Jessica makower by Freestyle Academy

Training The Athlete In Every “Buddy”

Jessica Makower

Acknowledgments I would like to thank Jen Pleiman for creating this amazing program. I would also like to thank Freestyle Academy for helping me and giving me the resources to create this book.

Table Of Contents Acknowledgments......... 3 Preface................................ 7 Introduction..................... 9 Chapter 1........................... 13 Chapter 2........................... 17 Chapter 3........................... 21 Conclusion........................ 27 5

Preface When I was younger I always felt different. My teachers seated me in the back of the classroom and gave up on me. Other kids would think there was something wrong with me when really I just needed someone to take the time and try to teach me. The way the teachers taught was not compatible with the way I needed to learn. In third grade I moved to a private school in Belmont named Charles Armstrong School. There, I was expecting nothing to change. It was scary to go so far away and have to start all over again, but once I was there, I finally felt like I belonged. Other people were just like me. Having a learning disability is really hard: you work 10 times harder than everyone and get lower results. Being in a community where people supported me and made me feel important was a huge part of being able to learn to cope with my dyslexia.

This made me a very empathetic person. I see people who need help and I help them. When I got into my freshman year, I learned about FIT Buddies. It was an organization that helped people who had mental disabilities. I started volunteering there every Tuesday and Thursday. I’m one of those people who enjoy helping other people because it makes me happy. Helping out at FIT Buddies was a great way for me to give back to my community. When the time came for me to choose a topic to write a book about and do a documentary on , I knew this was the perfect opportunity to show the world what an amazing place this is. Jen Pleiman, the founder

and head of the program, has supported every step of this process. People with disabilities are given a safe and supportive place to come together and work out and it really makes a difference. If they were put in a separate room to work alone with a personal trainer, I don’t think they would get as much out of it as they do when working in a group of people who are like them. I don’t think I would have ever been able to be a successful student if I hadn’t moved schools to be with other people like me. At first I was sad that I was leaving all of my friends but then I realized that when I am with people like me it is easier to learn and succeed. 7

Introduction For most people, high school graduation marks the beginning of an exciting journey into adulthood. There are so many choices to be made such as college, traveling, or getting a job to become financially independent for the first time. Imagine for a second that after high school you have no where to go, and you are not qualified to work. Your options are extremely limited and your days are difficult to fill. This is a struggle that almost every adult with disabilities has to face. After they age out of the school system they have no place to go. A lot of these adults sit at home and have the tendency to become depressed and overweight. Research shows that â&#x20AC;&#x153;obesity rates for adults with disabilities are 58% higher than adults without disabilitiesâ&#x20AC;?(Disability and Obesity). Fit Buddies is a fun, social way for these young adults to work out and gain motor skills which are often affected by their disabilities. As a volunteer with FIT Buddies for the past three years, I have had the opportunity to watch these people work out and it is amazing. They are all so supportive of each other. After every exercise they all gather together and clap and compliment how well the other did. The trainer, Jen Pleiman, is an amazing personal fitness trainer as well as an amazing person. She works so well with this population. She helps them feel like they belong and that they are a part of something important. The Buddies work out next to people without disabilities which is an important part of it. All through their schooling, these

people were separated from the mainstream because of their differences, so being part of a group in an environment that is filled with all types of people makes them feel like they are normal.

Chapter One

Social Life and Fitness As young children, we depend on friends and family for constant support and encouragement in order to develop a healthy sense of self. According to Michael Argyle, “If people admire us, flatter us, seek out our company, listen attentively and agree with us we tend to develop a positive self-image. If they avoid us, neglect us, tell us things about ourselves that we don’t want to hear we develop a negative self image” (Argyle). Children who are born with disabilities often look different, behave differently, and are subject to ridicule. Imagine what it would be like to go through school and feel isolated and different from everyone else. What if the only thing people your age say about you is that you look weird and that you talk and walk funny? Developing a social life and making friends is a challenge for all children, but this must be so much more difficult for kids who just don’t fit in. Fit Buddies is a wonderful program that allows this popula-

tion a safe and enjoyable place to get together with others who are similar to them and who will not judge each other negatively. Some of the Buddies love coming for the exercise and others enjoy coming for the social interactions with their friends. It is shown that people enjoy working out more when they are in a group: “some

makes it more fun. For these people, if they don’t have that fun factor they will not have any motivation and they won’t participate. Sometimes, in order to keep that fun factor within the workout, we would play games or have dance breaks so the Buddies have fun and want to come. Having other people like them in the organization is emotionally beneficial because it is hard for these people to meet and make friends. Many kids without disabilities do not want to or do not know how to be friends with people who are different or who do not fit in. Fit Buddies brings these people together and helps them by welcoming them into an organized group activity. They are not only receiving the obvious health benefits of the benefits (of group exercise) of exercise, but they are also being include exposure to a social and coached on life skills. One of the fun environment, a safe and effecBuddies, Aryan, says that “Jen has tively designed workout, a consistent taught me how to run fast and ignore exercise schedule, an accountability people who bully me” (Aryan). factor for participating in exercise, Many people who have disand a workout that requires no prior abilities are confused in social situexercise knowledge or experience” ations because people might stare at them. One of the things that FIT (Dolan). Working out in a group

Buddies does that is so great is that these people work out next to other people who don’t have disabilities and it makes them feel normal. Jen says that she doesn’t “want the program off in a room or in some isolated facility. That does not provide the same community where we are all working out right next to each other side by side. The community aspect is so important. To me, that’s the most important part in maintaining and growing the program to keep that aspect” (Pleiman). When

interviewing one of the participants dads he agreed that having the community aspect is important for these people, he said, “inclusion is real important because from the standpoint of the person with the disability they don’t see themselves of having a disability most of the time, I know my son doesn’t, they like to feel included.” (O’Dea) I also agree that one of the most important factors of the program is having that exposure and positive environment. When I was in second grade I had

reading problems, so every day during class I would get pulled out and brought to a separate room where they attempted to show me how to read. I always felt like there was something wrong with me because I couldn’t stay with the whole class. I understand from personal experience that feeling different sucks and it makes you feel less than other people.

