BACKGROUND Representation of people with disabilities in fitness centres is lacking, despite initiatives to promote inclusion mainly in the UK and USA. Success creating these inclusive spaces is mixed and few were crafted taking into account attitudes and biases of non-disabled co-members. Inclusive fitness centres have not gained much attention in Denmark, and the campaign 'Fitness for All - fitness for people with physical disabilities' was initiated. The aim of this study was shaped by two key questions; 1) what is the ideal fitness space from the perception of non-disabled fitness users? and 2) how might their dis/ableist attitudes negate inclusion in three future pilot inclusive fitness centres across Denmark? METHOD Three focus groups involving 5-7 (total n = 18) adult non-disabled participants were conducted. Aged ranged between 19 and 75 years, both men and women were involved, with fitness centre experiences ranging from 0 to 20+ years. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using Malterud's four-step method of systematic text condensation. RESULTS Of most importance was a pleasant atmosphere which should make them feel welcome and comfortable. Good social relations within the space were also highly valued. Participants welcomed people with physical disabilities but predicted many challenges with an inclusive fitness centre and expressed unconscious ableist attitudes. CONCLUSION The current study adds essential knowledge regarding how non-disabled people perceive the ideal inclusive fitness centre. A welcoming and inviting atmosphere is essential whereas social skills, ableism, ignorance, and preconceptions are important barriers that may hinder inclusion of participants with disabilities in inclusive fitness centres.

/pdf/fitness-for-all-how-do-non-disabled-people-respond-to-2pk00s3hvb.pdf

Fitness for all: how do non-disabled people respond to inclusive fitness centres?

By using three areas of well-being, psychological, physical, and social this study aims to explore the perceptions of consumers engaging in digital-physical platforms and communities during the UK COVID-19 lockdown and the impact such participation had on their well-being. Ninety people were recruited via an online study, all were using online workouts, and self-selected to participate. The use of virtual ethnography gave further insight into the functions of these platforms and their role in social connection. Participants discussed the benefits to their mental health, the provision of structure to their day, the social connection it provided, and the alleviation of feelings of isolation. The findings also demonstrate how numerous consumer groups in society could use digital-physical platforms as a potential way of connecting those who are unable to engage in face-to-face settings.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/joca.12375

Web workouts and consumer well-being: The role of digital-physical activity during the UK COVID-19 lockdown

The current UK physical activity guidelines recommend that adults aged 19 to 65 years perform activity to strengthen muscle and bone a minimum of twice weekly. The number of adults meeting strengthening activity guidelines is lower than for aerobic activity, but estimates vary between studies partly due to differences in how muscle-strengthening activity is defined. We aimed to provide estimates for strengthening activity prevalence in English adults based on a nationally representative sample of n = 253,423 18-65-year-olds. We attempted to quantify the variation in estimates attributable to differences in the way strengthening activity is defined. Finally, we aim to provide a brief descriptive epidemiology of the factors associated with strengthening activity. Adults met guidelines for aerobic activity if they reported the activity equivalent to >150 min/week moderate-intensity exercise. Respondents met strengthening guidelines if they reported at least two bouts per week of strengthening activity. We defined strengthening activity, first, according to criteria used in the Health Survey for England (HSE). Second, we counted bouts of strengthening activities for which we could find evidence of health-related benefits (Evidence). Third, we included bouts of strengthening activity as defined in current UK physical activity guidelines (Guideline). Two-thirds (67%) of adults met guidelines for aerobic activity (69% of men, 65% of women). Less than one-third (29% of men and 24% of women) met guidelines for the HSE definition of strengthening activity. Under the Evidence definition, 16% of men and 9% of women met strengthening guidelines. Using the most-stringent definition (Guideline) just 7.3% of men and 4.1% of women achieved the recommendations for strengthening activity. We found females and older adults (50–65 years) were less likely to meet guidelines for aerobic, strengthening, and combined aerobic plus strengthening activity. The prevalence of meeting activity guidelines was lower in adults from more deprived areas (compared with the least deprived); Adults with lower academic qualifications (Level 1) were less likely to meet activity guidelines than those educated to Level 4 (Degree Level) or higher. Having a limiting disability was associated with a lower prevalence of meeting activity guidelines. Associations between socio-demographic measures and the prevalence of adults meeting activity guidelines were stronger for strengthening activity than for aerobic 51(or combined aerobic plus strengthening) activity Compared with aerobic activity, fewer adults engage in strengthening activity regardless of how it is defined. The range in estimates for how many adults meet strengthening activity guidelines can be explained by variations in the definition of ‘strengthening’ that are used and the specific sports or activities identified as strengthening exercise. When strengthening activity is included, the proportion of English adults meeting current physical activity guidelines could be as high as 1 in 3 but possibly as low as just 1 in 20. A harmonized definition of strengthening activity, that is aligned with physical activity guidelines, is required to provide realistic and comparable prevalence estimates.

