Community fitness and recreation centers and programs present excellent opportunities for creating and providing health promotion activities to all community members. One such health promotion endeavor could be the creation of an inclusive fitness class. This process would include incorporating certain planning measures to ensure the class is fully accessible and beneficial to all interested participants. Examples of such planning processes that may help ensure inclusion are:

• Creating and making available promotional and programmatic materials in multiple accessible formats such as large print, Braille, audio, and video
• Disseminating programmatic information and advertisements throughout all areas of the community served, including those that are chronically underserved
• Including individuals of all ability levels in all stages of the programming process to provide practical insight and guidance

Examples of inclusive fitness classes may include:

• A spin class that incorporates both stationary bicycles and Krank machines (arm cycles, possibly with removable seats)
• A yoga class that includes instruction on seated moves and adaptations
• A running club that utilizes fully accessible routes and volunteers to act as guide runners for those who are blind or have visual impairments
• A high-intensity cardio class that includes a seated participation option
• A group exercise and fitness program that incorporates seated exercises, accessible stations, and/or machines with removable seats
• An aquatic aerobics class that lessens or eliminates force impact, standing requirements, and potential body heat stress via an aquatic environment and optional flotation devices

These are only a few examples of fitness classes and opportunities which can be created and replicated with inclusion as founding principle that translates throughout all levels and iterations to all participants. One of the greatest tools in creating such opportunities is to craft programmatic policies to provide guidance and structure for creating, running, and evaluating such classes. NCHPAD has created a set of Guidelines to assist with the creation of such policies, and invites you to utilize these Guidelines, as well as to contact our staff with any questions or comments regarding inclusive programming.