Everybody Move
With the benefits it has on mood, mind and body, it’s important that exercise is accessible to everyone — especially people living with disabilities and access needs. “Access to adaptive exercise is so important for the disabled community because, whether you were born with a disability or had a serious injury, we have all at one point or another have felt exclusion and/or depression,” explains AJ Pouoa, founder of Ryze Fitness Adaptive Studio in Avondale. “No matter what kind of disability you have, we have programmes with adapted exercises to suit all [and] we can help people with disabilities reach their health and fitness goals.”
Some other inclusive gyms, classes and resources to get your heart rate up...
Tai Chi: The newly funded Auckland Tai Chi and Wellbeing Inclusive Programme is a free tai chi class for children and young people in leafy Cornwall Park on Saturdays at 10.30am. Facebook.com/taichiearth Gymnastics: A sport that helps coordination, balance and motor skills, Tri Star’s Disability Gymnastics Programme offers personalised lessons adapted to the individual needs of its athletes. Tristar.org.nz/disability-gymnastics
Circus Skills: Based at Victoria Park, Circability also host mobile classes at kindergartens, schools, community groups, and parks. Circability.org
Dance: A therapeutic and uplifting form of exercise. Dance & Arts Therapy (Dancetherapy.co.nz) and Mapura Studios (Mapurastudios.org.nz) both offer dance classes for people living with disabilities.
Trampolining: Great for coordination and balance (plus it’s so fun). Jump hold inclusive ‘sensory sessions’ that offer a more relaxed environment. Jump.co.nz/ events/sensory
Parafed Auckland: Founded in 1966, it’s Aotearoa’s oldest para-sports organisation and the largest, with a network of 15 clubs that provide sports for people of all levels — including athletics, rugby, surfing and more. Parafedauckland.co.nz
Auckland Council: The council website helpfully lets you filter its locations for their accessibility — like access-friendly Manurewa Pools and Pakuranga Leisure Centre.