If
you decide to join a health club
If
you decide to join a health club as a way to be more active, here
are some things to keep in mind. Remember that it's always a good
idea to talk with your doctor before beginning an exercise program.
- Be prepared
to pay between $20 and $50 per month for membership, plus any
enrollment fees.
- Ask about
scholarships or other financial aid, if you think you might qualify.
- Take a tour
and check out the accessibility based on your own needs.
- Ask about
programs and services to make sure they fit your interests.
- Make sure
the equipment is clean and well maintained.
- Ask if the
staff have experience working with people with disabilities. If
not, make sure there is at least one certified fitness trainer
on staff to help you get started.
- Make sure
you feel welcome and are treated like any other paying member.
- If you are
not familiar with the equipment, make sure you receive an orientation
from a qualified staff member before using it to prevent injury.
- Consider
a couple of sessions with a certified personal trainer to help
you know where to start and how to progress and to make sure you
are exercising safely.
- You can always
consult a physical therapist or recreation therapist if you have
questions about adapting exercises or equipment.
- It's important
that you understand your body so you can communicate your limitations
and abilities to staff or a personal trainer.
- If you need
assistance on a regular basis, consider joining with a friend
or family member.
Tips
on Removing Barriers to Health Clubs, Fitness Facilities
Along
with much of the population, people with disabilities look toward
health clubs, gyms and fitness centers as a means to be more active
and achieve a healthy lifestyle.
Now
there's a guide that you can share with your health club or gym
that provides information and strategies to assist fitness facilities
to be welcoming and useable for anyone who would like to improve
or maintain their health through exercise and physical activity.
Some
of the things you will find in the guide include:
- ideas for
reaching and welcoming individuals with disabilities and older
adults
- guidelines
for creating universally useable fitness facilities
- highlights
on selected Americans with Disabilities Act features that are
relevant to health and fitness centers
- ideas for
adapting existing equipment for different ability levels
- pointers
on how to purchase equipment to accommodate a wide range of users
For
a free copy of Removing Barriers to Health Clubs and Fitness
Facilities, contact: NC Office on Disability and Health
UNC-CH, CB 8185
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-8185
Phone: 919-966-2932
Email: odhpubs@mail.fpg.unc.edu
The
guide may also be ordered or downloaded from the NCODH web site
at www.fpg.unc.edu/~ncodh.
Physical Activity Resources...
Access
to Recreation
catalog of adaptive recreation and exercise equipment
800-634-4351
Active
Living, magazine
905-957-6016
Email: activeliv@aol.com
Choose
to Move/BetterU campaign
888-MY-HEART
http://www.goredforwomen.org/BetterU/index.aspx
Disabled
Sports USA
451 Hungerford Dr., Suite 100
Rockville, MD 20850,
301-217-0960
www.dsusa.org/
National
Center on Physical Activity and Disability (NCPAD)
promotes healthy lifestyles for people with disabilities by providing
fact sheets, information and resources from the latest research,
directories of health and leisure organizations, and accessible
recreation facilities and equipment vendors.
www.ncpad.org
Email at ncpad@uic.edu
Phone: 800-900-8086 (voice and TTY)
Fax 312-355-4058.
National
Women's Health Information Center
800-994-WOMAN
www.4woman.org/
Special
Olympics International
1325 G St. NW, Suite 500
Washington, DC 20005
www.specialolympics.org
Wheelchair
Sports USA
3595 East Fountain Blvd., Suite L-1
Colorado Springs, CO 80910
719-574-1150
www.wsusa.org/
Women's
Sports Foundation
800-227-3988
http://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/
See also ...
A
Long and Healthy Life: It's Your Choice
If
You Decide to Join a Health Club
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