Training the Trainers: Making the gym as diverse as the shopping center

ATLANTA—Physical limits imposed by injury or chronic illness make everything harder – including exercise.

One common barrier for people with disabilities is that personal trainers often do not know how to tailor workouts to their needs, health policy analyst James Rimmer told an audience at the American College of Sports Medicine conference in Atlanta on March 26th.

But it does not have to be this way. Rimmer and his colleagues at the National Center on Physical Activity and Disability have devised a program that trains fitness professionals to work more effectively with people who have sensory, orthopedic, neurologic or other limitations . The Certified Inclusive Fitness Trainer (CIFT) program is a 14-week online course that teaches trainers how to design workouts and motivate people with disabilities.

This can be a boon for fitness clubs, many of which may not comply with accessibility laws. “Many gym managers are not completely aware of their obligations under the Americans with Disabilities Act,” said Rimmer, “so they may turn away people with guide dogs or walkers, or not know the proper exercises for certain disabilities.”

Trainers who earn the CIFT certificate can do a great deal to combat the social isolation and decline in physical activity that sometimes affect people who lose mobility suddenly, due to stroke or other injury.
“Maintaining motivation is key,” Rimmer said. “Fitness professionals can be very helpful if they are the ones who reach out first.”

“This is an issue we don’t normally train people for,” said kinesiologist Elaine Cress, a University of Georgia professor who educates future athletic trainers, physical therapists and personal trainers. “Many colleges and universities don’t offer classes that deal specifically with exercise and disability, so a program like this can help professionals cover a gap in their education.”

One skill the CIFT program teaches is motivational interviewing, which means asking questions in a way that encourages clients to provide their own solutions.

For example, when a person says that they missed a workout because they didn’t have transportation,the trainer can ask, “Are there any friends or local services you can call?” instead of saying “you should have called a taxi.” By asking questions instead of forcing their own solutions, trainers encourage client investment in their exercise routine, said Rimmer.

During workouts, trainers may have to adapt standard routines to take into account limited range of motion, earlier fatique, or overheating. But most exercises, with only minor modifications, are fine for people with disabilities. “All it takes is awareness, knowledge and sensitivity,” Rimmer said.

By being more sensitive to the needs of her clients with disabilities, personal trainer Lauren Miller has helped some of them become more dedicated gym rats than many of her more able-bodied clients. “For instance, prosthetic limbs are like shoes; they wear down over time and can irritate a person. ” said Miller, who works for a gym in Wendell, NC.

“When I first heard this, I realized that if I only learned a few more things, I could become more helpful to a disabled client.”

People who are interested in becoming CIFT certified can learn more at the NCPAD website, www.ncpad.org.