Daniel Stein is the founder of Special Strong, an organization that provides adaptive fitness services to individuals with mental, physical, and cognitive challenges. Daniel began his journey with Special Strong back in 2016 with his wife, Trinity. Since then, they have grown from a single location to ten fitness studios based across four states. Additionally, through Strong Education, they have helped over 1,300 trainers gain certification to teach adaptive fitness programs.
As Special Strong moves into its next phase of growth, they brought on ABC Glofox as their member management system and tech partner to streamline operations.
Recently, we spoke with Daniel to better understand his journey, how Special Strong has turned into the thriving business it is, and where ABC Fitness has helped them to streamline, optimize, and grow sustainably.
Daniel Stein’s journey with Special Strong
Daniel’s experience with disabilities is a personal one. Diagnosed with a learning disability at the age of four, Daniel faced significant challenges in his youth. Finding the academic elements of school didn’t interest him, his parents encouraged him to get involved in sports, which eventually led him to discover a passion for working out and the joy that fitness brought him. This newfound passion became a crucial outlet for him, especially during high school, where he often felt isolated because of his disability.
“I knew at an early age I wanted to help other people like me,” Daniel recalls. “I didn’t know what that looked like exactly, but I knew what it felt like for me to have challenges and not feel accepted.”
This drive became even more poignant when, in 2012, Daniel was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis, a severe and painful condition that affected his neck, spine, and hips. The diagnosis required him to take expensive medications, typically prescribed to elderly patients, to manage his symptoms.
This again gave Daniel unique insights into the needs of those with mobility issues and chronic pain in the world of fitness. When managing chronic and mental conditions, different exercises, qualifications, and information are needed for staff and trainers, and he often found that quite lacking in his local gym.
As a personal trainer for a major gym chain, Daniel had a unique insight into the missing elements of the fitness industry at the time. As Daniel says;
“These poor trainers have taken several nationally accredited certifications and yet they don’t teach you how to work with somebody who has a disability. None of it’s in the textbooks; none of it.”
Starting Special Strong in 2016 was a leap of faith for Daniel and his wife, Trinity. At the time, Daniel had to forgo his medical insurance and the medications that helped manage his condition. Instead, he turned to adaptive fitness, developing exercise routines that allowed him to manage his pain and maintain his quality of life without medication.
“I’m in pain every day,” Daniel admits. “But I use adaptive fitness to enhance the quality of my life, and that’s what we do with our athletes. It’s about helping them live more abundant lives despite their conditions.”
Special Strong provides adaptive fitness services to individuals with mental, physical, and cognitive challenges. The goal is to find and nurture their strengths, enabling them to live as independently as possible. For some, this means being able to perform daily tasks on their own, while for others, it might mean achieving milestones like getting their first job or driving a car.
Creating an inclusive experience with Special Strong
A significant part of Special Strong’s success lies in its inclusive approach to fitness. Traditional gyms often pose numerous challenges for people with disabilities, from accessibility issues to a lack of understanding among trainers. Daniel notes that the biggest barrier is often the athletes’ mindset—they fear rejection or judgment.
“People think they’re going to be rejected in a gym setting, but we’ve found the opposite to be true,” says Daniel. “When we bring in athletes to the gym, they are met with acceptance and encouragement. It’s a powerful experience.”
Training and educating fitness professionals is another cornerstone of Special Strong’s mission. The company offers a nationally accredited certification program, written by experts across various fields, including physical therapy and occupational therapy. To date, over 1,300 trainers worldwide have been certified through this program.
“Our vision is to empower over 100,000 coaches,” Daniel explains. “We believe that when coaches have the opportunity to work with this population, they’ll live more abundant lives because of the fulfilment that comes with walking in their calling.”
Taking the next step with ABC Glofox
Special Strong’s growth has been impressive. The company now has ten locations across four states and plans to expand significantly in the coming years. With this growth came the need for a robust and scalable management system, which led them to ABC Glofox. After using another platform for seven years, Daniel sought a more advanced and user-friendly solution to support their expansion.
“We needed something simpler and more up-to-date with better technology,” Daniel says. “ABC Glofox offered the automation and customer support we needed to scale effectively.”
The integration of ABC Glofox has streamlined Special Strong’s operations, allowing for automated processes that enhance efficiency and improve customer service. This technological advancement is crucial as Special Strong aims to reach more athletes globally, including through virtual training platforms like ABC Trainerize, which allows them to provide adaptive fitness services to clients worldwide. ABC Trainerize is a comprehensive fitness app that enables trainers to deliver personalized workouts, track progress, and engage with clients remotely, allowing Special Strong to provide a high level of service to interest trainers regardless of their location.
“We’ve had nearly 1,000 leads in the first 90 days of this year alone,” Daniel notes. “With only ten locations, we couldn’t meet the demand without expanding our virtual training capabilities.”
Looking to the future, Daniel is excited about the potential to bring Special Strong’s services to international markets and further develop their adaptive fitness programs. His personal journey, marked by resilience and a relentless commitment to helping others, continues to inspire the movement that is Special Strong.
“We’re all humans,” Daniel emphasizes. “Our mission is to bring people together, regardless of their abilities, and help them lead fuller, more independent lives. This is what we call abundant life!“
Special Strong is not just a fitness program—it’s a testament to the power of adaptive fitness and the profound impact it can have on individuals’ lives. With the support of ABC Glofox and a dedicated team, Daniel Stein is turning his vision into reality, one athlete at a time.
You can find out more about Special Strong and the work Daniel and his team do on their website.
Looking to streamline your fitness business? ABC Glofox is here to provide you with the future-focused platform you need to thrive
