Full Spectrum Fitness in Bala Cynwyd serves the local autistic community and helps people on the autism spectrum get in shape and further develop their independence, writes Davis Giangiulio for the Main Line Today.

The studio’s owner Pete Phillips is a physical education teacher at Overbrook School for the Blind who has been teaching special needs kids how to play sports for a decade. But he wanted to do more.

“I want to teach the skills they need to get through the day and become more independent,” said Phillips.

At his recently opened studio, the goal is not just to exercise the body but to build stability. All of his clients are members of the autistic community. They start with an assessment to determine their level of physical, cognitive, and behavioral functioning.

When the results are in, they move on to exercises. Phillips usually sees each client at least once a week for a 50-minute session.

And while connecting with people on the autism spectrum can be a challenge, Phillips uses a system of reinforcement and rewards to overcome this and encourage them.

Read more about Full Spectrum Fitness at the Main Line Today by clicking here.