Eric Chessen’s New E-Book: Autism Fitness

Eric Chessen… hands down is the “Leading Authority” in fitness, exercise and play for children and individuals on the Autism Spectrum.

Never has there been an expert that can… and will… give you qualified answers to the baffling questions you may have… like:

• How can I get my child to play with others?
• How much exercise is right for “my” child?
• When is it the right time to start a fitness program for my child?

There is no reason for you to ask questions any more… the “Real” answers are in the brand new E-Book… Autism Fitness.

Isn’t it about time you got real answers? Of course it is!

Well what are you waiting for? Let’s get your child moving in the “right” direction… NOW!

Have you invested in Beyond Boundries Volume 1?

Autism Fitness Approved Products and Resources

Eric Chessen’s Autism Health Blog Our blog is updated regularly with news, events, articles, and special deals. Sign up and get involved on the forum!

Hyperwear Sandbells One of the most Innovative and versatile pieces of fitness equipment ever developed. Perfect for the young athlete and the whole family.

International Youth Conditioning Association THE premierfitness certification and education organization for professionals working with youth populations. Special Needs CEU course coming SOON!

Council for Exceptional Children Educational organization focusing on a wide range of demographics including ASD/PDD, ADD/ADHD, MR, ODD, and many other diagnostic letter combinations.

Straight to the Bar: Physical Culture Inspiration Need inspiration for your next exercise session? Straight to the Bar is updated daily and a resource for everything cool, fun, and challenging in fitness today.

Performax The Best Exercise Bands EVER > Perfect for Family Fitness and Individuals Dave Schmitz is a phenomenal coach and athlete. His Performax resistance bands are the highest quality I’ve ever used. Perfect for the entire family to use in a home setting and can be used for innovative, creative, and challenging exercise combinations.

The Autism @ Home Series Each month the Autism @ Home Series provides articles from some of the leading minds in the field of Autism. From nutrition to behavior strategies to, yes, fitness, the Autism @ Home Series is a valuable publication and a great resource for parents.

Autism Fitness FAQ’s

WHAT IS FITNESS?

Much confusion surrounds the term “fitness.” Is fitness about being better at sports? Is fitness about being big and strong? Is fitness only for particular children or adults? My philosophy is that fitness is the ability to successfully navigate through everyday challanges, from getting dressed to taking out the garbage to playing on the monkey bars. At the foundation of all human performance is fitness. One of the first challenges we face in life is movement against gravity. This involves becoming aware of our bodies and our surroundings. Children on the autism spectrum, as well as those with related disorders and other special needs often have movement deficits that are clearly evident, and many that are less-than-obvious.  Fitness, and well-designed exercise programs, are gateways towards some of the most crucial developmental objectives for young individuals including Self-Esteem, Self-Efficacy, and Socialization. Fitness should ultimately result in a developing a joy of movement and a lifetime of healthy activity.

Isn’t Fitness taught in school through sports and Physical Education?

It was, at one time. For the past several decades, general fitness has fallen out of most P.E. curriculums in favor of sports-focused activities. Without general fitness, two major problems occur; 1) Children do not develop the basic skills necessary to be successful, or even enjoy, sports and 2) Children who do not naturally gravitate towards a particular sport eventually cease all physical activity.  For individuals on the autism spectrum, fitness and exercise are often overlooked as life skills, however there is an abundance of research and clinical evidence supporting the dramatic benefits of implementing fitness programs for special needs populations.

What do children need to be doing?

Jumping, climbing, skipping, pushing, pulling, throwing, catching.  Essentially, playing. As a result of the deficits in socialization that individuals with ASD typically exhibit, creative and active play may be a rare, if non-existent activity. Beyond Boundaries develops individualized fitness programs that incorporate a wide array of activities all based in the five essential movement patterns:

- Pushing

-Pulling

- Level Change

- Rotation

-Locomotion

What does an Autism Fitness Session Look Like?

At Autism Fitness, a comprehensive assessment, the PAC Profile, created by Founder Eric Chessen is used to determine the physical, adaptive, and cognitive abilities of each athlete. From there, appropriate exercises, fitness activities, and strategies for teaching can be implemented.

Buy Beyond Boundaries DVD Volume 1

The Beyond Boundaries DVD was developed for young individuals on the Autism Spectrum. The program focuses on warm-ups, mobility, and strengthening exercises. Children with autism often have inhibited or problematic movement patterns including gait and difficulties in daily activities. Through a foundational movement program that provides a variety of exercises and activities, many of these deficits can be addressed. Exercise and physical activity has been shown to improve cognitive functioning, self-esteem, and emotional regulation in young populations. The BBFit DVD program uses exercise as a gateway towards optimized life skills for young children with autism. The Autism Fitness Beyond Boundaries Voulme I DVD includes:
- Warm-up and flexibility activities to promote healthy joints and muscular function
- Mobility activities to address optimal movement through various ranges of motion
- Fun activities and progressions designed to increase core stability, trunk strength, and general physical functioning

The Autism Fitness Beyond Boundaries DVD Volume I is appropriate for a wide range of ages, depending on the individual’s physical, cognitive, and emotional abilities. Each exercise in the video is accompanied by a progression so that it may be taught at the pace of each child.

