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When the Covid lockdown started, a group of local neurologists began noticing a rapid decline in their Parkinson’s disease patients. For Parkinson’s, while medication can control symptoms, exercise is the only known therapy that can slow disease progression.

“The key for successfully living with Parkinson’s is a consistent, structured exercise program,” says Coach Me Strong co-founder Jeff Seckendorf. “When gyms and exercise programs began to close, we started looking for simple a way to deliver a daily training program and keep each person in touch with their coach,”

Seckendorf is a masters bike racer and long-time Today’s Plan user. With his co-founder, Marty Acevedo, the pair created a company around Today’s Plan, engaging a team of coaches that includes physical therapists, exercise physiologists, kinesiologists, and personal trainers, all with experience creating structured exercise programs and all with years of experience working with clients facing various neurological challenges.

Acevedo, diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2004, was also the first client. “I’ve seen amazing benefits over these past six months. My balance is better, my stamina is better, overall I just feel better.”

Although sometimes tricky getting an older, “computer-challenged” population set up and managing their training using an online platform, Coach Me Strong recently integrated the Today’s Plan API into the registration system, dramatically simplifying the signup process.

“Once we got the API set up and got over the challenge of having clients sign up manually, everything became much more streamlined. Some of our clients still have flip phones and almost all face an initial struggle with technology. But when they started to see the benefits of having workouts delivered to their email every day, and able to glance at a calendar to track their progress, client buy-in became universal,” says Seckendorf.

“We have seen so many challenges over the past 12 months, and with this some incredible resilience from so many people,” says Today’s Plan’s Benji Marshall. “Jeff came to us with a very clear vision on how he thought we could really make a difference in the lives of those suffering from Parkinson’s and other neurological disorders through better remote engagement in a simplified digital environment.

”Our relationship with Coach Me Strong has given Today’s Plan the opportunity to look beyond our existing clientele and open the door to structured training for so many more people.”

Coach Me Strong serves three distinct constituencies – people with Parkinson’s disease; people with other neurological challenges such as Alzheimer’s, stroke, traumatic brain injury, and MS; and an older population they have named “Gen O/W,” for Generation Older/Wiser.

As Coach Me Strong continues to grow, it also continues to be able to scale with Today’s Plan. It’s been a perfect partnership.

Coach Me Strong can be reached via the web at www.coachmestrong.com, or calling +1 619-736-2511.