San-Diego based company Kidisthenics offers physical exercise sessions to help those with developmental disabilities address sensory needs.
A new fitness and physical exercise program aimed to help individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities is now available in Napa.
Arlene Lopez Martinez launched Kidisthenics in 2018 in San Diego to help those with autism address their own sensory needs. When she started the company, she had more than 20 years of experience working as a behavioral specialist and has a Bachelor’s Degree in education, according to the company’s website.
This will be the company’s first market in the North Bay and fourth market overall, after San Diego, Sacramento and El Centro.
Co-owner and chief operating officer, Ryan Bigelow, said the name Kidisthenics comes from a play on words – mixing Calisthenics with Kid.
Despite having Kid in the name, Bigelow said their program is open to people of all ages with developmental disabilities including down syndrome and cerebral palsy. The company’s goal is to help clients feel more confident about independently navigating the world.
He said sessions usually pair a client with a movement specialist who can regulate sensory input through rhythmic and repetitive movement. They also have group fitness activities such as sports games and offer social outings like going to the amusement park.
Most of the training happens outdoors, such as at a park, as Kidisthenics in Napa does not have a physical facility, which is also true of its San Diego and Sacramento locations.
“We model these movements that they would struggle with on a daily basis, but you kind of hide those movements in exercise so that their brains see it as an exercise rather than an obstacle that they’re trying to compete against,” Bigelow said.
In turn, Bigelow said individuals gain confidence, get encouragement, and establish a sense of community. He said the company wanted to expand to Napa because they noticed a need for more services for those with developmental disabilities.
“No matter what our client’s past has been or where your future will be, we are open and welcoming to every individual with a developmental disability to come in and try our services,” Bigelow said. “We will always work through different behavior challenges and different goals … to help create a brighter and more connected future for the family and dependent within their community and environment.”
Services are coordinated through regional centers and expenses are often covered by Medicaid. One hour of instruction is $90 for those 12 years old and younger and $105 for those 13 years old and older.
The movement specialists they hire are not doctors and Bigelow said they do not diagnose developmental disabilities. He said some movement specialists are students training in fields related to special education or kinesiology.
Currently, the two movement specialists hired in Napa are college students from Sonoma State – one is double-majored in psychology and kinesiology, and the other majored in kinesiology, Bigelow said.
Before starting with Kidisthenics, an individual fills out a form that allows the company to gauge that person’s developmental disability, sensory needs and goals. After that, a service coordinator appointed by the regional center meets with that person and their family.
Bigelow said a movement specialist will start sessions about two months after that meeting.
Bigelow has been piloting the program in Napa since June with his movement specialist manager Anthony Thome. They’re ready to begin with approximately 10 families and will hire more movement specialists accordingly.
Thome said he is “beyond excited” to expand into Napa and said he is not only looking forward to helping individuals with developmental disabilities, but also their families.
“It hurts to see a parent want to help out their kid and not know how to so that’s why we were created as a company – to give that resource not only to the clients but to the parents as well,” Thome said.
“I really see how intuitive and smart and brilliant our population is and they need to have their own voice and be able to stand up for themselves and be able to operate on their own and become more independent,” Bigelow said.
He said they hope to fully launch by November. Information on signups is available on the Kidisthenics website.
You can reach Staff Writer Melanie Nguyen at 707-521-5457 or melanie.nguyen@pressdemocrat.com. On X (Twitter) @mellybelly119