Purchase Beyond Boundaries DVD NOW:

What is an Autism Fitness Initiative Seminar?

Overview:

Physical fitness modalities currently in place often do not serve the needs of their students/clients. This results in a host of physiological difficulties ranging from gross motor skill deficits, limited social initiation skills, and other deficits that prevent an individual from reaching his or her potential.

Through goal-oriented fitness programs based on long-term development strategies, young individuals are provided with the foundations of wellness.

Wellness lifestyles transcend physical abilities, having beneficial impact on all areas of development including self-efficacy, self-esteem, cognitive processing, emotional regulation, and socialization.

Of course, there is the technical explanation and real world application.

Fitness and wellness are not a product of a single activity, but a combination of several behaviors.

he Autism Fitness Initiative seminar includes a full day of fitness information and hands-on training. The seminar is designed for the parent, educator, fitness professional, and related service provider to leave with the ability to develop and implement a fitness program for a child or children with autism.

What you will learn:

- Overview of autism and behavioral considerations
- Basic applied physiology and movement theory as applicable to the young autism population
- What young individuals with autism need in a fitness program
- Hands-on exercise demonstrations including progressions and regressions
- Successful integration of a fitness program using ABA methods
- Teaching strategies
- How to develop your own program for any individual at any functional level
- The 3 areas of functional ability and how to develop a fitness program around them
- The Autism Fitness Hierarchy of Interactive Movement

How do I host an AFI Seminar?:

There are two ways of hosting an Autism Fitness Initiative seminar:

1) Organization/Education Program Sponsorship: An organization or educational institution covers the cost of the seminar for their members and any other guests.

2) Individual/Group Hosting: If you are an individual or small group wanting to host an AFI seminar, Autism Fitness will negotiate a per-attendee fee. Generally, groups range from 15-35 people for optimal hands-on experience.

To discuss hosting an AFI seminar, contact Eric@autismfitness.com

One-to-one fitness instruction with individuals and small groups

My goal is to educate those involved with the autism population on the many benefits of fitness for young individuals with autism. Self-efficacy, self-esteem, and socialization. I do not, however, make outrageous or unsubstantiated claims about what Autism Fitness Athletes will achieve. The one claim I do stand by is that Autism Fitness participants will, over time, learn to move better and have exposure to a therapeutic fitness experience.

-EC

Eric Chessen, M.S., YCS offers individual client sessions as well as group sessions in the Long Island and Queens, NY area. Availability is extremely limited. Please contact Eric@autismfitness.com to inquire about rates and scheduling.

Individual consultation sessions include:
- Mobility, flexibility, and focus activities developed specifically for each athlete
- Goal-oriented programming for sports or other extracurricular activities
- Inclusive programs for general targets (speech, tolerance of new/novel activities, social skills, etc.)
- Continued parent education for maintaining/progressing the program at home

Single consultation with full movement evaluation and home-based program is available in the NY metro area. Please contact for availability.

Consultations with parents and educators for developing integrated fitness programs

Eric Chessen, M.S., YCS, offers parent and educator training sessions both in person and via phone/email. Within the Long Island and Queens, NY area, in-home evaluation/consultation sessions can be scheduled for individuals ages 5-25. Distance consultations are also available.

In-home Consultation

- 45 minute movement skill evaluation
- Goal planning and strategies for home-based program
- Follow-up report with full Autism Fitness exercise program
- Continuing email support and program development

Cost for the In-home consultation package is $485. Please contact Eric@autismfitness.com for availability.

Educational Consultations

In our continuing mission to bring fitness and health into the lives of children and young individuals with autism, Eric Chessen, M.S., YCS offers consultations with schools and educational institutions. Consultations focus on promoting physical fitness in the classroom and adaptive physical education environment. Eric offers hourly rate consultations which include email overviews and exercise program templates. Full curriculum development services are also available. As each educational program varies, please contact Eric@autismfitness.com for rates/availability. Programs are fully customizable to the needs of any individual.

Your Options

1 Hour Consult $85.00 2 Hour Consult $170.00 3 Hour Consult $250.00

Phone Consultations

Those not in the NY Metro area can opt for a phone consultation with Eric Chessen. Phone consultations are 45 minutes or 90 minutes and individualized exercise programs are available. Email first to schedule a consultation date and time.

Your Options

45 min Session $75.00 90 min Session $130.00

Staff training on integrated fitness programs

Eric Chessen, M.S., YCS, offers comprehensive staff development courses for special educators, adaptive Physical Educators, and related service providers (Behavior Therapists,OT/PT, Speech). The curriculum focuses in integrating fitness and gross motor activities into the classroom or educational environment. Exercise and vigorous play are incredible (actually quite credible) modalities for optimizing the learning and therapeutic environment. Eric can provide on-site training for professionals who work with the ASD population. As each program is unique, please contact us via email, eric@autismfitness.com to discuss workshop and training options.

Staff and Professional trainings focus on:
- OVerview of fitness as related to young individuals with autism
- Strategies for developing fitness programs for individuals and groups
- The physical deficits common to children with ASD
- Developing an appropriate fitness program
- Regressions/progressions of activities
- Use of ABA as a teaching methodology for integrating exercise
- 1-to-1 and group fitness programs, differences and considerations