May ACTION Leader of the Month: Ari
May ACTION Leader of the Month: Ari
What do you love most about FITBuddies?
I like the friendships that have been created. Even though I don’t know everyone, I like how everyone’s been nice to everyone else.

What's your favorite music?
Hip-hop and rap.
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These are a few of my favorite things…
I like going out for walks and playing golf.
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What FITBuddies exercise move do you love most?
I’m pretty good at planks.
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Why are you proud to be a FITBuddies ACTION leader?
Because the word leader I’d say perfectly describes me and even though people haven’t always told me that, I’ve always been one.
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How does spending time at FITBuddies make you feel?
I feel pretty good. It actually depends — I’m normally pretty happy but sometimes I get kind of frustrated. I don’t show my frustration as much. It’s mostly before I go to FiT that I get frustrated; once I get there, I usually feel much better. Exercise makes me feel good.
More from Ari's parents and coaches!
What do you love most about FITBuddies?
I like the friendships that have been created. Even though I don’t know everyone, I like how everyone’s been nice to everyone else.

What's your favorite music?
Hip-hop and rap.
​
These are a few of my favorite things…
I like going out for walks and playing golf.
​
What FITBuddies exercise move do you love most?
I’m pretty good at planks.
​
Why are you proud to be a FITBuddies ACTION leader?
Because the word leader I’d say perfectly describes me and even though people haven’t always told me that, I’ve always been one.
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How does spending time at FITBuddies make you feel?
I feel pretty good. It actually depends — I’m normally pretty happy but sometimes I get kind of frustrated. I don’t show my frustration as much. It’s mostly before I go to FiT that I get frustrated; once I get there, I usually feel much better. Exercise makes me feel good.
More from Ari's parents and coaches!
As a parent, what goals have you observed being achieved through FITBuddies?
Our goal is for Ari to be physically fit and active and for Ari to have more social interactions. His fitness sessions address both goals. He has come to enjoy exercising, interacting with the coaches and having fun with his friends during the monthly Friday Social Hour.

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As a parent, what goals have you observed being achieved through FITBuddies?
Our goal is for Ari to be physically fit and active and for Ari to have more social interactions. His fitness sessions address both goals. He has come to enjoy exercising, interacting with the coaches and having fun with his friends during the monthly Friday Social Hour.

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What skills learned at FITBuddies does Ari use in his daily life?
Ari is stronger which has really helped his golf game. He has learned to be more patient with different types of social interactions.

What skills learned at FITBuddies does Ari use in his daily life?
Ari is stronger which has really helped his golf game. He has learned to be more patient with different types of social interactions.
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November ACTION Leader of the Month: Aryan
All about Aryan!
What do you love most about FITBuddies?
I like hanging out with my friends, learning new techniques, and working out really hard.
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What's your favorite music?
My favorite music is hip hop.
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These are a few of my favorite things…
My first favorite thing is hanging out with my dog, m y second favorite thing is to go for a nice walk in the neighborhood and of course being in nature.
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What FITBuddies exercise move do you love most?
I like doing pull ups.
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How do you feel to be a FITBuddies ACTION leader?
I have an amazing team and a lot of support here and I got to learn some great techniques that I can use later on.
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How does spending time at FITBuddies make you feel?
It makes me feel proud and everybody here knows I like working out, it's just my strength.
More from Aryan's parents and coaches!
As a parent, what goals have you observed being achieved through FITBuddies?
Aryan has become fitter and is using good technique in his workouts. He has also made friends at FITBuddies and gets along well with all.
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What skills learned at FITBuddies does Aryan use in his daily life?
Aryan uses the fitness mindset at home and everywhere. He loves his workouts, goes for hikes, walks his dog, and has a healthy attitude in general.
What has Aryan demonstrated and achieved to be distinguished as this month's ACTION leader?
Coach Jen:
Aryan’s nomination is long overdue. He has been blossoming as a leader for the past year or two and I am so excited that we finally get to highlight him. While Aryan has taken breaks from FITBuddies due to work, school or athletic commitments, he has been with us since the early days of our group classes. Honestly, there is not one aspect of Aryan’s growth that stands out but it’s more the full 180 he has done since starting at FiT that is really a testament to his persistence and perseverance. From behaviors, to body awareness, to movement patterns, to friendships and finding his place within different group structures - there have been struggles with it all at some point throughout his time at FITBuddies but Aryan just keeps on going, keeps on showing up and continues to teach me way more than I believe I will ever teach him.
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Coach Chris:
Aryan has more heart than just about anyone I know. He is a great example of a leader in many ways. Aryan gives every workout his all and then some, usually doing an extra round of each workout and dedicating it triumphantly to one of his coaches. Aryan also responds very well to feedback and is incredibly respectful to everyone in the class. Aryan is always eager to impress his coaches and motivate the other FiT Buddies. Aryan has even taken it upon himself to initiate more social interactions with his peers by inviting the other athletes to join him after class at the StarBucks next to FiT. Aryan is also one of the funniest people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Always quick with a joke or a witty comment, he regularly puts a smile on my and Jens face. Given how much strength and endurance Aryan has, I wouldn’t be surprised if he is actually Batman.
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As his coach, describe Aryan's growth that you've observed.
Coach Chris:
The area I’ve seen the most growth in Aryan is in his ability to SLOW DOWN. Aryan has a need for speed, sometimes this guy's feet are moving so fast I can’t even see ‘em! As great as it is for a coach to see one of their athletes burning through a workout, there are times when more finesse is needed to perform a movement. Aryan has really made an effort to execute each movement with precision and do it properly and to the best of his ability. He still needs a reminder to slow down from time to time, but it has become a more common site to see Aryan pausing to adjust for form or correct balance without any cues from Jen or me.
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Coach Jen:
As mentioned above, Aryan has truly done a 180 over the course of his time at FITBuddies. What I have particularly enjoyed lately is watching his confidence continue to build as he takes on more of a leadership role within our class as well as added responsibilities in other areas of his life. In addition, Aryan also remains remarkably humble (and teachable) and is always welcoming feedback, offers a quick joke or laugh to ease off any discomfort and then continues on. With his newfound confidence, his humble spirit and persistent personality, I believe the sky's the limit. And while I can’t wait to see what the future growth looks like, for now, I really want to celebrate a ten year commitment. Aryan’s growth has not always been linear but I am so proud of all the ups and downs of his journey - every step has taught us both something new and I always look forward to the next step forward. Congrats, Aryan!
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