AdaptX Podcast

In this episode, Marc Fucarile and Jeff Bauman join Brendan Aylward for a live recording to discuss their experiences in inclusive fitness and the ways that the Boston Marathon bombings have affected both of their lives. As survivors of the 2013 Marathon bombings, Marc and Jeff’s introduction to the adaptive fitness world and disability advocacy was heavily influenced by the events of April 15th....

Sekond Skin Society is a health and fitness app designed around accessibility, creating an inclusive experience for people with and without disabilities to work out together. In this episode, Brendan is joined by Lee-Anne Reuber, the company’s founder, as she takes us through the company’s start as a brick and mortar yoga studio and transition to a virtual platform. Lee-Anne reflects on her entry...

Shaun and Shamus Evans, a father-son team from Galway, New York, are ardent advocates for inclusivity and accessibility in endurance sports. As a power wheelchair user with cerebral palsy, Shamus has forged an impressive athletic journey alongside his father, Shaun, logging thousands of miles and partaking in numerous races. Notably, they completed their inaugural Boston Marathon this past Monday...

In this episode, Brendan is joined by Amanda Sandoval and Bernie Tretta from the Houston Marathon to discuss the inclusion of athletes with disabilities in the race. They share the initial reservations and safety considerations they had when implementing inclusive practices in the race, as well as the education and training provided to volunteers and athletes. They highlight the importance of feed...

Kristin Secor was born with a rare form of Muscular Dystrophy which affects her strength, endurance, balance, and breathing. Despite her physical challenges, she continues to pursue her love of travel and has explored 20 countries across 4 continents, including Antarctica. Now she uses her knowledge to help others with mobility challenges to travel to their dream destinations through the informati...

Travis Pollen, PhD, is an author, personal trainer, and Assistant Professor of Exercise Science at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. His research focuses on athletic injury etiology and risk reduction. He’s particularly interested in pre-participation movement screening, return-to-sport testing, and training load and the roles these factors play in injury risk appraisal. In addition to...

In this episode, Hal Hargrave joins Brendan for an engaging conversation on the projection of the Perfect Step and neurological disorders in the fitness space. Hal Hargrave, the owner and founder of The Perfect Step, discusses the global vision of the business, which is to become the largest neurological recovery network in the chronic stage of recovery in the world. They offer a holistic approach...

In this episode of the AdaptX podcast, Brendan Aylward is joined by Tamzin Hall, the founder of the Neurodiversity Academy. They discuss the importance of creating inclusive workplaces and supporting individuals with neurodiversity. Tamzin shares strategies for bridging the gap between initial interest in accessibility and the concerns of businesses. They also explore the value proposition of incl...

In this episode, Joe LeMar, a Paralympic medalist and coach, shares his journey as an adaptive athlete and his involvement with Achilles International. Joe has spent more than 30 years serving as a coach, primarily in cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field. In addition to being a coach, Joe has also been a Paralympic medalist and world champion in wheelchair softball. Joe brings his exp...

In this episode of the AdaptX podcast, Dr. Hayley Kavanagh discusses her work in the Young Athletes Program with Special Olympics Ireland, focusing on fundamental movement skill intervention for children with intellectual disabilities. The conversation explores the nature versus nurture debate in motor skill development, the importance of year-round programming, and the need for specialized progra...

In this episode, Brendan and Greg Vanderbeek from the College of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Colorado discuss the design and development of adaptive bikes in collaboration with local organizations in Boulder. The program aims to create lightweight, accessible bikes for individuals with disabilities, fostering a user-centered design process and meaningful collaboration with...

In this episode, Brendan Aylward is joined by Chuck Aoki, a well-decorated Paralympic wheelchair rugby player and the Community Access Navigator at the University of Michigan. As an educator and advocate in adaptive sports and fitness, Chuck discusses the importance of engaging the medical community in adaptive fitness in order to increase engagement between diagnostic practices, disability litera...

