#1 is 23 now. He can read at about a third grade level, most of his writing is text messaging to Emily or I. He's impulsive, but has generally done well with listening to coaches and workplace supervisors. Putting it all together I thought CrossFit was a bridge too far. Trying it was his idea, not mine.
I was wrong about that. He can now do up to 2/3 of a workout with some minor guidance. Sometimes he does less, but over time he's getting better. His belly grew during the lockdown, it's been shrinking since our gyms reopened. His mood is substantially better. He rarely pushes the limits of his strength, but when he does he's clearly stronger than his 61yo Dad (he is built like a bull - his "max effort" is my routine effort).
If he persists then sometime in the next 3-4 years he will be doing the men's "Rx" workouts. I can rarely do those.
The box has been supportive but they really haven't done much for him beyond any other member. They know his name, tolerate his eccentricities, and pretty much let him do his own thing. Coaches don't push him and that's the right choice.
Anything could happen tomorrow. He has often given up on things he's good at, often for no reason he can express or we can imagine. Sometimes he goes back to them, sometimes he doesn't.
Still, it has been done. He's not the first special needs adult to do CrossFit it a regular group class, but around here he's been a pioneer. Again.
