Introduction

Key to ensuring inclusive facilities is sensible, appropriate and inclusive fitness equipment selection.

The IFI has been working in partnership with fitness equipment manufacturers for more than five years to ensure that the equipment available on the market is as inclusive as current technology and development will permit. The lack of availability of accessible fitness equipment can no longer be used as an excuse for exclusive fitness facilities. Furthermore, inclusive fitness equipment requires no additional investment and no additional space. It simply ensures that your gym is functional for more users than ever before.

The IFI has worked alongside the industry to create the accredited list of fitness equipment, the only list of its kind anywhere in the world. In the UK this accredited equipment list is the definitive guide to the most inclusive fitness equipment available on the market.

Appropriate Equipment Selection

In order to ensure that as many disabled people as possible can benefit from both a cardiovascular and resistance based workout, the IFI would recommend a minimum package of fitness equipment be installed (please note that wherever possible, this minimum should be exceeded).

This minimum package includes the following key pieces:

Treadmill
Upright and/or recumbent cycle
Upper body ergometer
Leg curl
Leg extension/leg press
Upper body resistance equipment including chest press, row, shoulder press and lat pulldown or equivalent upper body multi-station
Package of small equipment

Click here for more information on purchasing IFI accredited equipment

The Equipment Accreditation Process

Disabled people are at the centre of the IFI equipment accreditation process and are involved heavily in the testing of fitness equipment. Their feedback combined with the assessment of a panel of industry experts leads to the development of the IFI accredited equipment list.

This accreditation process has been underpinned by the development of Inclusive Fitness Equipment Standards, which are now in stage two of their development.

The IFI Equipment Standards - stage two will be in place between 2007 and 2010, with all new equipment submitted after February 2006 also being assessed against the Stage Two Standards.

Click here for more information on the Stage 2 Standards

Work is already being carried out on Stage Three Equipment Standards which will come into force in 2010.