Who is meeting the strengthening physical activity guidelines by definition: A cross-sectional study of 253 423 English adults?

Weight-bearing and moderate intensity exercise are increasingly recognised as important to wellbeing, yet women have been shown to participate in these activities at lower rates than men. With gym training a primary means of engaging in these health-promoting activities, one way in which disparities in exercise participation may be addressed is through understanding of women's experiences accessing gym spaces, and barriers to participation experienced in these environments. Drawing on 18 in-depth qualitative interviews with female gym staff and gym users, and ethnographic fieldwork conducted in four commercial gyms in the South & South-West of England, this article explores the experiential realities of women seeking to access gym training and the barriers they identify to equal access in these spaces. Findings examine four key ways in which gyms environment and the gendering of this space create barriers to women's access: through the sharp gender segregation of weights areas and emotional barriers crossing into this ‘male space’ creates; through insufficient equipment provision for women's needs and how this raises costs to women's participation; issues with the performance of masculinities in gym space and associated intimidation and harassment in increasingly (hetero)sexualised gym space; and how gym structures create the impression one is always ‘on show’, and subject to scrutiny. This research offers insights into the experiential realities of women regarding how these barriers are felt and perceived, and in doing so offers understanding which can help direct gym policies toward more equitable outcomes, contributing to this important area for health and social research.

‘There's a difference between tolerance and acceptance’: Exploring women's experiences of barriers to access in UK gyms

Rural gym spaces and masculine physical cultures in an ‘age of change’: Rurality, masculinity, inequalities and harm in ‘the gym’

Living with a physical disability (PD) withholds serious health problems that can be significantly alleviated through participation in regular exercise. Gyms offer a legitimized and safe exercise environment, however people with PD are limited in their opportunities to integrate within gyms. In this scoping review, the current knowledge on barriers and facilitators of gym-based exercise among people with PD were reviewed to gain a domain specific understanding of exercise participation in this population. Potential agents of change who may foster equal exercise opportunities for individuals with PD were mapped. Exercise barriers and facilitators, and agents of change were identified at the personal, social, and environmental levels. Lack of gym accessibility lack of social support, and oppressive attitudes within gyms were the most reported barriers to gym-based exercise participation. Enhanced opportunities to interact with others within gym settings and committing to exercise were identified as main facilitators of exercise participation in people with PD. The findings presented herein point to the necessity of multi-level actions to enhance the current low exercise participation of people with PD, specifically in gyms. These actions can be employed by people with PD, as well as by local community members, gym managements, healthcare providers, and policy makers to create more inclusive gym environments that meet the needs of people with PD. Strategies for enhancing the integration of people with PD within gym settings are offered.

Are gyms fit for all? A scoping review of the barriers and facilitators to gym-based exercise participation experienced by people with physical disabilities

Hila Sharon-David

Papers

Are gyms fit for all? A scoping review of the barriers and facilitators to gym-based exercise participation experienced by people with physical disabilities