About Paul and Judy O'Lone

Accessible Fitness was founded in 1999 by Paul and Judy O'Lone. Paul Competed in body-building competitions since he was 15 yrs old and won many titles including Mr. Pennsylvania, Mr. Physique USA and the 1993 Mr. North America.

In September of 2002 Paul received the MS achievement award for his perseverance and help in the community [Learn more]. His training approach and life philosophy stresses "Ability" not "Disability". Professionally and personally, he continues to maintain his life-long affirmation, "If you believe, you can move mountains"

Paul's story as he explains his multiple sclerosis diagnosis

“In 1996, I was going for my pro-card when I had my first early MS multiple sclerosis symptoms, fatigue, neuropathy (nerve pain and numbness) and later on bladder problems. I researched the internet and went to the National Multiple Sclerosis website, and my symptoms pointed me to a disease called Multiple Sclerosis or MS”.

“In 1997, after going to the neurologist and receiving an MRI I was diagnosed with primary progressive multiple sclerosis. (they told me it was the worst kind because you do not get better) But I was relieved to find out there were many treatments for multiple sclerosis. Of course like everyone else, I was looking for a multiple sclerosis cure. So I began using the MS drug therapy that was available. The first drug I was put on was Avonex. The doctor told me I would have flu-like symptoms but he assured me they would improve. Unfortunately, they didn’t so every time I had to do my shot. I got Avonex depression, I would get depressed for 2 days before and days after I did my shot. Then the doctor recommended I combined the Avonex with Copaxone . I did that for 2 months and I felt my MS was progressing even faster so the doctor took me off the Avonex. After using the Copaxone for 6 months I began to feel aches in all my joints. My symptom was what they call Copaxone joint pain and because I love to exercise, the joint pain was not working for me, therefore I went off the Copaxone too. Unfortunately none of the drug therapies stopped the progression of the disease. My multiple sclerosis symptoms progressed to peripheral neuropathy, (blind in one eye) and the depression set in & I became more sedentary. I didn’t want to leave my house because I felt embarrassed because I was Mr. America one day and then I could not walk the MS progressed to a wheelchair.

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Paul O'Lone
Mr. North America 1993

After accessing my muscles I found that the muscle affected by MS was the “Core muscles”, meaning the abdominals, back and hips, they are your stabilizer muscles and that why I kept falling. I focused on training theses muscles and after 2 months my balance improved and I could walk again, not very well but I was walking.

Over the past 6 years I have continued to do Core training as my main treatment for multiple sclerosis for me and everyone at Accessible Fitness. Everyone that does Core training sees improvement in there balance, strength and their walking. Judy and I continue our search for holistic and alternative medicine and new treatments for multiple sclerosis.

I found that by following the right MS diet I could reduce MS symptoms even more. Judy and I have invited key-note speakers on these types of topics to help improve the quality of life of people living with MS like Scott Johnson, the Founder of the Myelin Repair Foundation.

After returning back to the gyms to rehabilitate my legs I realized how inaccessible the gyms are for a person in a wheelchair and the idea of Accessible Fitness was born.

Paul and his wife Judy

In 1998 I met my wife Judy and even when we first met she said she would always be my friend. On October 2000, I married Co-Founder Judy Luu. When Judy married me, I was using a wheel-chair, I can remember her pushing me up the hills in Carmel on our honeymoon and her saying to me “Paul you have to except your MS. I told her I hated the MS, what she meant was that I had to get off my butt & start doing something about it. I decided to take her advice and returned to the gyms and began exercising again and found that multiple sclerosis and exercise worked well together and my strength and balance improved. After I began to regain my strength and balance, I realized I was diagnosed with the wrong type of Multiple Sclerosis. I was diagnosed with progressive multiple scleroses, when I actually had relapsed remitting form of MS.

In 2001, wife and partner, Judy and I opened Accessible Fitness, a completely wheelchair accessible gym specializing in adaptive fitness. Accessible Fitness is devoted to enhancing the quality of life of people living with all types of physical challenges. On Sept.13 of 2001, our son Tyler Christian O'Lone was born. Judy and I began working on our new challenge- parenthood. Now Tyler is a little boy and when I pass the football or play baseball with him I feel very fortunate that I can and that I have learned about Core training to improve my strength and balance so that I can play with Tyler for many more years. Today, Judy and I are consultants for people living with Multiple Sclerosis & we speak at MS seminars on the topic of MS and exercise for those who have MS or a physical challenge and still want to live a healthy life.”