New Year, new motivation? We’re certainly feeling it in the office! But with the weather still pretty appalling, heading indoors to workout seems the best idea. If you’re looking at a new gym membership, but you’re unsure how accessible it might be, take a look at our tips and hacks to make sure you are quickly feeling at home and able to make the most of your time at the gym.
It’s brilliant if you happen to live near an accessible gym. We know there are some really good ones in a few places around the country. But for many of us, our local gym is the best option. With the right supports and a bit of knowledge, it’s often perfectly possible to access a full, challenging and varied workout in a regular high-street gym. So let’s get straight into it.
Choosing Your Gym
As well as finding a gym with the right ‘vibe’ for you, accessibility into and around the building is obviously key for many of us. Most gyms will offer a free day trial, so you can road test what they can offer. Just drop in, or give them a call to arrange it. While you’re there, don’t forget to consider things like the parking, accessible showers and changing rooms, whether the gym is on ground level or accessed via a lift. Also consider the space to move easily between pieces of equipment.
Once you think you’ve found the right place, have a chat with the membership team to find the best deal. Some places offer discounted rates if you are on certain benefits, which can really make a difference.
Getting Started
When you first start out, the gym can feel a bit of a daunting place for some people. But as you build your confidence, you’ll hopefully find it a really friendly, encouraging place to be. Rob tells us,
“I often get chatting to people in the gym and have made some good friends there over the years. If I need a bit of help setting up a piece of equipment or reaching something, people are always happy to step in. I just wait for them to be taking a break between sets and generally find asking for a bit of help is actually a good way to meet new people.”
Developing a routine in the gym can be a great way to build confidence. It also helps to keep track of your progress. If you are just starting out, getting some ideas on what to do can be key. Some gyms offer a personal trainer session as part of signing up. This can be an ideal time to ask lots of questions about how to set up the different equipment in the gym. Rob explains,
“Many machines can be adapted to your needs. Alternate handles/attachments are often available and can be swapped to enable you to use the machines better, often seats can be removed so you can use a machine from your wheelchair if you use one. There are often ways to adapt the equipment/products to help you in normal gyms to enable you to use it (including our Active Hands products).”
If you prefer to go alone, using expert resources like Adapt To Perform can mean heading into the gym, already knowing what you want to do.
Ben at Adapt To Perform offers adapted workouts for those with disabilities. He is full of fantastic ideas, both to get you started and to challenge you further down the line. Check out his YouTube channel here or head to his website to become a member.
Getting the Right Kit
You can invest in a fancy new gym kit if you want to, or just pop on something loose and comfortable and see how you go. But having a few bits of equipment alongside you will really make the difference to your workout.
Our range of gym gripping aids open up so many possibilities and overcome the frustration of reduced hand function restricting your potential. If you’re just getting started, our General Purpose is a versatile and robust gripping aid that will hold your hand onto handles, bars and weights.
For closed-ended bars and handles, our Hook Aids allow you to hold and let go with independence. The elastic loop that goes around a finger means that even if you are reaching for handles above your head, the hooks won’t flop forwards.
“For machines like the hand cycle, I like to use one General Purpose aid for a really firm grip and good feedback, and then one Hook Aid. This way, I can easily hold on and let go with one hand for changing settings etc. This gives me complete independence.” Rob
Most gyms offer a cable and pulley machine. These are a great way to work lots of different muscle groups at one station. You can find plenty of ideas on YouTube, including on our channel, where we take you through lots of ideas for this one piece of equipment.
To make best use of the cable and pulley machine, get yourself a pair of D-Ring Aids. These clip straight to the karibiner on the machine and allow you full access to all the benefits, without the need to grip the handles.
What are you waiting for?
There’s no better time to get started than right now! Regular exercise is vital for our physical health, but also really brilliant for our mental health too. The impacts of exercise can be felt in all areas of life and improve independence and confidence. And we’re right here to support you. Our YouTube channel has lots of great ideas and our social media pages are the perfect place to ask questions to a like-minded community. Browse our full range of gym gripping aids here and let’s see what we can achieve this year!
Jo Smith