Dr. Keith Darrow, a Harvard Medical School and MIT trained neuroscientist, clinical audiologist, professor, author of two Amazon bestselling books, and director of treatment at AudiExperts. He is the co-founder of the Hearing and Brain Centers of America and audiology movements across the country to improve the lives of the 1.5 billion people worldwide living with untreated hearing loss. Dr. Darro...

In this conversation, Joslynn Bigelow, a board-certified behavior analyst (BCBA) and advocate for adaptive sports, discusses her journey and experiences in the disability community. Throughout her life and career, Joslynn has been involved in adaptive sports programs like Top Soccer and Special Olympics, where she would be awarded the third annual ADAPTandTHRIVE Disability Award, which recognizes...

Dr. Scott McNamara discusses his background in adaptive physical education (APE) and the challenges faced in promoting inclusion in physical education, emphasizing the importance of diverse options and autonomy in inclusive fitness environments. Brendan and Scott explore the barriers to better health and fitness for people with disabilities, breaking down the attitudinal and structural systems tha...

In this episode, Dr. Jackie Hillios, co-founder and Deputy Executive Director of the Phoenix, discusses the importance of community in addiction recovery and the need for a shift in the treatment approach. The Phoenix is an organization that uses fitness and community to support individuals in recovery, and has expanded to become a global organization focused on creating conducive recovery communi...

In this episode, Tommy Trout, an award-winning leader in the inclusive fitness space, discusses his motivations for creating inclusive fitness programs and the benefits of inclusive gym environments for trainers, adaptive athletes, and nondisabled individuals alike. Throughout the episode, Tommy emphasizes the need for gyms to adapt and tailor their services to meet the needs of people with disabi...

In this episode, Ken Walsh shares his remarkable journey of overcoming a challenging upbringing, a history of addiction, and mental health struggles to find strength and recovery through fitness and therapy. In their conversation, Brendan and Ken address the role of childhood trauma in addiction and mental illness, and the ways in which our society stigmatizes invisible disability. Ken discusses m...

Enzo Caruso, an expert in haptic technology and the Head of Business and Operations at Haptic, joins Brendan to discuss the revolutionary capabilities of touch-based feedback and its potential to improve accessibility and inclusion. He explains the concept of haptic technology and its applications in various industries, exploring Haptic’s journey from the development of their first product, Wayban...

In this episode, Brendan is joined by John and Mark Cronin, the father-son team behind John's Crazy Socks, a social enterprise with a mission to spread happiness. They bootstrapped their business into the world's largest sock store with multimillion dollar revenue, which led to them being recognized with the prestigious Ernst & Young Entrepreneurs of the Year Award. John and Mark are fierce ad...

In this episode, Brendan is joined by Tom Otis, a researcher and academic in the field of neurodegenerative diseases, discusses the latest advancements in understanding and treating conditions such as spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). He explains the genetic basis of these diseases and the potential of CRISPR technology in developing targeted therapies. Tom emph...

In this episode, Wyatt Spalding, a Special Olympics athlete and podcast host, shares his journey and experiences living with Cerebral Palsy. Wyatt discusses the various medical challenges and procedures that he faced while growing up and the ways that he was able to discover sports and fitness during these times. He discusses his involvement in Special Olympics and the impact it has had on his lif...

In this episode, Brendan Aylward is joined by Dustin Giannelli, a deaf motivational speaker and advocate for inclusion and accessibility. They discuss the importance of having conversations about disability, creating an inclusive environment, and the imperativeness of accessibility for those with hearing impairments. Dustin shares his experiences in sports and how his hearing loss has impacted him...

Sarah Everhart Skeels, an expert in adaptive exercise and public health, shares her personal journey and professional insights in this conversation with host Brendan Aylward. She discusses her early interest in adaptive populations and the impact of disability on her identity while exploreing the Medical Model versus the Social Model of Disability. She also highlights the importance of the SCI-FI...

In this episode, Brendan interviews Kim Knackstedt, the first-ever director of disability policy for the Domestic Policy Council for the Biden-Harris administration. We discuss Kim's background in special education, her transition to government and policy work, and the impactful projects and initiatives she spearheaded during her time at the White House and in Congress. We explore the intersection...