Medford, Ore. – Melissa Dinardi has always loved martial arts, she even has her black belt. But, she also has high functioning autism. Now she wants to take her passion for martial arts to help others with disabilities get “Fit 4 Life”.
Melissa says she’s felt unwelcome at other gyms because she knows they consider people with disabilities a liability.
“What my other place doesn’t allow is people with disabilities, and they told me I was the exception to the gym,” she said.
She wants to change the stigma, and use her love of fitness and martial arts to create a class that’s more inclusive.
“So far in the other style that I do, we only have three people with disabilities,” she said.
Now, she has partnered with the Oregon Kick Boxing Academy to create “Fit 4 Life with Melissa”.
“We’re trying to get a program together here where anyone with any type of disability can not just come here and work out, but if they’re not able to work out they can still come here and feel like they’re apart of it and feel like they’re accepted by a family,” Owner, Tomi Massey said.
Melissa says there won’t be *any restrictions on who can come to her class, it’s even wheelchair friendly.
“I want those people to experience that they can sit there and punch and feel happy about themselves that they can exercise their arms and punch, even if they can’t use their legs,” she said.
Melissa and Oregon Kick Boxing Academy are hoping to start Fit 4 Life classes start soon. If you want to learn more about Melissa’s classes you can go to http://www.oregonkickboxingacademy.com.
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