5 Tips to Improve Accessibility and Inclusion in Fitness Spaces
When 4 out of 5 (81%) disabled adults - which make up nearly a quarter (23%) of the population - say they want to do more physical activity but the same number do not feel welcome in the fitness industry and more than one third (35%) of disabled people feel self-conscious at the gym, there is a problem.
Image of a person in a wheelchair at the gym with a pink kettlebell.
Gyms and fitness spaces can and should be taking more steps to break down the barriers that are preventing potential clients from exercising, including:
Costs - membership, clothing and accessories as well as travel
Fear of benefits being taken away if they are seen to be doing too much physical activity
Lack of staff awareness, knowledge or training to help people with different disabilities
Body image
Bullying and discrimination
Equipment isn’t designed for them to use
Here are 5 ways some of the above can be tackled by gyms and fitness spaces so disabled people’s experiences of using them change and improve.
1) Safeguarding and training
Tens of thousands of people undertake safeguarding training every year and theoretically should be equipped to recognise and report potential signs of abuse, harm or neglect against those who are under their duty of care. While there are no statistics breaking down occupations of those who have done safeguarding training, we recommend it should be completed by staff who work in gyms and fitness spaces too. And with disabled people more likely to experience abuse, harm or neglect, the necessity of safeguarding cannot be understated.
Disability awareness training, alongside other DEI training, can be highly beneficial for employees to help improve understanding around different conditions and issues disabled and other marginalised groups may face.
Of course, disabilities are diverse in themselves and there is no one-training-session-fits-all approach. However, incremental sessions on different topics under the DEI and disability umbrellas can gradually embed inclusivity, increase employee engagement, prevent costs relating to bullying, discrimination and harassment cases, and improve members’ experiences, among other reasons.
2) Treat socio-economic status as if it were a protected characteristic
Social mobility and one’s socio-economic status or background, which encompasses a person’s income, occupation, access to resources, quality of life and education, is not currently a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010. However, there is a lot of discourse around whether it should be. Nevertheless, ignoring this and the barriers people face could really put them at further disadvantages.
For example, the largest chain of gyms by membership in the UK - who we won’t name - offer disabled access in all their gyms, but do not offer concessionary discounts to disabled members. In contrast, many fitness spaces and gyms do offer student discounts, helping those who are in further or higher education but not others who may struggle to afford it.
While not offering disabled people discounted rates is not discrimination per se, it can be seen as non-inclusive and inequitable, overlooking the fact that disabled people are more likely to earn less and experience financial hardship than those who are not.
3) Conduct an accessibility audit
Of Britain’s almost 7,500 gyms, it is estimated that less than 1% (that’s only 67) are accredited by the Activity Alliance’s Inclusive Fitness Initiative for their accessible facilities. This means “all ‘IFI Accredited’ fitness equipment must meet IFI Equipment Design Standards to be fully inclusive. It must enable both disabled and non-disabled people to benefit from a full body, cardiovascular and resistance-based workout.”
Being as proactive as possible in your gym or fitness space’s accessibility journey is key to being truly inclusive and equitable, increasing diversity among your staff and members and improving experiences and perceptions. This often means thinking beyond just being wheelchair accessible or thinking only of members or demographics you know you have. Do you cater to those who are hearing and visually impaired, have other mobility issues or are neurodivergent? Just some examples include:
Having braille signage or tactile markings
Installing hearing loops
Ensuring all areas are well-lit
Having quiet areas away from noise or classes
Having “quiet times” or limiting capacity at certain times
Using good colour contrasting and visually accessible colours
Making sure visual aids or instructions are clear
Making sure there is enough space for movement around all areas
With aforementioned statistics showing not enough gyms and fitness spaces are fully accessible, staff are not trained or they lack knowledge and understanding, and disabled people want to be more physically active if they can, an accessibility audit can really help you identify areas that need work if you want to help them.
4) Disability-friendly classes
Marginalised groups of people can benefit enormously from classes, sessions or time frames in gyms and fitness spaces that are reserved specifically for them. A growing number offer these for children (perhaps most common in swimming pools), women and LGBTQ people, with more popping up for disabled people too. For many, they offer not only a chance to connect with like-minded and like-bodied people, but are more likely to be free of overt and covert discrimination, harassment and stigma that they may feel at other times.
One study showed that 27.6% of disabled people participate in a group exercise class compared to 43.1% of non-disabled people, while another found that only 40% feel they have the opportunity to be more active than they are.
However, a lot of commercial gyms we researched offer little to no such classes or sessions, and these are instead often run by independent spaces or clubs or people who specifically offer them as part of a self-employed business venture. This is most obvious when talking about disabilities as those running it will often be specially trained to facilitate them.
Perhaps this is where places who are wanting to expand their offerings and be more inclusive and equitable can partner with those who can provide them, amplifying their reach. Conversely, some disability-friendly classes are conducted online, reducing the barrier some may face of going outside or travelling.
5) Think about intersectionality
Don’t leave out the concept of intersectionality and don’t overlook people’s intersecting identities when it comes to any of the above. For instance, a class for disabled people is a great idea, but how does it cater to the vast differences in disabilities both in terms of types and how they present in each individual? These are absolutely imperative to think about and take into account. And how inclusive are they of people with other characteristics when research tells us that women, non-White and young people with disabilities face additional barriers to accessing physical activity or being physically active?
Furthermore, when it comes to intersectionality, we look at how systems are built to the advantage of one group or more individually but disadvantage those who might fit into more than one of those or other groups at the same time.
Take marketing for example. Studies show that the majority of marketing images used by gyms show one similar body type across the board - slim, toned or muscular, and able-bodied. Additionally, a large percentage of the people shown are White and perceived to be under the age of 35. So what happens when a curvier, older Black woman who is disabled does not see images more representative of her in marketing materials? She is a lot less likely to feel confident in going to the gym or feeling like it will not be the place for her.
Conclusion
Here at werk. we are dedicated to helping gyms and fitness spaces reach their goals of being more diverse, equitable and inclusive for everybody. Our team of highly experienced and passionate DEI Consultants can work with you in a range of ways so your DEI journey is impactful and game-changing. This can include conducting audits, writing or reviewing policies and strategies, implementing and running training and workshops, and making suggestions for improvements, services or facilities.
If you’re interested in taking your next step towards a better workout space for customers and workplace for colleagues then contact us today!
