Words by Smiley Team
Fitness trends and the 'new year, new you' fad tends to be focused towards the able-bodied, mainstream audience – but one woman is trying to change the conversation.
Luiz Faye, 36, from Rotherham, is an adaptive boxing coach and trainer and works to attract people with various disabilities into boxing and fitness.
She uses a wheelchair – after having health complications in 2017 – and her reputation is fast growing in the boxing community.
As part of her focus, Luiz is putting on a number of classes for January and beyond and looking to attract people who often miss out on fitness experiences due to a lack of accessibility, or lack of knowledge from instructors when it comes to training people with disabilities.
[Discover more positive news about people giving back on Smiley Movement]
“When I began my adaptive boxing journey, the physical and emotional benefits I experienced far outweighed those of any sport that I had taken part in before,” Luiz tells Smiley News. “It felt like a part of my life that had always been missing. I wanted to be able to share this and encourage others with disabilities to enjoy and feel the benefits that this incredible sport has to offer!”
Many existing boxing clubs weren't physically accessible, she says. “They were upstairs with little or no parking, not to mention the toilet situation,” she explains. “The next challenge was understanding the wide range of differences and variables when teaching adaptive/inclusion boxing.
"My mission is to make adaptive boxing accessible to everyone, to help existing boxing clubs become more inclusive and to help develop this into a recognised safe, regulated adaptive sport.”
Since starting teaching, she’s had some fantastic feedback, which is why she decided to launch as a non profit organisation in April 2021, with Kronik Warriors. “Since thenm we have been nominated for 2 national diversity awards,” she says.
“Our adaptive boxing classes are now being delivered to charities and organisations both online and in gym settings including Gym Possible, Pembroke & Pembroke Dock Amateur Boxing Club and Boxwise.”
Luiz believes adaptive fitness should be accessible not only physically, but financially too, which is why our Kronik Warrior UK classes are either free or subsidised.
Head to kronikwarrioruk.org to find out more, support the charity, and find out how to get involved.
Luiz is also a partner on Gift Fit, the UK’s first dedicated fitness and wellbeing gift voucher site – by supporting Kronik Warriors through gifting a voucher, you're giving someone the opportunity to experience an adaptive boxing class and support Luiz's community.
