Stronger, Healthier, Anywhere.

🌍 Translate to your language

Most people grow up believing they have unlimited potential—that they can do almost anything they set their minds to. Others, however, grow up believing their possibilities are limited. For someone with a disability, the mindset shift that CrossFit brings can be truly life-changing.

Whether you are an athlete, an affiliate owner, or simply passionate about sports, here’s my call to action: Do something now.

At CrossFit Max Grit in Barcelona, I spoke with coach Silvia, one of the pioneers of CrossFit in Spain and during our interview (post in progress), he briefly mentioned that in Barcelona, there was a coach who contributed to the Adaptive category at the CrossFit Games. Since this was not the main focus of our conversation, combined with the fact that he was speaking in Spanish and I in Portuguese/Italian (Latin languages… we might not speak the same, but we totally get each other), this brief piece of information was all I managed to capture.

Later that day, I had time to reflect and became excited about the opportunity to write an article on the Adaptive category in CrossFit. It could be complementary content for my work and interesting for my readers. So, I began my search for that coach.

My search queries: Adaptive category, coach Barcelona, CrossFit Games adaptive, Spanish at CrossFit Games, WOD CrossFit Games adaptive owners, CrossFit venue Barcelona for the adaptive category.

Nothing. NADA.

Was this an insight in itself? Yes. The lack of visibility for Adaptive CrossFit spoke volumes. There is a tendency to obscure and segregate the unknown, choosing to leave in the dark a category that needs the spotlight to be seen.

I finally came across WODcelona, an event supporting marginalized communities and positioning Barcelona as a European hub for inclusive CrossFit. It is run by Limited Edition Athletes (LEA), a non-profit organization dedicated to adaptive sports.

And the CEO? Marc Gil. I had a name.

“Dear Marc, I am reaching out to you because I heard about a coach in Barcelona (for sure, he will think I am crazy… but okay) who supported the development of the Adaptive CrossFit Games workout. Do you happen to know his/her name, where he/she coaches, or how I could reach them?”

The answer: “Oh, I am him.”

Coincidence? I don’t believe in coincidences. At first, I had no idea about the magnitude of the NGO, LEA, I was just searching for diverse content for my blog. But in Marc, I had found a movement, an impact, a story that needed to be told.

Meeting Marc

We scheduled a WOD and a coffee for the following Thursday. I had two days to prepare: researching LEA, its mission, and its impact.

Here, dear reader, are my main findings and insights about the reality of Adaptive Sports:

• Only 20% of children with disabilities participate in sports, compared to 70% of children without disabilities (Smith et al., 2019).
• Limited access to adaptive equipment, proper facilities, and trained coaches further hinders participation (Johnson, 2018).
• Negative attitudes and misconceptions about disabled athletes create additional barriers (Brown & Lee, 2020).

And yet, there is momentum.

The WheelWOD Adaptive CrossFit Games are growing, though 17 out of 22 divisions still struggle with minimum registrations (Mike Halpin, BarBend). Many “rookies” at the 2025 CrossFit Games Adaptive Division are actually seasoned athletes who have previously competed in WheelWOD Games (Chad Schroeder, LinkedIn).

I also read about the power of LEA’s work, its impact on the CrossFit community and the testimonials of athletes who shared their stories of overcoming challenges in sports.

One remarkable testimony was from athlete Mario Salas, who suffered a traumatic brain injury at the age of 22. He said, “I started to see life from a different perspective. I feel better about myself and accept myself as I am.”

After reading all these information, I felt first immense happiness because I was genuinely interested in LEA’s work and its real impact on people’s lives. At the same time, I felt a sense of urgency to discuss the inclusion of this category in CrossFit and ensure that this work was properly spread. And lastly—anxiety! My experience dealing with executive chiefs of multinationals would not help me at that moment because I was about to meet someone who truly inspired me.

Meeting Marc

CrossFit BCN, 10 AM. Apparently, Marc is not an early bird. I arrived and there he was, sitting and smiling at me, unaware of the whirlwind of questions and burning curiosity inside me to learn more about him and his work.

WOD

For time:

21-18-15-12-9-6-3
70kg Deadlifts
Pistol
Pull-ups
24’ CAP

I managed to finish my scaled version at 23’59” literally, feeling much calmer and high of endorphins.

We left for our post-workout-coffee-food and conversation. Sitting at a table under the sun, I had my first real conversation with the man who already inspired me and was about to inspire me even more.

Marc’s Journey: From Coach to Adaptive Athlete

Fun fact: Marc was involved in adaptive sports before he even became an adaptive athlete himself. As a swimmer, he volunteered as a coach for people with disabilities. Then, in 2005, he was diagnosed with Stargardt’s disease, a rare degenerative eye condition that causes central vision loss. Suddenly, he was on both sides, as a coach and as an athlete.

