Autism Exercises

Exercise helps me in every way. When I was young I suffered daily from having a mind that couldn’t control my body well. It made it hard for people to realize I was intelligent. I have worked for years on improving this skill and continue to do so. One of the ways I do this is through exercise.

I believe exercise is incredibly important in helping people with autism. I use exercise often to help me control my feelings or my energy level. Of course, it also helps me to have better mind/motor communication, better motor planning, better fitness and even to participate in certain physical activities or sports I never could do before.

I exercise in a variety of ways including hiking, bicycling, riding a scooter, jogging on a treadmill, swings and trampolines, as well as working out with  trainers.

I share below a few short film clips of me working out as well as a photo of me sawing a tree branch on a two-man saw with my dad.

Parents: Don’t be afraid if your kid isn’t fit yet or even into moving. It took me a long time to get to this point. You can build up the skills and interest over time by starting slowly but making it a part of the regular routine. It’s so worth it!

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10 responses to “Autism Exercises

  1. Thank you so much for sharing these Ido. You are such an inspiration for me in working with my son. Thank you for all you do!

  2. What a great message…even if you are not fit now you can be with consistent practice. I am glad to hear how much exercise has influenced your life for the better!

  3. Ido, you might think that Colin is loud and talkative but, his limitations leave me in the dark re: his thoughts on exercise; your communicating this about your own experience gives me more confidence that exercise is helping Colin a great deal as well, more than just what he says about getting big muscles all of the time. Thank you for writing these great blogs.

  4. My son , now 19, seems to resist the limited exercise he can do. I know he will be a happier person afterwards since it gets things moving (shifts wind, helps with digestion etc) but I feel mean dragging him along. He does not communicate verbally so I’m not sure what the issue is – probably tiredness. Would you have been happy if someone pushed you along ? Or does the health benefit outweigh the resistance ?

    • I wasn’t happy at first because I was out of shape, but you must persist. It’s so beneficial. He may think it’s mean but it’s not. It’s a gift.

      • did you see the short doco on SBS ‘the feed’ about Andrew short who has CP and the exercise regime which led to him walking the Kokoda trail ? its an inspirational little doco nicely timed to follow your post about exercise. Gotta get ourselves a decent personal trainer I feel. Thanks for your reply.

  5. Hi Ido, Thanks for sharing your experience. What sort of exercise activities would you suggest for 2 and 3 year olds?

  6. Ido, because of your encouragement, we just found a special needs gym here in Maryland where we can go during our homeschooling day. My daughter is working with a trainer and really enjoying it!

  7. I exercise every day. I have severe Autism. I use RPM to communicate. Exercise helps me integrate my mind and body. I swim half a mile most days. My life is better with RPM. I am 14 I learned RPM in 2014. I’m into cooking too. Ido what is your favorite recipe? I hope I meet you some day.

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