Inclusive Wellbeing: Adaptive Fitness Strategies for Today’s Workforce

Wellness works best when everyone can take part.

Adaptive fitness makes it possible by offering movement designed for employees of all abilities, whether seated, standing or anywhere in between. Many workplace wellness programs can overlook those with disabilities, chronic conditions or mobility challenges.

Inclusive wellness starts with accessibility, and that’s where LifeSpeak’s new Adaptive Fitness series makes a meaningful difference. Developed for individuals across the mobility spectrum, this program offers safe, flexible, and empowering movement options, whether employees are seated, standing, or anywhere in between.

Led by respected instructors with lived experience, the series ensures every employee can participate in physical wellbeing in a way that feels authentic, doable, and human.

Why inclusive fitness belongs in your DEI strategy

Integrating adaptive fitness helps close the wellness gap and demonstrates a real commitment to equity. It’s how you turn DEI values into action.

Inclusive fitness supports:

• Psychological safety and physical autonomy
• Reduced stigma and increased visibility for employees with disabilities
• Alignment between wellness, DEI, and accessibility mandates
• A more engaged, empowered, and healthy workforce

This is wellness that reflects the diversity of your team: not just in words, but in practice.

What makes the adaptive fitness series different

It’s designed to meet people where they are, with dignity, flexibility, and evidence-based support.

Here’s what your team can access:

• Flexible formats: On-demand, self-paced, or guided two-week challenges
• Activity levels: Beginner and intermediate options
• Bilingual content: Available in English and French
• Lived-experience instructors: Coaches who reflect and understand the communities they support

As part of LifeSpeak Holistic Wellness, this program integrates seamlessly with mental health, nutrition, mindfulness, and other fitness resources—building a fully connected wellbeing ecosystem for every employee.

Meet the coaches: leadership in action

Peter Morel (he/him) was born with spina bifida and has built a career around making fitness truly accessible. His style is supportive, empowering, and rooted in understanding how different bodies move.

Patrice “Pico” Dagenais (he/him), a four-time Paralympian and captain of Canada’s wheelchair rugby team, brings both elite experience and deep relatability. His leadership inspires confidence and proves that inclusive fitness is about ability, not limitation.

Lindsey Zurbrugg (she/her) is a two-time Paralympian with Team USA’s Women’s Wheelchair Basketball team, earning silver in Paris 2024 and bronze in Tokyo 2020. She brings competitive experience and determination shaped by her journey with a condition called tethered spinal cord.

Together, they bring powerful authenticity and practical expertise to every session.

A wellness solution that reflects real life

At LifeSpeak, inclusion is built into everything we do. Across our expert lineup, members learn from professionals who represent a wide spectrum of lived experiences, including:

• People with disabilities and mobility differences
• Neurodivergent coaches and clinicians
• Racially and ethnically diverse experts
• LGBTQIA2S+ mental health and wellness professionals
• Representation across generations and gender identities

This diversity ensures that everyone—from interns to executives—can access support that feels relevant, relatable, and respectful.

How to bring adaptive fitness into your organization

Integrate, don’t isolate
Position adaptive fitness alongside your general wellness programming—not as a side option. Promote it through inclusive language and company-wide communications.

Prioritize access by design
Ensure employees can engage with the program no matter where they work. Make it mobile-friendly, flexible, and easy to find.

Center representation
Include instructors like Morel, Dagenais, and Zurbrugg in your wellness rollout. Seeing role models with lived experience boosts both trust and engagement.

Use analytics to drive equity
Track who’s using what, and where gaps may exist. LifeSpeak’s analytics tools can help measure the impact across diverse employee groups.

Don’t make assumptions
Not all disabilities are visible. Avoid assumptions about ability, strength, or mobility. Build inclusive programs that normalize adaptation and empower every employee to participate with confidence.

Connect to culture
Make wellness a tangible expression of your DEI values. When fitness becomes a space for everyone, your culture becomes stronger, more human, and more inclusive.

Ready to move forward, together?

Adaptive fitness is much more than an accommodation. It serves as an invitation. One that says: you belong here. You matter. Your wellbeing matters.

Let LifeSpeak help you lead with inclusion and build a culture of wellness that works for everyone.

Book a demo

Discover LifeSpeak Holistic Wellness

FAQs: Adaptive Fitness and the workplace

What is adaptive fitness?

Adaptive fitness refers to physical activity programs intentionally designed for people with disabilities, chronic health conditions, or limited mobility. These programs adapt movement, equipment, and delivery to ensure accessibility and effectiveness for all bodies.

Who should use adaptive fitness programs?

Anyone who experiences barriers to traditional fitness—whether due to disability, pain, injury, chronic illness, neurodivergence, or aging—can benefit. Adaptive fitness empowers people to move in ways that feel safe, supportive, and tailored to their needs.

What are the workplace benefits of adaptive fitness?

Inclusive fitness helps organizations improve engagement, morale, retention, and health outcomes across a wider population. It supports DEI, reduces stigma, and ensures that all employees have a path to better physical and mental health.

How can employers integrate adaptive fitness into their wellness programs?

Start by embedding adaptive options into existing wellness platforms (like LifeSpeak), promoting them company-wide, ensuring flexible access, and tracking participation across demographics.

Does LifeSpeak offer other inclusive wellness resources?

Yes, the LifeSpeak suite of solutions includes expert-led content across mental health, nutrition, mindfulness, caregiving, substance use, and more. Every topic includes diverse voices and practical tools for real-life support.