Adaptive Fitness: Changing Fitness for Individuals with Disabilities
By Susan Harmon
I became an advocate for individuals with disabilities when my brother passed away from a rare form of Lupus in ’13. He loved to workout, but gave it up because of a non inclusive gym environment. I am a personal trainer and I’d love to see more fitness equipment in gyms disabled patrons. The equipment and programs are available, but gyms are and staff are not required to cater to adaptive athletes. There are many facilities that have adaptive fitness equipment and programs, like the YMCA, Cross fit Alliance Gyms, Military and Physical Therapy Centers. My goal is to see mainstream gyms be required to get on board with this movement.
Lets provide more equipment and programs for adaptive fitness. Here’s how you can help.
Write Your Congressman
Adaptive fitness is so important for people to promote. Individuals with disabilities deserve to have more opportunities at the gym to workout. We need congress to pass laws to require gyms to provide more equipment that allows for a better workout experience for disabled.I have written my congressmen and I have heard back from one. It was very easy, there is usually a link on the website for your state.
Become a Certified Adaptive Fitness Coach
Crossroads Adaptive Fitness Alliance offers certifications all over the US teaching adaptive athletes and Cross fit coaches how to train safely. They teach language to use, exercise modifications, and spotting techniques. The Co-founder of Crossroads, David Wallace says, 90% of Adaptive athletes are not veterans, a majority have had diabetes or other permanent injuries and are afraid to workout.”
Ask Your Gym About Adaptive Fitness
I have worked at several large fitness chain gyms and I have asked about Adaptive fitness equipment. There are many reasons why they don’t have it, it’s not required, there aren’t enough people and the trainers aren’t trained on it. I feel that these excuses need to be erased. Gyms need to start giving back to the community and offer every person the human right to enjoy the benefits of working out.
The process of maneuvering a gym, on foot, crutch, or wheelchair, is often intimidating and may feel out of reach. However, with independent research and consultation with a certified trainer or advisement from a adaptive sport group. it is possible to create an adaptive fitness routine that works to fit individual needs.
" -makeahero.crg "
Praise Gyms Who Carry Adaptive Fitness Equipment
If you go to a gym that offers adaptive fitness equipment praise them for offering this equipment to the community. American gyms are seeing the benefits of having this equipment. Technology is vastly improving the way we workout. There will be such amazing advances in fitness in the next decade. Everyone deserves to be fit, it’s a human right!
“Providing access to exercise machines and equipment recognizes the need and desires of individuals with disabilities to have the same opportunity as other patrons to enjoy the advantages of exercise and maintaining health.” - English Federation of Disability Sport
Spread The Word About Adaptive Fitness
It is so important to educate as many people as you can about inclusive exercise programs, adaptive exercise equipment and integrative fitness initiatives that are going on. If people can imagine a world where everyone could enjoy their workouts, more people would go to the gym. Lets promote a social issue that needs some attention, ask some questions, educate friends and get more adaptive fitness equipment in gyms in the next decade.
Sources:
- Crossroads Athletic Alliance/ Support though Sport Community and Education www.crossroadsalliance.org
- Make a Hero/ Adaptive Sports Films/ Inspiring Individuals with Disabilities/ Overcoming Limitations/ Non Profit www.makeahero.org
- Cybex/ Inclusive Fitness Initiative/ Total Access Equipment/ Supporting the Fitness industry to become more inclusive www.cybexintl.com/solutions