Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
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University to support disability fitness app after signing Memorandum of Understanding
Accessercise, which has been created by graduate and Paralympian Ali Jawad, will be available to all members of the LBU community and will be used for modules within the Carnegie School of Sport to improve students’ understanding of supporting fitness opportunities for people experiencing different impairments.
It is the world’s first complete fitness app for people with impairments and provides users with a directory of gyms and fitness facilities ranked for accessibility, a ‘build your own’ workout feature and a library of inclusive exercises.
Ali, a Sport and Exercise graduate who won a powerlifting silver medal at the 2016 Paralympics, decided to create the app after questioning why he was often the only disabled person visible when using public gyms.
The app aims to break down the barriers that prevent people with impairments from using fitness facilities by allowing them to build and cater workouts around their specific needs.
Ali said: “At Accessercise, we believe that everyone should have access to solutions that allow them to achieve their health and fitness goals regardless of ability.
“On a personal note, being a LBU graduate and training for the 2012 Paralympics at Headingley Campus, I am delighted that LBU are piloting the app to serve their disability community and use in their teaching to help the next generation of practitioners to better serve the disability community.”
Professor Hayley Fitzgerald from the Carnegie School of Sport said: “Physical activity and fitness should be enjoyed by everyone. Often though fitness programmes and practitioners delivering activities do not adequately account for the needs of disabled people.
“We are delighted Ali has offered us the opportunity to pilot this app. I have no doubt the app will enable our disabled students to become more active. We will also be using the app in our teaching to help future practitioners to be better prepared to work with diverse participants.”
The app will be available to students and colleagues in the next year.
Read more about the Accessercise app.
Find out more about the Carnegie School of Sport’s partnerships.