This is going to debunk everything we know about autism. ” Sheena Leedham talks about how she intertwined movement and social skills through the OSU Men’s Aspirations program.
Special education is an unfunded federal mandate. Contrary to popular belief, it is not funded by the feds at 100%. Not even close to a third. Cutbacks and downsizing are hitting education hard, and it’s directly impacting student delivery in the classroom.
When a stranger asks the guardian of a child with autism to calm down their kid, should they say, “Sorry, my kid has autism”? Dave Tate and Sheena Leedham share their perspectives on what to do in that situation.
Begin the motion to expand upon the public’s perception of autism with an educational application. How? Try filling in the blanks by using the movie “Rain Man” as your springboard.
Training is more than the squat, bench, and deadlift — especially for a child on the autism spectrum. According to Sheena, bring together observation, communication, scheduling, progression, and motivation, and you’ll have a solid start to a program.
It would’ve been easy to create another brand-new workout with different recreational equipment. But a more powerful lesson rather than starting at ground level in terms of skill, was for the students to observe their strengths and weaknesses and then create a plan to reach a new level of skill mastery.
In this episode of Table Talk Podcast, Dave Tate opens up about being a father to a son with Asperger’s, and elitefts Managing Editor Sheena Leedham talks about training and educating Blaine and other young adults on the spectrum.
Do you have questions relating to exercise for a child or young adult with autism? For a father raising a child with autism? Click here to ask questions that Dave Tate and Sheena Leedham will address tomorrow at 11 a.m. EST on the Table Talk Podcast.
Navigating the seas of parenting a child with autism means weathering storms, passing shipwrecks, and getting stranded on an island. But there are always people willing to help get both parent and child back on board with resources aplenty.
The cool thing about this setup is we had a high possibility of creating new benchmarks and brand-new levels of mastery, which were more valuable than throwing a ball in a hoop or hitting a ball over a net (two activities by which these students have experienced failure through participation).
I challenge you to use your gym to uplift and strengthen the community in another special way.
I don’t think I’ve ever been more proud of CJ. He may not fully understand what he’s overcome, but I do.
Rather than attending another highly acclaimed conference centered on helping individuals with autism, it was time to present at one.
This was more than a 10-week prep geared to beat our previously recorded race time of 52 minutes and 32 seconds while flying past a self-proclaimed mashed-up meathead.
This program provides a monthly social outlet for teens and young adults with high functioning autism. As we approach year one, I want to share how I’ve made this program my own.
Bridging the gap between immobility and action, this lesson served as another opportunity to reshape the students’ negative associations with exercise and revamp their workout creativity in OSU’s backyard.
The goal is to get an inactive child on the spectrum socially and physically strong through movement. This initial type of training, the first in a progression of eight, takes place in the gym.
This documentary is the culmination of years of intimate interaction with a child with autism. Interaction as a father, a mother, an educator, a trainer, and a friend.
With more than 50 presentations to attend within a 10-hour time frame, here are the presentations from which I found great applicability to my work in both the private and college settings.
Moving from theory to practice, this lesson took us from the classroom to Lucky’s Market on High Street in Columbus, Ohio.
Listening to a group of college students with high-functioning autism, I learned there was a consensus among many of how they felt in a typical college gym setting — something they didn’t want to feel again.
At 3.1 miles, we cross the finish line in 52 minutes and 32 seconds — four minutes quicker than our 2016-competition time. A success! Beating our previous time was exactly what we came to do.
You’ll meet Sean, Wesley, and Blaine (three boys on the spectrum) and consider their needs, find a starting place, and create a program schedule using a singular, linear, or overlapping approach.
Make this your chance to verify how training (all our hard work) gives us lots of opportunities to enjoy life.
Why plan? What can food do for me? When should I eat for a workout? — A group of students with Asperger’s asks questions to fulfill big aspirations to look and feel good.
Out came the foil and a “tooter.” That was the first time I smoked Heroin.
With the option to pick and choose over 40 presentations to attend within a 10-hour day, here’s how I plan on implementing what I learned within the private and college setting.
Erasing the zoo schedule from the dry-erase board that served us for a 14-week prep was unsettling. Where our training has gone, is miraculous.
As we relocate a group of connected individuals outside of the gym, the mindset attached to training evolves.
To improve the lives of those with ADHD and those interacting with these individuals, we must better educate the teachers, coaches, and mentors.
In this type of training, we’re taking things one step further — we share the entire training experience with at least one partner at the gym.
The powerlifting community could learn a lot from the Special Olympics.
In this type of training, we’re taking things one step further — we share the training experience with a partner.
Two faces in a crowded zoo, here’s our story: a 14-week play-by-play that prepared us for the rigors of race day.
½ Gym, ½ Off-Site Training leads us here: a full session away from gym grounds. Fit your programming needs within these structures to differentiate skill, meet new people, and have fun.
The goal is to get an inactive child on the spectrum socially and physically strong through movement. You’re ready to leave the comforts of the gym and move off-site to extend the learning curve.
For over six years I have watched CJ overcome many obstacles. I am always impressed by his competitive tenacity and love for powerlifting.
If you’re looking to explore a gym-training, flying-through-space alternative, make sure you’re aware of these less-advertised details we learned on our trips to Sky Zone and Get Air.
These training types are rooted in movement that naturally progress the child from private training to play dates with a friend.
A trip to the zoo provides the trainer and child a great opportunity to accomplish new challenges and exercise gym lessons. Consider these tips for the planning process.
By rewriting negative associations at the track and field, Blaine and I were able to overcome previous limitations and create new opportunities for growth.
Make each training session sensory-rich, personal, and dynamic for the child with special needs. Tweak your approach by considering these six exercises.
This 12-week training progression is tailor-made to strengthen the mind and body of a child who fears this playground implement.
Avoiding hostility and disinterest by following these communication tips will result in greater engagement and child development.
If done incorrectly, leaving the comfort of the traditional training environment can become chaotic. These basic guidelines will make it a positive experience.
It takes a special kind of person to strive for their goals while ignoring traditional limitations.