The 5 Best Types of Exercise for Moving With Autism

Exercise has amazing health benefits for everyone, but it can be especially helpful for autistic people. That's because it helps them carry out everyday tasks and allows them to live more independently.

"In the autism population, it is very common to see deficits in primary foundational movements, like squatting, pushing, pulling and carrying," says Eric Chessen, founder of Autism Fitness. "This is largely due to differences in neuromuscular functioning."

As a result, everyday tasks — carrying laundry, reaching for something on a shelf — can pose a challenge.

"Because of these motor and strength deficits, we also often see compensatory movement patterns that might lead to muscle overuse, injury and discomfort later in life," Chessen says.

But following a regular exercise routine helps build skills for functionally sound movement and can help prevent disability in the future.

Many autistic people may have stereotypic behaviors, which are repetitive motor movements, such as a rocking motion of the hands and nodding or shaking of the arms. Physical activity can help reduce the number of episodes of stereotypical behaviors in autistic children, according to an October 2019 review in ​Medicina​.

"Exercise builds strength, stability and motor planning, all of which help us perform activities of daily living," Chessen says.

But the positive effects of working out aren't only physical. "Exercise reduces anxiety and stress, which is important because individuals with autism tend to have higher stress levels," says Mark Fleming, a trainer with autism and founder of Equally Fit. "People with autism also often have sleep disorders, and exercise helps improve sleep." ​​[​​Editor's note:​ LIVESTRONG.com typically uses identify-first language such as "autistic people," but we recognize different people prefer different terminology. At the request of the source, we are using person-first language here.]​

Additionally, working out has brain benefits for those with autism. "It improves cognitive function, making it easier to retain information and maintain attention span," Fleming says.

The bottom line: "It is just as important — if not more important — for people living with autism to have access to fitness programs," Fleming says.

When you're figuring out a workout routine, don't get carried away with variety.

"A limited number of exercises will have the greatest effect," Chessen says. "Most people thrive with consistency." A fitness professional can help you incorporate in new or different moves over time, so your routine stays varied and you can continue to progress toward your fitness goals.

But in the meantime, these five types of exercise are a great place to start.

Brushing your teeth, washing your hands, getting dressed — these are all examples of activities that require motor planning.

"Motor planning is the sequencing of activities that allows us to be fluid in a multi-step movement pattern," Chessen says. "For the autism population, the signal from the brain that tells your muscles to perform a certain action has a bit of static in it — it is not as sharp or clear as for the neurotypical population."

This leads to "chunkier" movements that are less swift and clean. When Chessen is working with an autistic athlete, he guides them through these two warm-up exercises that improve motor planning skills.

"Becoming stronger can help people living with autism — particularly those with low muscle tone — perform activities of daily living," Fleming says, like bathing, getting dressed, eating meals and walking. "In training sessions, I focus on exercises that replicate the actions we naturally do during the day."

When it comes to functional exercise, squats are a must — they imitate the action of sitting down and standing up.

"Squats are a cornerstone of our programing because 99 percent of athletes I've worked with have deficits in lower body and trunk strength and stability," Chessen says. When athletes aren't quite ready for a full squat, he likes to start with a modification called a box squat, as well as the other strength exercises below.

If your balance is limited, you're more likely to experience falls. According to a May 2021 study in ​Brain Communications​, balance is more challenging for autistic kids, but doing balance-training exercises can help their stability and motor skills.

"A lot of people with autism have spatial awareness issues, which leads them to bump into things quite a bit," Fleming says.

But the study also found that balance training changed the structure of adolescent brains, reducing the severity of their autism while improving their equilibrium and posture.

Fleming focuses on balance training with clients, including the exercise below, to make it more likely that even if they get knocked off-kilter, they'll be able to catch themselves before they fall.

In a small August 2015 study in ​Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment​, autistic children who did aerobic exercise three times a week slept more soundly, had more positive moods and sharpened their motor skills (i.e., they improved at activities like catching or throwing a ball, jumping and balancing).

But not all types of cardio are recommended: According to an April 2015 review in ​Autism Research and Treatment​, autistic children tend to have gait deviations, including a shorter stride and wider stance.

"Getting on a treadmill, for example, will reinforce an incorrect gait and put pressure on the wrong points in the body," Fleming says. "This can eventually lead to issues such as arthritis and cartilage damage."

His preferred form of cardio for adults is a stationary bike. "You get a gait correction while on a bike because it holds the feet in position," Fleming says. "It also allows you to be on your phone or tablet while exercising."

Adults 18 and up can work up to the recommended 150 minutes of moderate cardio per week. And although your pace and resistance will depend on your fitness level, Fleming suggests cycling at a benchmark of 15 to 20 miles per hour.

Kids 6 through 17 can work up to at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity a day, according to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans.

An August 2018 review in ​Child and Adolescent Mental Health​ linked yoga and mindfulness to improved social and emotional health in young autistic adults, including better communication skills, increased self-control and a higher quality of life.

"Yoga is very helpful for the autism population because it is relaxing and helps relieve stress," Fleming says.

And a small November 2019 study in ​Physical Therapy​ found physical benefits, too. After eight weeks of yoga, autistic kids had better gross motor performance.

"Yoga emphasizes stretching, which increases your range of motion," Fleming says. "Most beginner yoga classes are appropriate for the population with autism."