Chapter Two

Feeling Human Nick is a twenty six year old man with downs syndrome who attends FIT Buddies. When the other Buddies are engaged in an activity, Nick often isolates himself and sits down slumped over, arms crossed with an obvious frown on his face. He is sending a non verbal message to the group that he doesn’t fit in and doesn’t believe he is capable to doing what the group is doing. Whenever I volunteer there, I am in charge of making sure Nick is engaged. I encourage him and take him by the hand to make sure he’s participating. Whenever I show interest and reach out my hand, his face brightens and he immediately cooperates. He just needs confirmation that someone believes in his ability and cares enough to stand by his side. The nice part about working with this population is that “although they have intellectual disabilities, there are very little physical limitations. It’s a myth

that a lot of people think that because they have an intellectual disability, they can’t move as well either. Actually, they can move just as well but nobody’s taking the time to push them to the level they are capable of.” (Pleiman). Once again, this lack of confidence from everyone around them leads to a negative self image and lack of self esteem. “I see with a lot of the participants, their self esteem is slim and non existent because when they start here, they see that

they’re not moving like all of their peers ”(Pleiman). These people need to feel included. They work out alongside other people so they can see that they can do the same thing as the person next to them. It makes them feel like they are normal and can do things just like anyone else. When Jeremy, who is a buddy, was asked what he liked most about FIT, he said, “they are so positive and make you feel welcome as a person” (Jeremy).

Chapter Three

Types Of Disabilities There are many different types of developmental disabilities that can occur but the most common diagnosis that people who join FIT Buddies have are Down’s Syndrome and Autism spectrum disorders. Down’s Syndrome occurs when an individual has an extra copy of chromosome 21; this condition affects their speech because they have protruding tongues which prevent them from speaking clearly and “Individuals with Down syndrome possess varying degrees of cognitive delays, from very mild to severe.”(What is down syndrome) Behavioral issues can also exist in individuals with Down’s Syndrome. Some of these issues can include attention problems, obsessive/compulsive behavior, and stubbornness or tantrums. This makes it really hard for them to socially integrate into society. Imagine if you were in public and you tried to talk to your friends but they need to ask you to repeat yourself over and over be-

cause it is hard to understand what you are saying; eventually you may give up and stop trying to communicate. This can be very isolating. Individuals with Down’s syndrome have low muscle tone, small stature, an upward slant to the eyes, and a single deep crease across the center of the palm; however, each person with Down syndrome is a unique individual and may possess these characteristics to different degrees, or not at all. There are many participants with down syndrome in FIT Buddies. It is especially difficult to get them to move. They constantly need one one one help or else they

will just sit down and not participate. Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are also welcome to joined FIT Buddies. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a range of complex neurodevelopment disorders, characterized by social impairments, communication difficulties, and restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior. Autistic disorder, some-

times called autism or classical ASD, is the most severe form of ASD, while other conditions along the spectrum include a milder form known as Asperger syndrome, and childhood disintegrative disorder and pervasive developmental disorder. People with ASD usually look just like everyone else but they might act differently and they usually mature much slower than their peers. Their impairment includes restricted repetitive behaviors, interests and activities. These issues cause significant impairment in social, occupational and other areas of functioning.â&#x20AC;? A common symptom between ASD and Downs Syndrom is social isolation. Because of physical and or behavioral differences from the mainstream population, these people often are ignored or pushed aside because people donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t understand how to communicate with them. This is why FIT Buddies is the perfect safe place for these individuals to come together and feel accepted and part of something

Conclusion Overall, I believe that FIT Buddies is an amazing resource for people with developmental disabilities. The lack of programs and resources for Adults with disabilities is a big problem in todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s society. The amazing program that Jen and the trainers and management at FIT have created is really addressing this need in the most positive way. Not only are these people benefiting from the health aspect of a consistent exercise and fitness program, FIT Buddies also provides a safe and supportive environment for people who would otherwise find it difficult to fit into other existing programs. FIT Buddies is helping many people with disabilities in the bay area and I believe that with some help and support from the community, this organization can grow and help other people all over the world.

Work Cited Argyle. “Self Concept | Simply Psychology.” Self Concept | Simply Psychology. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2015. “Disability and Obesity.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 01 Apr. 2014. Web. 17 Apr. 2015. Dolan, Shawn. “ACSM | Articles.” ACSM | Articles. N.p., 20 Jan. 2012. Web. 12 Mar. 2015. “Down Syndrome.” Genetics Home Reference. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Feb. 2015. “FIT Buddies.” Interview. n.d.: n. pag. Print. Nick, Arian, Zach, and Jeremy. “FIT Buddies.” Personal interview. 3 Mar. 2015. O’Dea, Bill. Personal interview. 23 Mar. 2015. Pleiman, Jen. “FIT Buddies.” Personal interview. 26 Feb. 2015. “What Is Down Syndrome?” - National Down Syndrome Society. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Feb. 2015.

Jessica Makower is a Junior attending Los Altos High School and Freestyle Academy. She is part of Broken Box theater company and plays guitar, piano and drums. She has been volunteering with FIT buddies for the past three years and has enjoyed combining her love for filmmaking and storytelling with her passion for helping people with disabilities. She has been touched by the hard work, enthusiasm and sense of humor that Jennifer Pleiman brings to her program, FIT Buddies, every day and is so happy to have the opportunity to share her story.