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Hot on the heels of arguably the most successful Paralympics ever, disabled access at gyms was heavily criticised by the Leonard Cheshire Disability Charity. We talk to para-athletes, Mike Hanney and Craig McCann (who are also REPs Registered Instructors) to get their point of view.

ike represented Team GB in the 1988 Olympics in Fencing and now works as a REPs level 3 Advanced Fitness Instructor in Bristol. He’s hoping to qualify for the 2016

Games in Brazil. Craig was selected for the London 2012 Team GB Wheelchair Fencing team just two years after taking up the sport. He was registered disabled after suffering severe nerve damage after surgery to remove a brain tumour. He is a REPs level 2 Gym Instructor.

REPs: What are the biggest barriers within the fitness industry regarding people with disabilities? Craig: I don’t think there are any major barriers except maybe in terms of equipment and kit, or maybe even getting to a gym or leisure centre. Obviously a lot of gym apparatus is designed with able bodied people in

mind.

Mike: As a disabled person working as a trainer you sometimes need to find different solutions to what would normally be considered an easy task. For example, ensuring the layout of the gym allows everyone to get around.

REPs: What advice would you give to REPs trainers who may have clients with disabilities? Craig: Every individual and every disability is different. So it’s about being able to alter your approach, this may include devising different exercises to suit different needs. The key is to work more closely with your client, perhaps on a one-to-one basis. Mike: Don’t be shy just ask, you will be surprised how open and willing most people are to answer. As a trainer you need to know a client’s limitations, or if they have pain/lack of sensation in areas of the body. When you have this knowledge you can create an appropriate exercise plan. Keep in mind progress may be slow and, in your eyes, minimal. For some of your disabled clients just gaining a degree of control over movement is a massive achievement.

REPs: What advice would you give to people with disabilities who want to get more involved with sport and fitness? Craig: Just go for it. There’s often no reason why you can’t get involved in sport and fitness in some way – it’s about being able to adapt. You have to learn how to work around your disability. Mike: What I found very early on was that there are ways around 99% of the things I was worrying about. So go ahead and do it, just start the course.

REPs: How can the fitness industry ensure there is a lasting legacy from the Paralympic Games? Craig: The industry needs to get people more involved. It’s often just a case of getting the knowledge out there and educating people. Mike: In order to keep the momentum going as an industry we need to make sure that as many of our facilities as possible are accessible and welcoming for disabled people.

To read a full version of this interview visit the REPs blog at http://repsuk.wordpress.com For more on Mike and Craig, go to www.pushittraining.com and http://mccannfencing.com/

04 The REPs Journal 2013;26(January):4

Mike Hanney

Craig McCann