There are many physical education options at Skyline, but contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to be completely physically capable to take part.

Chip Chandler is an instructor here who teaches not only regular fitness classes but also adaptive physical education classes. Adaptive Physical Education is for people who want to stay active but may be limited in some way. Participants in these classes include disabled Skyline students, injured Skyline athletes and even people who come to Skyline specifically for this program.

“The majority (of people) are here after they’ve had some serious, debilitating accident or disease,” Chandler said.

Students come for adaptive physical education after suffering from bad falls, hip replacements and even strokes. Much of the time, these people need rehabilitation beyond what the hospital can offer and what their insurance will pay for, and in most cases, additional physical therapy is very expensive.

In Adaptive P.E., people can improve their strength and mobility for a fraction of the cost of rehabilitation elsewhere. However, just because they’re paying less doesn’t mean these people need to make sacrifices in terms of individual attention. Chandler makes sure that he knows each person’s limitations, and he designs their exercise plans accordingly.

The inspiring thing about the Adaptive P.E. class is how far these participants have come since they first set foot in the weight room. Hank Marsh, an Adaptive P.E. student, suffered a series of four strokes and was left paralyzed throughout the entire right side of his body. However, in the six months since he started Adaptive P.E. at Skyline, he says to have made great improvements.

“That man is a very good leader,” Marsh says of Chandler. He also likes his classmates, saying they’re “a good group of people trying to get back in shape.”

Like many of the people in Chandler’s class, Marsh comes in with a caregiver. In this case, it is his wife. Many times, spouses will come with each other to offer support, since the instructor can’t watch everyone at once. These caregivers are an integral part of the Adapative P.E. program; without them, participants may not be as successful.

While every person in Chandler’s classes has different limitations, they still do group exercises. During their group time, everyone is encouraged to do whatever they are physically capable of. The group setting is beneficial to the participants because they have additional support from one another.

“Being in a group setting makes a person feel better because they see others who are also struggling and dealing with limitations,” Chandler said. “So it’s a psychological boost as well as physiological.”

Most students in Adaptive P.E. classes have made great strides improving their physical abilities since dealing with serious limitations. They insist that with the help of their instructor and the support they get from each other, they have become more capable than they once were.