About

Why is physical activity so important?

Childhood, adolescence and early adulthood are critical periods for developing movement skills and establishing a firm foundation for lifelong health, fitness and well-being. Due to a number of barriers, many people with disability are inactive and are more likely to experience adverse health consequences. In addition, they can also have below average motor skills resulting in difficulty organising the body’s actions—what steps to take, and in what order, to successfully complete tasks. Research has shown that physical activity fosters optimal growth and development and can make you feel better, function better, sleep better and reduce the risk of chronic disease.

What is Ability Gym?

Ability Gym is an outdoor physical activity program. It was created to provide people with disability the opportunity for fun exercise and sport participation. Sessions target the improvement of strength, endurance, coordination, balance and fundamental movement skills (e.g., throwing, catching & kicking) in a relaxed, supportive and encouraging environment. Our instructors break down these complex movement skills into smaller more manageable parts and teach them step-by-step. We recognise the importance of preventing boredom and maintaining interest by offering a variety of innovative and creative physical activities. It is all about trying out and learning functional skills that help build confidence, assist independence, and enhance quality of life.

Who are we for?

Ability Gym is designed for those who have not had the opportunity, or who may be reluctant to participate in physical activity. Organised sport and fitness can be emotionally and socially taxing because it involves following complex rules, waiting your turn to participate, and interacting with multiple people all at once. Our program is tailored to these individuals – there are no complicated rules to follow and no waiting! We support those who may experience difficulty with being active or may not have the confidence or skills to join in mainstream activity.

Marc from Ability Gym

Marc Bebich-Philip

Founder & Director

Marc is a published Exercise Specialist who studied Sport Science, Exercise and Health at UWA completing the double-degree with first class honours in paediatrics. During this time, he received Convocation of UWA’s Graduates Prize, and Exercise and Sport Science Australia’s Graduating Student of the Year.
Marc has been a volunteer for various disability organisations such as the Special Olympics and The Centre for Cerebral Palsy. This is where he discovered his passion for working with and providing physical activity opportunities for people with disability.
Marc has extensive experience in the design and implementation of exercise and sport-specific training programs for strength, endurance, coordination and balance improvement. He also has sound movement analysis skills and his work experience spans from children with disabilities to professional athletes, as well as the elderly with special conditions.