Founded by Perry Nixdorf's own practical and lived experiences, AbilityFix is a purpose-built, audio-led aquatic fitness mobile platform designed to personalize water exercise for people of all abilities based on an individual's mobility and fitness level. The app's purpose lies in improving the lives of people living with limited mobility, injury, or obesity, as well as empowering skilled athletes. "The app is a way for people, whether they're highly mobility challenged or highly athletic, to engage in aquatic exercise, supported by an accessible instructor, guiding them at every level," Nixdorf explains.
Nixdorf, a long-time business owner and co-owner of a 7236 square foot facility that integrates a salon, body piercing studio, and swimming pool, spent years enabling people to use water exercise in their facility. His wife, Starr, an aquatic fitness instructor, encountered a gap between individuals within the class and, from an instructional side, needed a different solution.
Together, they recognized that while water-based movement is widely recommended for low-impact exercise, the tools designed to support it and guide them may not be designed for individual ability or real-world pool environments.
"The focus for us was never just building another fitness app," Nixdorf says. "I wanted this to be about solving a real problem that we saw in the aquatic fitness industry. People who wanted to move in water, who needed water exercise at their specific mobility level, but didn't have access to an instructor and thus weren't able to participate and get the benefits from water exercise."
Rather than forcing users to adapt to generic workouts when available, AbilityFix organizes its programming into five clearly defined ability levels, each with its own routines. "We broke those levels down so that the person doing the exercise doesn't need to mentally adjust the routine," Nixdorf explains. "You're not guessing whether something is meant for an athlete or a beginner. Your instructions clearly relate to you."
The need for that clarity is central to the problem AbilityFix addresses. Nixdorf notes that existing online fitness platforms generally are not designed for aquatic environments or varying mobility needs. "People end up bouncing between apps and online videos, trying to find something that fits," he says. "Sometimes they find it, sometimes they don't, and a lot of times they just give up."
Nixdorf notes that aquatic exercise remains underserved by technology, a gap that AbilityFix is determined to fill. Regardless of personal mobility issues, Nixdorf believes this app solves that problem, thus making it suitable for rehabilitation, general exercise for older adults, and those with joint limitations.
Onboarding begins with a quiz that assesses a user's physical abilities and recommends an appropriate starting level. If the recommendation does not feel right, users can easily switch levels, reinforcing autonomy and control. "You can take our word for it or explore on your own," he says. "That flexibility is important because confidence is everything when you're starting."
One of AbilityFix's defining features is its audio-first design. The app is intentionally not video-dependent, acknowledging the reality that most people may not have screens poolside. Users can play the workouts via Bluetooth speakers or waterproof headsets, and the exercises are structured so they can be followed without visual cues. "Our vocal tracks were spoken specifically to be understood without watching," Nixdorf adds.
The workouts themselves are not swimming-based, as most exercises are performed standing, with feet on the pool floor. Flotation aids are introduced when the exercises are performed in deeper water. The intensity of the exercises is controlled through tempo and water resistance. As Nixdorf explains. "Speed and resistance in water change everything. So we use a beats per minute formula to carefully pace audio cues, so that you can push, pull, move, and be guided effortlessly without requiring a screen."
The app lets caregivers, trainers, or family members pick and build a safe aquatic routine, and then guide a loved one through clear audio and visual instructions. People can share and monitor these customized workouts and use the app's reminders and goal tools so the person they are helping actually sticks with their exercise routine.
His wife, Starr, plays a significant role in validating the platform. As a certified aquatic fitness instructor, she designed the exercise catalog based on adaptability and accessible variations. "A jog for a 90-year-old doesn't look like a jog for a 30-year-old," Nixdorf notes. "So we describe it as picking your foot up, setting it down, very clearly." As each level differs, so does the range of motion and complexity, to prioritize effectiveness, safety, and consistency.
For the future, AbilityFix aims to layer an AI-driven coach on top of its existing library. The goal, he explains, is to facilitate continuity. "The coach will track progress, encourage consistency, answer questions, and suggest changes over time," he says. "This way, it evolves with the user, the way a real coach would."
Ultimately, AbilityFix empowers users to exercise safely in any pool, whether at home, in a community center, or while traveling. As Nixdorf puts it, "We seek to give people back the ability to move with confidence, using water as the tool it was always meant to be."