In 2015, he discovered CrossFit and quickly realized how transformative it could be for people with disabilities. After completing CrossFit training CT-2, he concluded that the sport wasn’t inclusive. The program structure didn’t encompass all necessary adaptations, and a weekend training wouldn’t be enough to include all the essential information. During one of the classes in the module called “SEE”, he asked the instructor, “If I close my eyes, I won’t be able to see you demonstrating the exercise. How can we train visually impaired athletes?” The instructor had no answer. That was when Marc knew the program wasn’t prepared to create alternatives for adaptive athletes. So, he decided to create his own method.

He gathered friends, coaches, athletes and organized the first adaptive WOD in Barcelona. From there, as he says, “the wheel started to spin.” Interest grew, more and more people wanted to help and train.

The Birth of LEA and Adaptive CrossFit

Marc was invited by the Adaptive training academy (ATA) in San Diego, together with other educating therapists and medical professionals, to develop the Inclusive Trainer (AIT) Certificate Course, an evolution of the CrossFit-specific course that provide functional fitness education for trainers using CrossFit and other fitness methodologies for individuals with disabilities.

Marc returned to Barcelona armed with everything he had learned, combined with years of hands-on experience and created his own adaptive program. Today, LEA offers tailored training programs for two different athlete profiles—Fitness and Competitors—adjusting based on each individual’s goals within six different categories: Upper Athletes, Lower, Neuro, Sensory, Seated, and AbleBodied Athletes.

The program consists of a structured weekly plan for both athletes and affiliates, including programmed workouts, instructional videos, direct communication with coaches, and a network space for connection and support.

The Adaptive Program – Programs tailored to your needs

Today, multiple affiliates and athletes around the world are following LEA’s online program, implementing modifications in their local CrossFit classes. Instead of creating separate sessions, they integrate adaptive athletes by modifying the whiteboard workouts according to the program’s guidelines—bringing people with and without disabilities together in the same class.

Beyond the online content, Marc also coaches in-person classes in Barcelona and follows his athletes closely, supporting them and their families from the end-to-end. His approach is hands-on: he welcomes each athlete, conducts an introductory interview to understand their personal goals and family dynamics, develops a fully customized program and provides one-on-one guidance during a weekly adaptive CrossFit class with around 20 athletes. Every three months, he follows up to ensure progress and results.

In addition to supporting other sporting events in implementing adaptive categories, LEA, in partnership with sponsors, created WODcelona, an inclusive competition that has been held annually in Barcelona since 2022. And it is not just an event; it’s a true showcase of what inclusion should look like.

“Competitions play a crucial role, not just for the athletes, who finally get to train toward something, but also in raising awareness. It is the moment the community sees that inclusion is possible.” said Marc.

How to Implement Adaptive CrossFit in Your Box

“It is just CrossFit! We want inclusion in the events, in the programming and in the gym. It is not ‘Adaptive CrossFit’. It is CrossFit. Just like workouts are scaled for an intermediate level, they should be scalable for adaptive athletes too.”

If you are an affiliate wondering where to start, here is Marc’s advice:

• Kick off with a trial class – Promote it within your box to generate interest and get to know potential athletes and their specific needs.
• Adapt the structure – Modify workouts and movements based on individual goals while keeping the core essence of CrossFit.
• Share your journey – Create and share content to show others that inclusion is not only possible—it’s powerful.
• Connect with local adaptive sports communities – Invite them to try a class and build a group rather than running one-on-one sessions.
• Involve your members and coaches – Encourage participation and hands-on support during classes.
• Learn by doing – Be curious and creative. Find the best way to adapt exercises for your new athletes.

Above all, be responsible, but don’t be afraid. If CrossFit has taught us anything, it is that we are all capable of much more than we think.

Inclusion

“One of the reasons LEA calls them ‘Limited Edition Athletes’ is because they stop being ‘disabled people.’ Calling them athletes is a mindset shift, it changes perception. It highlights what they can do, not what they cannot. Just that small change, calling them athletes, already transforms everything.”

Talking to Marc, I realized that yes, adapting a program requires effort from coaches and affiliates to understand each individual’s needs. But when you think about it, that is no different from programming for any other athlete. It is all a learning process, one that requires patience and creativity to develop workouts, recognize limitations and most importantly, focus on people, whether they have disabilities or not.

Inclusion is not about charity. It is about opportunity. It is about making fitness truly accessible, where ability is defined by effort, not limitations.

Today, there are still barriers to break, but thanks to LEA and a growing movement of athletes, coaches, and affiliates, those barriers are coming down.

And the best part? This is just the beginning and you are welcome to join us.

#LEA #LimitedEditionAthletes #AdaptiveCrossFit #CrossFitForAll #NoLimits #WODWorld #CrossFitInclusion #InclusionMatters #RedefineAbility #StrongerTogether #FunctionalFitness #WODWithPurpose #CrossFitCommunity #wodcelona