Fitness is an important aspect of the Special Olympics mission. Physical activity, adequate nutrition and hydration enhance athletes’ sports performance and improve health and overall quality of life. Special Olympics supports a variety of programs to engage athletes and their families, caregivers and friends in year-round fitness, including Unified Fitness Clubs, Fit Families and Friends, and SOfit. Each of these models is unified, so friends and families can participate alongside Special Olympics athletes.

Data collected by Special Olympics demonstrates that fitness programming improves health behaviors for all participants (with and without intellectual disabilities):

Athletes most at risk for cardiovascular disease experienced notable improvements in health outcomes:

• Special Olympics athletes at high risk of developing cardiovascular disease reduced their blood pressure and weight after two months of participating in our fitness programming
• Following participation in Special Olympics fitness programming, most athletes (70 –74%) reported increased confidence in eating healthy and engaging in physical activity, as well as improved knowledge about physical activity.
• Special Olympics fitness challenges delivered through technology apps, such as the 2022 Road to USA Games Challenge, have demonstrated promising outcomes, including increased physical activity (measured by wearable step counts), high program satisfaction, and nationwide participant reach.

Special Olympics improves the fitness of athletes by providing tailored tools for individuals, families, and Special Olympics Programs. Fitness programming is implemented across four key areas—ongoing programming, education, technology, and advocacy—to support athletes in maximizing their health and wellbeing by developing the knowledge, skills, and motivation to lead a healthy and active life.

For example, our Fit 5 resource series, developed in 2017 and used currently in at least 36 countries, educates and empowers athletes to live a healthy lifestyle by supporting them in three simple goals: 5 days of physical activity per week, 5 fruits and vegetables per day, and 5 bottles of water per day. A set of Fitness Cards and videos have been created to highlight endurance, strength and flexibility exercises that athletes can do at home or as part of practice.

In 2020, Special Olympics developed School of Strength, an interactive online platform that encourages athletes to participate in a fun and engaging training program that they can do in the comfort of their own homes. Led by athletes and developed in partnership with WWE superstar Becky Lynch, this series of videos, a fitness tracker, a coach’s playbook and a caregiver toolkit all contribute to helping athletes focus on nutrition and fitness, getting the most out of their workouts.

Since fitness plays such a vital role in sports performance, it is important to ensure that fitness is a part of every practice and competition. Performance Stations are held near the field of play to support athlete readiness and recovery at competitions. The series of stations educates and activates athletes and their supporters on elements of fitness to help athletes compete at their best and learn how a healthy lifestyle supports athletic performance.

As a result, a 2023 survey showed 88% of coaches reported promoting health and fitness at sports practices. In response, Special Olympics developed educational training and resources for sports coaches to support fitness activities on and off the field of play.