“I’ve had such a such a wildly profound exposure to what fitness can do for people”, Aldridge tells me when I ask him what exercise means to him. His adaptive training classes are designed to make fitness available and accessible by offering personalized movements and exercises for those who are differently abled. Launching on the Peloton platform earlier this June, the classes fall under two categories — seated and standing and span across the HIIT, Cardio, Strength, and Stretching genres. They’re intended for all adaptive athletes, and they are only the start of Aldridge’s journey as a Peloton instructor. Aldridge is living proof that the secret to overcoming a challenge is to adapt. “I’m here, I believe, for something far bigger than myself,” he says. Read on to find out what happened when we sat down to talk about his journey, his training, and his plans for Peloton. When I dove deep into the fitness space, I tried to better understand the issues that exist that mean someone in a wheelchair someone, or someone missing an arm such as myself, doesn’t feel comfortable entering the gym. That was the start of the journey about eight years ago, where I then created the Adaptive Training Academy which is an organization I set up with a fellow friend of mine here in the United States. Through that experience, I discovered that we, as humans, tend to be far more capable than we believe. People living with varying abilities and disabilities get put into this social expectation that implies being disabled is being less able. When I went off to college, I studied business and as a business owner after graduating high school, I started to implement some technology solutions in the robotic prosthetic space. It was then that I had an epiphany — I thought that my life’s purpose could be showing people with a traumatic injury how possible and how fruitful their life could be with this new normal. I was meeting people who were putting a lot of hope and expectation on an artificial limb — they had the mindset that it would take them back to who they were before the accident, and restore their confidence. We started that organization as an educational organization to recognize the real barrier to entry was the knowledge and experience that trainers and therapists [had]. We created the Adaptive Inclusive Certification to help trainers and gym owners feel comfortable and have the knowledge to welcome anyone through their doors and give them a safe and effective training program. And that’s been kind of my role at Peloton — on top of being an able-bodied, typical instructor in the strength category, I’m also leading the adaptive training specialist role and helping develop this content on a platform. For people living with varying abilities in environmental conditions that typically aren’t suited for them, when they’re constantly reminded that they are different, giving them the space and power to move has been the coolest experience of my life. I have recognized that people are far greater than they know or believe. And I believe that through movement, we are training our bodies and sharpening our minds. Let’s pursue our potential together, and I think we’ll both be surprised and empowered by how capable we really are. A photo posted by on In other circumstances, it’s a psychological barrier. For some people, going to a gym is daunting. Most people living with varying abilities or disabilities don’t want to be the center of attention — they don’t want people looking at them and saying, “Whoa, how are they going to do that? How are they going to do this movement? How’s that gonna work?” so I think that’s the purpose of this opportunity. At Peloton, we’re creating an adaptive training program designed to meet people wherever they are on their fitness journey and how they perceive their condition or themselves. We’re meeting them in their own environment, when they feel safe and when they’re ready. Download this app and begin — that’s all you need. We give people a place to begin to move and show them that movement is empowering. The whole objective is to remind all individuals how capable they really are and show them that there are movements meant for them and there are ways to accomplish and achieve their physical fitness and health goals. A photo posted by on Logan’s adaptive training classes are live on the Peloton app now. Read our Peloton app review here, and if you’re thinking of adding a Peloton to your home gym, be sure to read our Peloton Bike review and our Peloton Tread review first.
