Special Populations

Can movement serve as therapy for kids on the autism spectrum?

When you’re the parent of a child on the autism spectrum, you’re used to your child moving, but often in a manner that may not be in sync with the rest of society. In this special world, there are arm-flappers and toe-dancers and body-rockers, among others.

I have a sprinter.

My son, who is now 14 years old, technically hits some end of… Continue Reading

As researchers start to close in on the causes of autism, some CrossFit gyms are testing treatment theories that suggest exercise can help.

(Corrects to clarify that some children with Asperger’s, not all, are averse to touch.)

Living with autism is about making connections.

Since the earliest diagnosis of autism in 1911, parents have searched for ways to relate to children whose symptoms often make interaction challenging. With no cure for the developmental disorder… Continue Reading

Polygamous members of Utah CrossFit affiliate explain their controversial views on plural marriages.

One man’s sin is another man’s commandment.

Though illegal, polygamy is still practiced in Utah, Arizona and other small pockets of the United States. Driven from the public eye, plural marriages are often the subject of scorn and always under legal suspicion.

Though most polygamous groups are Mormon, they’ve been disavowed by their own church and… Continue Reading

Improved prosthetic technology and user-driven innovation are opening new avenues for adaptive athletes who refuse to accept limitations.

On Dec. 22, 2013, vigilant U.S. Transportation Security Administration agents pulled Kendra Bailey out of a screening line.

Bailey’s carryon contained a length of hollow pipe, a short chain, a leather strap and various connectors because she was hoping to do power cleans while visiting a gym on the West Coast… Continue Reading

Knowledge Is Power Program school relies on Los Angeles affiliate owners to help bring CrossFit to new East L.A. junior high.

Paul Austad, Candice Ryu and Shirley Brown didn’t know each other until recently, even through the three grew up in the same rough area of East Los Angeles and have been exposed to much of the same adversity.

But now they’re banding together for a greater cause. Along with a woman… Continue Reading

In December 2013, CrossFit offered its first women-only Level 1 Seminar. It was two days in Dubai that hinted at rebellion, equal rights and a movement still at its infancy. Andréa Maria Cecil reports.

Abeer Al Khaja was visibly excited as she introduced herself to CrossFit Inc. Level 1 Seminar Staff in late December 2013. It’s a scene that plays out every weekend inside CrossFit affiliates the world over, but at… Continue Reading

Noble and Empower charter schools find CrossFit fits their mandate to pursue excellence in education.

The Noble Network of Charter Schools is located in the worst neighborhoods of Chicago: Englewood, Garfield Park, West Humble Park. Ninety-five percent of its students live below the poverty line, and many of the schools in the neighborhood are equipped with metal detectors to curb violence. When students enter Noble schools in the ninth grade… Continue Reading

Chicago student wins charter-school “education lottery” and earns full college scholarship.

Daniel Rodriguez won the lottery when he was 13.

A kid from Chicago’s inner city, Rodriguez faced a bleak outlook. His mom is from Puerto Rico, his dad from the Dominican Republic, and English is not the first language of either parent. Rodriguez struggled in elementary school, and his parents feared for his future in high school.

“I was so far behind… Continue Reading