Ehlers-Danlos is unique.
Your workouts should be, too.
Online training programs for EDS, created by a trainer with EDS. Starting at $28/month.
Hi Zebras! I’m Mariah 😊
Zebra Workouts is the result of my personal experience, multiple advanced certifications, and thousands of hours training clients with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. After years of 1-on-1 training, I discovered that most people with EDS are dismissively told to “just exercise”, yet most standard exercise programs make their symptoms worse, not better. I wanted to take my experience training people with EDS and make it accessible to everyone. I hope you feel so welcome here and find Zebra Workouts to be helpful wherever you are on your health journey.
Mariah Metzger, CSCS,
BS, ACE-CPT, PN-1, GGS-1
MS, Sports Science & Rehab (2024)
Founder, Intersect Fitness in Charlotte, NC
Member, EDS Society Provider Directory
Simple, easy to follow workouts, made specifically for EDS.
Access your workouts from any device, and follow each exercise at your own pace. You can even do your workout while you watch TV or listen to a podcast 🙂
Custom-made video guides for every movement.
Proper exercise form is super important, so each movement includes a video guide to help you learn the correct form or remind yourself if you forget.
Whether you’re comfortable working out on your own, or prefer weekly check-ins, we have the plan for you.
The Zebra Workouts program will take you 4+ months depending on your pace. When you finish the program, you will be able to do important upper and lower body exercises (pushing, pulling, squatting etc) with proper form and in a way that is safe for your joints. The program starts slow with a lot of easy, gentle movements that focus on controlling your joints through the range of motion.
Zebra Workouts can safely be used in conjunction with a graded cardio protocol (laying and progressing to standing) for those with POTS.
✔ Access to the Zebra Workouts program
✔ Every workout is self-paced
✔ Demo videos for each exercise
✔ Track your progress through the program
✔ Cancel anytime
✔ Everything from Solo Zebra, plus:
✔ Chat support with Mariah Metzger, CSCS
✔ Cancel anytime
✔ Everything from Chatty Zebra, plus:
✔ Weekly 30-minute virtual session with Mariah Metzger, CSCS
✔ Cancel anytime
Mariah has spent thousands of hours training people with health struggles. Here's what a few of them have to say 😊
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I love training with Mariah! She tailors my workouts specifically to my autoimmune condition and her experience with similar health struggles has been literally a godsend.
Chelsea
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I am so beyond grateful that I found Mariah. She is a personable and caring one of a kind trainer who has so much knowledge and expertise about my chronic illness POTS. She has helped me through a lot of ups and downs with my illness and given me so much confidence in myself.
Mary
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Choosing Mariah as the personal trainer for my grandson was a decision I am grateful to have made. He has issues with hyper mobility in his joints and she has been instrumental in teaching him how to successfully overcome this during workouts.
Nancy
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I am a 69 year young woman with IBS. Mariah is very knowledgeable about my symptoms and developed a strength program without triggering my symptoms. After almost a year I have increased my strength 3 fold while also improving my flexibility.
Aline
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Mariah is an extremely knowledgeable trainer and therapist! As a chronic pain warrior, she understand and adapts exercises to my pain levels. Every person with chronic pain should work with Mariah!
Dima
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I am constantly amazed at Mariah's knowledge of the human body.
John
FAQs
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I have intentionally made this POTS friendly (starts almost all lying down, no up-and-down, gradually progresses over the months to sitting and standing). I would advise using these exercises as the exercise portion of the CHOP protocol or other graded exercise protocol. I train many clients with POTS and have it myself. If you need more specific help surrounding this, please book a consult.
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You can do this program at the same time. However, I would let your physical therapist know what you are doing and would start with just one ZEBRA workout per week and then gradually add a second and third. Easing into things is always the key.
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Obviously because I am not there in person, I can’t guarantee anything. However, I have spent tens of thousands of hours with EDS clients. I have included exercises that are easy to do without supervision. There are exercises I wanted to include but did not solely because they are too easy to do incorrectly. . . . and it was not worth the risk. I think this program is a good balance of useful and safe.
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Some people use these workouts as a reset for their body or put them in between other workouts. If you are at the point where your workouts are causing you a lot of pain, consider using Zebra Workouts to help break that cycle. If you need specific advice on how to integrate these exercises with your current regimen please book a consult.
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Honestly, there is no way for me to answer that question. The answer depends a lot on your other health conditions, what you eat, and how much you move outside of this program. If you want to have a program specifically catered to that, please book a consult
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Honestly, there is no way for me to answer that question. The answer depends a lot on your other health conditions, what you eat, and how much you move outside of this program. If you want to have a program specifically catered to that, please book a consult.
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Yes, these same principles are super useful for people with other joint issues or neurological struggles (Rheumatoid Arthritis, Multiple Sclerosis, Lupus, Lyme, Parkinsons Desease etc)
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First of all, I have hEDS and POTS . . . so I get it on a personal level. I have been a certified personal trainer (ACE-CPT) for 7 years and have focused from day one on training clients with complex health conditions. Over the past few years, my niche has become primarily EDS. I have a speciality certification in training issues for AFAB individuals and have more credentialing in nutrition coaching.
I am a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, which is considered the highest credentialing in the fitness industry. My bachelors is in psychology and coaching, and my Masters which I am finishing currently is in Sports Science and Rehab. Classes include things like Advanced Anatomy, Advanced Biomechanics, Programming for Chronic Health Conditions, Heart and Respiratory Disease, Physical Therapy and Rehab etc
Most of all, I like to come back to the fact that I have hEDS. I understand on a gut level that we are usually ignored and massively overdosed with exercise . . . sending us into a flare. I have made this program very gradual (some may think too gradual) but if you have EDS, you get it.
✔ Access to the full Zebra Workouts program
✔ Every workout is self-paced
✔ Demo videos for each exercise
✔ Track your progress through the program
✔ Cancel anytime
✔ Everything from Solo Zebra, plus:
✔ Chat support with Mariah Metzger, CSCS
✔ Cancel anytime
✔ Everything from Chatty Zebra, plus:
✔ Weekly 30-minute virtual session with Mariah Metzger, CSCS
✔ Cancel anytime