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Fitness & disability: Access for all
Many gym operators are still falling short when it comes to catering for disabled people – but there are cases where the industry is getting it right. Abigail Harris reports
The gap in activity participation between non-disabled and disabled people is widening – this in spite of English Federation of Disability Sport (EFDS) research which shows that 70 per cent of disabled people want to increase sport and physical activity engagement.
With the gym quoted as the second most popular activity after swimming, this latent demand presents a massive opportunity, But with two-thirds of those questioned citing a lack of options and low awareness of opportunities as barriers, what should the sector do to attract more disabled members?
We take a look at where the industry is getting it right, talking to disabled health club members and fitness professionals whose lives have been changed for the better by their fitness journey.
Fire to ice
Rob Small, 35, was badly burned in a house fire in 2010, leaving him with a 43 per cent total body surface burn and a 27 per cent chance of survival. He spent 200 days in hospital, with 30 operations to date.
This December he aims to complete Sir Ernest Shackleton’s unfinished journey to the South Pole, a gruelling 31-day, 112-mile journey in temperatures of -20 to -50 degrees C. “I always intended to do a trip like this, but life got in the way,” he says. “After the fire, everyone said it wasn’t possible, and I don’t like being told I can’t do something!”
Since the fire, exercise has become even more important for the former scuba diving instructor. “Literally years have been spent learning to walk again, and then to walk without a limp, retraining and strengthening my muscles,” explains Small, a member at Anytime Fitness in Twickenham, UK.
Gym training is a key element of the preparation for the expedition, as Small’s PT Dan Coles explains: “The mobility of particular joints has been impacted hugely by Rob’s injuries and caused muscular imbalance around his entire body. I want him to perform optimally throughout the expedition. Without good posture, the muscular imbalances could further impact his ability to perform. For example, if his ankle isn’t moving well it will change the way he walks, which could lead to over-use and injury to another part of the body.
“To prepare him to last the distance, we’ll get Rob doing endurance walks on the treadmill or elliptical cross-trainer for six hours, carrying a significant amount of weight to replicate Antarctic scenarios. His core must be strong because of the huge weight on his back, gravity and the weather conditions all working against him.”
Coles adds: “Rob was the first burns survivor I’ve trained. The experience was invaluable in giving me confidence and I’ve since worked with a lady who suffered burns to her legs.”
Paralympian inspiration
Gary Farmer lost his leg in a car accident when he was five years old. As a Paralympian in sledge hockey at the Turin games in 2006, and a member of the Great Britain team for 12 years, Farmer has always sought to stay physically active and a year ago, aged 29, he qualified as a personal trainer with Lifetime Training.
“I wanted to use my experiences as a Paralympic athlete to inspire others – to give something back,” he says. “That doesn’t mean I want them to become Olympians or Paralympians – just to be the best they can.
“I chose Lifetime Training as I knew I would like the challenge of working abroad, and its courses are REPs-accredited so they are recognised in other countries. Lifetime was attentive and supportive to my needs throughout. The course is well structured so there’s plenty of tutor time and they always offered help if I needed it.”
Farmer’s first job was with DW Sports Fitness in Mansfield, and he believes his disability was in no way seen as an issue. “They treated me just like any other PT, which I greatly respected. Nothing needed to be changed in terms of layout or equipment or training. Most gyms have to be suitably designed to cater for disabled people nowadays anyway.”
Oliver Pate, manager at DW Sports Fitness in Mansfield, says: “It was an easy decision to bring Gary on board. His disability simply didn’t impede him in any way. He was a real asset and inspired a lot of people.” Farmer adds: “When you go to the gym, you want to better yourself. That’s something I can help with, regardless of ability.’
Making the change
Aged 25, Sean Osborne was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia, which caused a gangrenous infection. To save his life, his leg was amputated at the hip. Previously a joiner, after recovering from his illness and operation and attending physio sessions in a gym, Osborne became interested in fitness. “I owe my health and recovery to the fitness industry, and I retrained so I could share my passions with others,” he says.
In 2014, Osborne qualified as a fitness instructor through the InstructAbility programme, which offers disabled people free gym instructor training plus a work placement. He took up his 12-week work placement at tmactive’s Larkfield Leisure Centre, working two sessions a week on the gym floor.
