VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Have you ever seen a workout class where the participants were in wheelchairs? A gym called Kaizen Athletics near the Virginia Beach Oceanfront is providing a healthy outlet for those with physical impairments.
The gym owner says it not only gives “adaptive athletes” a challenging physical regime, but it also offers an accepting space to improve mental health.
Kaizen Adaptive Training is a 501c3 that offers free classes Monday through Thursday to those with long-term physical or traumatic impairment.
“I love this program so much, and I see so much benefit to the community with this program because we’re bridging that gap between health care and fitness,” said Emily Kramer Throckmorton, CEO and founder of Kaizen Adaptive Training. “And we’re providing a place for individuals to come and not just the fitness aspect, but also the mental aspect of it as well - being in a group of guys or girls that have similar impairments, and they’re doing the exact same workout as one another.”
In the class, participants, though most are in wheelchairs, are using equipment that is the same or similar to what you might see in a standard gym – including weighted balls, special jump ropes, dumbbells, and more.
“They’re able to do things they never thought they could do,” said Kramer Throckmorton.
Jesse Norris suffered a spinal cord injury after an auto accident in 2022.
“Trying to get my independence back,” Norris told News 3. “And with that, I needed to regain strength and mobility, so I’m able to take care of, you know, regular around-the-house tasks that I wasn’t able to before.”
Norris said his family has been a solid support system and participating in this class over the past couple of months has helped lift his spirits.
“Coming here and seeing people with somewhat the same level of spinal cord injury and seeing our differences and having people to be able to talk about it with and just having people who are encouraging with what is going on,” described Norris.
He said initially, he was paralyzed from the neck down but has gotten some movement back, and he has his eyes on the long-term goal: “I would love to be able to walk again.”
Donations are why the adaptive classes can be offered for free. For information on how to donate or train to become a volunteer, click here.
Kaizen Athletics is holding a benefit golf tournament on Tuesday, October 10, at Red Wing Lake Golf Course to raise money for the program.
