Our Story

Lowering Barriers I Raising the Bar

Inclusive Fitness^® was founded by Greg and Kristina Austin, parents of an autistic young man, who believe that everyone deserves access to high-quality fitness designed for their needs. We created Inclusive Fitness to offer a welcoming space where neurodivergent athletes can build real strength – for life, not just the gym.

By combining evidence-based training with deep empathy, expertise, and a tailored sensory-friendly space, we’re lowering barriers and raising the bar – so every athlete has the chance to thrive.

About Us

Inclusive Fitness® is a nationally recognized adaptive fitness organization serving teens and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities throughout Greater Boston. Founded in West Roxbury, Massachusetts, in 2020, Inclusive Fitness provides individualized functional strength and conditioning programs for athletes ages 12 and over at our Dedham and Burlington locations.

Our fitness programs are designed specifically for people who are autistic, neurodivergent, or have ADHD, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injuries, rare genetic conditions, or other intellectual and developmental disabilities. We provide functional strength training and individualized coaching through one-on-one training, semi-private sessions, and small-group programs tailored to each athlete’s goals, abilities, and pace.

Our expert coaches meet every athlete where they are with personalized, results-driven programs. We presume competence, prioritize accessibility, and provide sensory-friendly training environments where athletes can build strength, confidence, independence, and lifelong healthy habits within a supportive community.

Mission

Our mission is to empower neurodivergent people to build healthy lifestyles through inclusive, results-driven functional fitness. We deliver real-world outcomes and foster confidence, independence, and well-being through neuroadaptive training and expert coaching. We presume competence and meet every athlete where they are – believing in their potential to grow.

Vision

Our vision is to be the leading neuroadaptive fitness company – redefining how fitness is designed, delivered, and experienced by neurodivergent athletes. We’re creating a new model and approach – one that delivers personalized coaching, measurable progress, and lasting impact.

Purpose

Very few fitness centers in the U.S. are designed for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities—limiting access to the physical, social, and health benefits of exercise. Inclusive Fitness exists to change that, to challenge the status quo, and to make high-quality exercise programming the expectation, not the exception, across the United States and the world.

Our Journey to Building Strength, Confidence, and Community

Inclusive Fitness was born from a personal need. As amateur athletes, exercise enthusiasts, and committed parents, Greg and Kristina Austin saw how strength and conditioning training helped their autistic son, Lucas, become more focused, confident, and active. But they couldn’t find a gym that offered high-quality, year-round fitness programs tailored to his physical, behavioral, and cognitive needs. Most programs are seasonal or sport-specific, and traditional gyms lack sensory-friendly environments and specialized coaching.

Not finding a solution that met their expectations—and knowing how capable their son Lucas and so many other neurodivergent individuals are—Greg and Kristina Austin set out to build something new. They opened Inclusive Fitness in Burlington, MA in 2020, drawing on their 20+ year careers in global business, executive marketing leadership, psychology, and gym design—as well as their lived experience as parents.

They quickly expanded the vision with Co-Founder Kristin Abendroth—an expert in fitness programming and gym operations. With over a decade of experience scaling member-focused fitness franchises, Kristin brings both strategic insight and hands-on leadership. As Director of Member Experience, she has been instrumental in creating a welcoming, high-performance environment that supports athletes and families from their first visit through every stage of progress.

They were soon joined by Eric Chessen, Founder of Autism Fitness, who serves as Director of Neuroadaptive Training & Innovation. With over 20 years of experience developing evidence-based programs for neurodivergent athletes, Eric’s methodology and insight has shaped our coaching approach and staff training, and how we deliver personalized, progress-driven support to every athlete.

Today, Inclusive Fitness® is driven by a team of expert coaches with professional certifications and personal connections to the disability community. Every coach is committed to presuming competence, delivering individualized, evidence-informed coaching, and celebrating every athlete’s progress.

Since opening our doors in 2020, we’ve delivered more than 30,000 training sessions to 550+ athletes and today provide more than 750 sessions each month across our two Greater Boston locations in Dedham and Burlington, Massachusetts. As we continue to grow, our mission remains the same: empowering athletes to build strength, confidence, independence, and lifelong health within a welcoming, supportive community.

Join our Community

Whether you are ready to train with a friend or you’d like to explore all ouroptions, we’re here to help.

Give us a call today and let’s chat!