Inclusive Gym Design: 10 Essential Tips for Accessibility

But the tide is turning, and more gym owners are realizing the benefits of designing an inclusive gym. Alongside being good for business and helping you reach individuals in an untapped market, an inclusive gym is also a valuable asset to any community, providing a safe space for people of all abilities and body types to pursue their fitness goals.

It’s not enough to get individuals with disabilities through the door. To design a truly inclusive gym experience, gym owners must ensure their equipment, programs, policies, and staff contribute to creating an inclusive environment and promote equal access to everyone.

Importance of Inclusivity in Fitness Spaces

One in seven adults in the U.S. have a mobility disability, the most common type of disability. While the experience may look different, mobility disabilities generally impact people’s ability to walk, balance, sit, or use their arms, hands, and fingers without additional support.

Unfortunately, these physical limitations often lead to a sedentary lifestyle, and individuals with disabilities are three times more likely to experience secondary health conditions—like heart disease, stroke, or diabetes—than those without disabilities.

As a gym owner, you have a unique opportunity to support a largely unserved population on their fitness journey. With access to inclusive gyms with ample space, adaptive equipment, and knowledgeable staff, people with disabilities can safely meet their physical activity requirements, and you can reach a broader audience of potential members.

If you’re wondering how to make your gym inclusive, we’ve detailed important safety standards recommended by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) below. With these guidelines, you’ll discover essential features to ensure your gym is safe, accessible, and well-maintained for people of all abilities.

1. Accessible Entrances and Exits

Fostering an inclusive gym environment begins before members even walk through the door. It starts with reserving accessible parking spaces near the entrance. The ADA guidelines state that at least one of every six accessible spaces must accommodate vans to ensure gym members using an assistive device have enough room to get in and out of their vehicles. En route from the parking lot, they must also have a smooth path to the building—including curb cuts and ramps—and access to wide doors that are easy to open.

2. Spacious Layouts

An inclusive fitness gym should also provide space for people using a wheelchair, scooter, or other mobility aid to maneuver around independently. To achieve this, the ADA recommends creating an accessible route and clear floor space.

An accessible route is a clear, 36-inch-wide path that allows all members to navigate the gym—from the parking lot into the building and to all gym areas—without encountering steps, stairs, or other obstructions. The clear space should be at least 30 inches by 48 inches and provide enough space for someone in a wheelchair or scooter to turn around as needed.

3. Adaptive Equipment

Adaptive equipment is vital to creating an accessible and welcoming environment for people regardless of their abilities. You can invest in specially designed inclusive equipment, like low-entry exercise bikes or strength training machines with removable seats. But depending on your budget, universally designed fitness equipment may be your best option—which can be used by people with disabilities without adaptation.

Equipment placement is another important consideration when designing a gym that accommodates people with disabilities. One rule of thumb is to have at least one of each type of equipment, from cardio machines to strength training equipment, along an accessible route. Cardio equipment, like treadmills and exercise bikes, can be placed at the end of a row along the accessible route. Strength training equipment should have adequate space on all sides for members using a wheelchair to maneuver, operate, or transfer on and off the equipment.

4. Accessible Changing Areas

The ADA has clear guidelines for locker rooms in gyms, covering everything from doorknobs to bench seats.

Locker rooms must have a clear floor space to allow members using a wheelchair to approach the lockers easily. Also, 5% of lockers must meet ADA requirements. That means some lockers should be between 15 and 48 inches above the floor and include ADA-compliant locking systems.

Bench seats must also meet ADA standards—at least 20 inches wide, no more than 19 inches above the floor, able to withstand a 250-pound force, and slip-resistant if in a shower.

If your gym has individual changing rooms with a door, the door must swing out at a 180-degree angle for someone in a wheelchair to enter the space and turn as needed, whether the door is open or shut. Speaking of doors, ADA also requires door knobs to be easy to operate with one hand and without grasping tightly or twisting the wrist.

