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“All about working with the adaptive athlete.”
Coach Joe, Dr. Danny Matta, and I finally got together on skype and discussed the adaptive athlete, my favorite group of athletes to work with. Starting a class at Fathom CrossFit 4 years ago and expanding to Bear Republic CrossFit in downtown San Diego, the Adaptive Strength program I created is getting out there. We work with athletes who are veterans and civilians. Athletes who have amputations, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and even emotional wounds such as post- traumatic stress, depression, and addiction.
Adaptive means make suitable for a new use or purpose. The athletes we consider adaptive are ones who have experienced a permanent change in their life that they have had to work with. Their movements in everyday life, in sport, or in the gym are now permanently different. They may have adapted to the new range or ability they now have post permanent injury.
All of these athletes have led active lives before and are wanting to again or already do. They either surf, play basketball, ski, snowboard, hike. One of our athlete’s practices medicine, one runs a non-profit, one coaches a wheelchair basketball team, and one is a stay at home dad to name a few. It is pretty incredible the diversity and drive these athletes have.
I truly have never worked with a more resilient tribe. Most individuals that do work with me have experienced some sort of trauma. They have been injured by drive by shootings, hit by a boulder, snowboarding, motor vehicle accident, falling off a cliff, hit by an IED in Iraq or Aphganistan. These major traumas have not stopped these men and women for seeking what was next post their extensive rehabilitation experience.
I have really cherished running Adaptive Strength, my strength based programs for this crew OUTSIDE of the rehab setting. It is more motivating for them, they learn something new, it allows them to feel a part of something, feel normal, and gives them the opportunity to continue moving forward with their active life.
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