Train 4 Life Has Truly Empowered Vigo County Athlete

Train 4 Life is more than a weekly workout program. It is a pathway to lifelong health.

Offered at no cost to Special Olympics Indiana athletes, this community-based health and fitness initiative empowers people with intellectual disabilities to build lasting healthy habits through physical activity, nutrition education and mental wellness support.

For Tina Teeters, 47, of Vigo County, Train 4 Life has been all of that. It also has provided a freedom she once thought lost to her. The freedom of movement.

Through Train 4 Life and the regular exercises that improve her core strength and balance, Teeters no longer uses a walking cane in her daily life.

“I have had stability issues and needed strengthening after ankle surgery,” Teeters said. “Train 4 Life has helped me by making me stronger.”

Designed for Special Olympics athletes ages 13 and older, the inclusive 12-week program partners with local gyms and fitness professionals across Indiana to bring high-quality training directly into communities. Athletes take part in small-group workouts alongside peers with and without intellectual disabilities, creating an environment rooted in mentorship, accountability and genuine connection.

Every session is thoughtfully designed to meet athletes where they are, with adaptable exercises and progressive challenges that encourage confidence and measurable growth.

Brandon Smitley owns Terre Haute Intensity Resistance and Sports Training (THIRST), where Teeters works out.

Smitley has volunteered with Special Olympics since high school and coaches the Vigo County powerlifting team among other duties.

Seeing Teeters and other athletes commit to Train 4 Life and reopen doors for themselves brings a smile to his face, and that happiness is contagious.

“We have truly enjoyed the Train 4 Life program at our facility,” Smitley said. “Our athletes enjoy the workouts, and they have seen noticeable improvement. We’re always excited to get people moving and to improve their health, but this has been a very rewarding side of my profession.

“Tina has been doing a great job. While we do modify many things, she’s happy to do what she can to participate and give great effort.

Click this link to see a short video of Tina Teeters at Train 4 lIfe.

Teeters’ training typically includes low step-ups to help her balance and ability to climb stairs. She pushes a sled for single leg strength. There are goblet box squats, a rowing movement and pressing movement done in a circuit. She ends with abdominal work and light bike work for overall general conditioning and heart health.

But Train 4 Life is more than exercise. Athletes complete pre- and post-program health and fitness assessments, allowing them to track real progress in strength, endurance, blood pressure and overall wellness. Take-home educational components focus on nutrition, healthy lifestyle choices and goal setting, equipping athletes with practical tools they can apply long after the 12 weeks end.

Train 4 Life builds stronger bodies, healthier habits and a foundation for independence that lasts a lifetime.

The additional strength helps Teeters perform better when competing in bowling, bocce and corn hole. Depending on how she progresses, she may try to return to softball or track and field, sports she played when younger.

Smitley said Teeters’ growth extends well beyond her physical health. Through the program, she establishes relationships that extend beyond workouts.

“I like going to THIRST and making new friends,” she said.