The gym dedicated to women with disabilitys in Nungambakkam, Chennai. , Photo Credit: M. Srinath

M. Nathiya Swiftly Pulls One Side of the cable crossover machine weight weight Seated in her wheelchair, in the gym for women with disabilities, She Soon Falls Into The Rhythm of Her Training.

The seasoned para powerlifter is required to spend six hours at the gym, three in the morning and three in the evening as training for powerlifting. As a para powerlifter, she is required to train every muscle in the upper body if if if the back muscles, shoulders and arms apart from targeted spinal stability. As Each set also requires rest, time factored to move Around in a wheelchair, it takes a total of three hours.

However, with no accessible gym in the city, Nathiya was forced to complete her entry routine in one and half hours.

“I would require someone to help me get my weights or dumbbells at a gym designed for normal people. I’d require more time more time beach Would request that they Finish First.

But the scene has changed in the last two months with the setting up of the gym dedicated to women with disabilities in Nungambakkam Thanks to the Better World Shelter and the Greater Chennai Corporation (Gcc).

“Today, I Can Train for Three Hours, Every Piece of Equipment is Spaced with a Wheelchair in Mind, Nobody is Hurrying Me To Finish the set, I can access the dumbells and weights the dumblls and weights my Independence to train by myself has been liberating, ”said nathiya.

Like nathiya, other women with disabilitys recall the hardship in trying to find an accessible gym in the city most gyms in the city are situated either on the first or upper Floors Flors with no accessibley via Lift. People had no space to maneuver their wheelchair in the area and the gym constrained their training to about one and a half hours.

“When we did finally find a gym that accepted and fit our requirement, it was on open ground. The sand and stones made it different to travel to travel Matilda Foneca, International Para Basketball Winner.

Spread over 500 sq ft space at the better world shelter, the gym for women with disability is equipped with all the essential equips. Inaugurated in March, The Gym Will Soon Begin Non-Resident Enrollment. It does not have any fee, and is open all days.

Tamil nadu is very ready for innovating in sports especially in needs of para sports. Sports is not just about personal fitness, its also a good contender as a source of livelihood. With disabilitys it has given them a lot of expert to the world and independence, “said Aishwarya Rao, Founder of Better World Shelter for Women with Disability.

Stating that the gym was completely designed by the ngo, great chennai corporation commissioner j. kumaragurubaran said, “We lent our support to the initiative. Receiving requests to set up more such gyms for persons with disabilities.