5. Staff Training

Qualified and experienced gym staff—or the lack thereof—can significantly impact your gym’s accessibility. According to the Lakeshore Foundation research, more than 90% of people with disabilities do not believe that fitness professionals are adequately trained to work with them. A recent study also found that many personal trainers lack the specialized education and experience to train people with disabilities properly.

Providing gym staff with standardized inclusion training can be a key differentiator for your gym with this population. Not only should gym staff understand how to adapt members’ workout routines with exercises and equipment based on their capabilities, but they should also feel comfortable speaking and interacting with people with disabilities using appropriate language and cues.

Some education and training options include:

• American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)’s Inclusive Fitness Specialist Certificate Course
• Adaptive Training Academy’s Adaptive & Inclusive Trainer (AIT) Certificate Course
• American Council on Exercise (ACE)’s continuing education courses on training individuals with special needs and practicing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the fitness space

Investing in your staff’s training will reap dividends in attracting and retaining members from this population.

6. Clear Signage and Communication

When designing an inclusive gym, all signage—from the parking lot to the restroom—should be large, clear, and readable for all members. For example, ADA-compliant signs must be in a sans-serif or serif font, use strong contrasting colors, and be 48 to 60 inches from the ground. To explore the full requirements, Accessibility.com outlines key regulations for creating ADA signs.

Similarly, gyms should be able to communicate effectively with all members, including those with disabilities. This may involve employing communication aids—like sign language interpreters, real-time captioning, and accessible electronic documents—to remove communication barriers between your gym and members with hearing disabilities.

7. Inclusive Programming With On-Demand Classes

Technology integration takes your gym’s accessibility to the next level with virtual, on-demand fitness classes for members. Individuals with disabilities who have difficulty traveling to your gym can continue to access training and improve their fitness at home—independently or with the support of a rehabilitation specialist. With diverse content, ranging from yoga and strength training to dancing and meditation, on-demand classes are instrumental in accommodating individuals with disabilities and keeping them engaged.

8. Accessible Restrooms

Without question, all gym members should be able to access a usable restroom. All public restrooms must be accessible and on an accessible route, and at least one fixture—including toilets, sinks, and dispensers—must be accessible.

What qualifies as “accessible?” That generally means having at least one enlarged standard stall, easy-to-use soap and towel dispensers, sink countertops with ample room for maneuvering, and faucet handles that are easy to operate.

9. Safe Flooring

Slippery, uneven, or carpeted floors can impair your gym’s accessibility. To help, the ADA has outlined a few guidelines for ensuring safe floor and ground surfaces for people with disabilities.

Outside the gym:

• Make sure hardened materials like concrete, asphalt, tile, and wood are firm and stable for accessibility.
• Use a binder or consolidant to bind and stabilize loose materials, like gravel.
• Avoid rough surfaces like cobblestone or Belgian blocks, which can be difficult to navigate for someone using a wheelchair.

Inside the gym:

• Use surface materials, textures, and materials that prevent or minimize slippiness.
• Avoid thick, cushiony, or loose carpets that can obstruct the path for someone using a mobility aid like crutches or a wheelchair.
• Ensure any changes in floor level—particularly throughout accessible routes—are no more than ½ inch if there’s a slope and ¼ inch if it’s a vertical change.

10. Community Engagement

It’s no secret that community engagement is crucial to retaining members. This also applies to those with disabilities, who are often segregated in places like gyms. To effectively engage members in this group, focus on assimilating them into the larger gym community. Incorporating the features and requirements we shared above helps ensure they have equal access to equipment, facilities, and expert training. However, effectively engaging and retaining people with disabilities also requires being adaptable, using empathy, and challenging stereotypes.

Transform Your Gym’s Accessibility With Fitness On Demand

Designing an inclusive gym may not be easy, but it’s well worth the effort. From equipment selection to staff training, equipping your gym with accessible features and services can help you attract and retain individuals with disabilities committed to reaching their fitness goals.

Fitness On Demand can help increase access to all members, especially those with disabilities that prevent them from entering your gym. With a range of on-demand fitness classes, you can engage members with personalized programs—all from the comfort of their homes. Schedule a demo with one of our consultants to learn how our platform can bridge the gap between physical and digital fitness at your gym.