“When Sean began his placement, he received a job-specific induction which covered aspects of the role that might be unsuitable for him to do,” says James Davies, health and fitness manager at Larkfield Leisure Centre. “As Sean was a qualified and competent instructor, the only task he was unable to complete was water tests in our spa, due to the potential slip risk. He didn’t need any additional support and was very able to work unsupervised.”
“Some operators are concerned about not being able to provide the right support,” says InstructAbility manager Hilary Farmiloe. “But one of the key outcomes of InstructAbility is enabling disabled people to demonstrate their competence as an instructor and challenge any negative, preconceived ideas that may have prevented them getting into the industry in the past.”
“Seeing that my instructions are actually making a difference is a great feeling,” concludes Osborne.
Reaching out
Born with spina bifida, 29-year-old father of two Lee Welch has always been a wheelchair user with some limited walking ability. With an innate passion for sport and exercise, he joined his local wheelchair basketball club aged 13. Aged 17 he was scouted for the Team GB U23 squad, he began training with the senior team at 22, and he made his senior GB debut at just 25.
After retiring from basketball in 2012, Welch approached InstructAbility, which provides qualifications and opportunities to those with disabilities in partnership with YMCAfit. He completed his Level 2 Exercise and Fitness course and Level 3 Exercise and Disability Trainer qualification with YMCAfit and is now undertaking a 12-week placement at Everyone Active’s Hartham Leisure Centre two days a week. “Sport and fitness has given me so much in my life,” says Welch. “I now have an opportunity to inspire people to get fit and give something back to the community.”
With support from the Everyone Active team, Welch is now providing outreach to local organisations and disability groups, to encourage people with physical and learning difficulties to lead healthier, more active lifestyles.
Ian Ling, Everyone Active fitness manager at Hartham Leisure Centre, says: “Lee has helped us gain a clearer understanding of how we can better meet the needs of our disabled customers and staff. The psychological barriers he and others with disabilities have overcome are felt by able-bodied people as well.”
Mind over matter
One in four people in the UK live with a mental illness in any given year, and across the UK suicide remains the biggest killer of men under the age of 45. Rohan Kallicharan, 40, knew he had to take control of his life. He had lived with bipolar disorder since his late teens, had made two attempts on his life and was nearly 19 stone when he joined Anytime Fitness Edbgaston.
Two years on, having lost seven and a half stone, run the 2014 London Marathon in just three hours 25 minutes, raised over £8,800 for mental health charity Mind, and been awarded Anytime Fitness UK’s 2014 inaugural Inspiration Award, his journey is well underway.
Diane Vesey, Anytime Fitness Edgbaston franchisee, comments: “Rohan was committed to losing weight and getting fit, but we had no idea how far he would go.”
The club’s PTs worked with Kallicharan to establish a core strength and functional exercise regime, as well as endurance training, with long non-impact sessions on the AMT lasting up to two hours, alongside speed work, with different types of interval or short sessions at maximum resistance.
With the challenge of Paris, London and Berlin marathons ahead for 2015, Kallicharan is now happy, healthy and a true inspiration to others.
“Running is obsessive and my life has totally changed since joining Anytime Fitness. We’re capable of so much more than the limits we impose on ourselves. Dare to push boundaries, believe in yourself and enjoy every second,” he concludes.
Without prejudice
Aged 19, Clive West was diagnosed with cancer and, as a result, his left leg was amputated above the knee. Having always been a massive gym fan, when the opportunity arose to train as a Level 2 fitness instructor at Hanwell Health Centre in 2000, he jumped at the chance.
After positive feedback from members, he was asked to cover a staff member’s maternity leave, which involved qualifying as a personal trainer. West, now 46, explains: “I’ve always loved coaching people and enjoyed giving advice, so gaining my PT qualification in 2003 marked a natural progression.
“When I joined The Gym in Ealing three years ago, I really embraced the challenges involved with training and advising clients with disabilities, as well as supporting their rehabilitation requirements.
“I’ve been accepted just like any other team member, and despite being an above-the-knee amputee I haven’t faced any prejudices. It’s an active, physical job and my disability hasn’t held me back.”
West, who is now taking an exercise referral scheme diploma, trains a number of clients at The Gym, including a 32-year-old man who suffered brain damage and paralysis to parts of his lower body following a cardiac arrest, where he was put into an induced coma.
“Disabled members approach me partly because they’re drawn to someone who understands their fitness needs and considerations when using a gym,” says West.
