Free fitness classes will be offered to cancer survivors at a Farmington Hills gym.

The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute is partnering with Wayne State University School of Medicine and Five Lakes CrossFit in Farmington Hills to offer survivors 12 weeks of physical activity classes.

The classes are part of an exercise program called Cross-Training and Physical Activity: A Better Life Experience (CAPABLE), which introduces CrossFit to cancer survivors. CrossFit is a strength and conditioning program for all fitness levels that aims to improve overall fitness.

The session begins April 7 and is limited to 25 participants; spots are still available.

Classes will be held on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 10:45 a.m. at Five Lakes CrossFit, 24269 Indoplex Circle in Farmington Hills.

Sessions will be offered at additional gyms in the Detroit area in the coming months; no dates have been set.

Previous exercise experience is not necessary to participate. Participants must be 18 years or older, cancer survivors (no matter what type of cancer they were diagnosed with), and must receive medical clearance from their oncologist or primary care provider.

To register or for more information, visit karmanos.org/CAPABLE. For questions, call 313-578-4246 or send an email to CAPABLE@wayne.edu.

“We have seen tremendous success with many cancer survivors participating in CAPABLE. Physical activity benefits our health, even after a cancer diagnosis,” said Jennifer Beebe-Dimmer, scientific director of the Epidemiology Research Core at Karmanos and WSU oncology professor.

“The survivors will learn how to incorporate physical activity into their daily lives and build back some muscle they may have lost during their treatments. Participants report being able to do things they couldn’t before taking CAPABLE classes, like picking up their grandkids and carrying groceries in from the car.’’

The American Cancer Society recommends survivors avoid inactivity and resume their regular physical activities after a diagnosis, as soon as their doctor deems it safe. They also recommend survivors exercise for 150-300 minutes weekly, including strength training.

Beebe-Dimmer designed CAPABLE to help survivors learn how to meet these exercise and strength-training recommendations and to teach fitness skills they can use after the classes.