New autism-friendly gym coming to El Centro

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - A new gym made specifically for kids and young adults with autism is opening soon in El Centro, and it’s the first of its kind in the Imperial Valley.

It's called Kidisthenics, pronounced kid-is-thenics, and what makes it different is how it mixes fitness with therapeutic movement.

Instead of regular gym workouts, this space offers fun, guided activities that help with things like coordination, confidence, and letting go of stress.

"We're doing primitive movement training, sensory integration, rhythmic movement, and we're even developing our own audio training," said Ryan Bigelow, COO of Kidisthenics.

The idea came from the founder Arlene Lopez Martinez. who grew up in the Valley, and wanted to give local families more access to support for neurodiverse kids.

"With a lot of autistic individuals, they can get very stressed, very stuck in fight or flight," said Anthony Thomé, one of Kidisthenics movement specialists. "Our goal is to help them feel safe and empowered."

The gym opens to the public on May 7 and will be open all year round.