Scotland's first gym for disabled people helps those facing 'societal' barriers

Scotland's first gym for disabled people has opened its doors to help those facing physical and "societal" obstacles at mainstream fitness centres.

Personal trainer Dale Robertson, who has been helping disabled people keep fit for 15 years, opened his DR Inclusive Fitness gym in Straiton, near Edinburgh to offer personal training, massage therapy and rehabilitation for disabled people and those with long-term health conditions.

He funded and launched his disability-friendly personal training business three years ago but Mr Robertson soon realised there was a lack of sports facilities to accommodate disabled users.

'It's not just the lack of equipment'

Speaking to homecare.co.uk, Dale Robertson, whose personal training clients include people with cerebral palsy, spina bifida and autism, said: "A lot of my home visit clients didn't want to go to a commercial gym. I think gyms can be a bit daunting but especially for disabled people.

"It's not just the lack of equipment. There are still societal and attitudinal barriers within the fitness industry in general."

The new gym building and equipment is easy to access for those in wheelchairs. The gym has cable machines that can be used when seated or standing, hand cycles, a treadmill for wheelchair users and free weights.

The isolation and loneliness that disabled people experience by not meeting other people with similar experiences is also an issue he raises but his gym helps address this by offering disabled people peer support.

As well as giving one-to-one support, the gym's owner is looking to start adapted group fitness classes for up to six people at the gym.

He is also busy training up staff to "get a team together" and hopes in the future to rollout more inclusive gyms across the country.

One of his clients, Mairi Gordon was born with spina bifida and hearing loss. She loves boxing and lifts weights as part of her personal training sessions with Mr Robertson.

'Too much emphasis...on what a disabled person cannot do'

The gym opened on 9 January and 60 year-old Mairi Gordon is a big fan. Her achievements during the pandemic prompted Mr Robertson to post (on Dr Inclusive Fitness Facebook page): ‘Over the past year and a bit Mairi has continued to go from strength to strength.

'When we first started we worked a lot on Mairi’s range of movement, especially at her shoulders, before we attempted pressing any weight above her head. We started with 1kg dumbbells and this week hit a PB of 20kg on the overhead press!

'Upper body strength is really important for Mairi, and wheelchair users in general, for both propelling manual chairs and with transfers. Improving Mairi’s upper body strength has made transfers a little easier and safer, has helped in navigating Edinburgh streets and in general with every day tasks'.

The gym owner already offers a home visit fitness service in Edinburgh and the Lothians, which involves equipment being brought to the disabled person’s home.

Mr Robertson said: “Getting to the gym is in fact itself a barrier to the fitness industry for a lot of disabled people. This service helps to overcome that. Home visits are a vital part towards DR Inclusive Fitness being inclusive.

"I feel that there is too much emphasis on the medical side of what a disabled person can not do, my idea is that we look at how we can adapt exercises, equipment and support to enable us to work muscles, joints and get the heart rate up.

"I know that we won’t always be able to remove all barriers for everyone but we can have a good go at removing as many as we can so that we can make fitness and wellbeing inclusive for everyone."

To find out more about DR Inclusive Fitness and book a free, consultation email dale@drinclusivefitness.co.uk or visit @drinclusivefitness on Instagram.