Peloton (NASDAQ:PTON) and the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation launched the Seated Adaptive Strength program today, intending to bring workouts into people’s lives in an accessible and community driven way.
Logan Aldridge, a Peloton instructor, designed the program for wheelchair users and those living with a spinal cord injury (SCI).
“Inclusion is defined as ‘for everyone,’ and accessible means ‘attainable, achievable for all. The path to full inclusion and accessibility is not a one-stop effort, but a process and this collaboration represents an exciting phase on the journey. It’s been my pleasure to be able to join this effort, as it acknowledges the importance of lived experience,” said Oluwaferanmi O. Okanlami, M.D., M.S, director of Adaptive Sports and Fitness at the University of Michigan, national disability advocate and practicing physician living with an SCI.
Peloton is a fitness platform with a community of 7 million members worldwide. Its primary offering is an exercise bike with basically an attached Ipad in which customers can connect to the community. It also offers other exercise products such as treadmills. Peloton’s headquarters is in New York City and it’s been around since 2012. The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation funds research and improves the quality of life for people living with paralysis. It’s dedicated to finding a cure for SCI. It does this by investing in labs to boost scientific discovery across the field of spinal cord research.
The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation is a nonprofit dedicated to finding cures for paralysis caused by SCI.
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Adaptive Strength and Peloton
The eight class program starts on the platform today. It’s focus is in helping seated athletes with hand and arm function. Ross Rayburn, a Peloton instructor, leads a special meditation class. He incorporates breathing techniques and other instruction designed to help quadriplegia sufferers.
“Since joining the Peloton team a year ago, I’ve been very focused on my mission to educate and support amputees and adaptive athletes of all abilities, while finding new ways to provide different populations of Members with empowering fitness solutions,” said Aldridge.
Peloton and the Reeve Foundation have also arranged 21 classes for caregivers called “Adaptive Training: Caregivers Spotlight.” These classes focus on supporting caregivers’ mental, emotional and physical health. The collection works on breathwork, upper body stretches lower body strength, healthy back yoga flows, and strength warm-ups.
“The partnership with the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, and the Seated Adaptive Strength program we created together, exemplifies exactly why I came to Peloton. It’s a really exciting moment in our ongoing commitment to our accessibility efforts, and I’m grateful to The Foundation’s community experts and ambassadors who collaborated with me to bring this program to life in support of our Members who are wheelchair users,” Aldridge said.
The Seated Adaptive Strength Program and the Adaptive Training: Caregivers Spotlight collection are available on the Peloton App.
