ATP guide · Rheumatoid arthritis
Exercise with rheumatoid arthritis in Cork
If you have rheumatoid arthritis you have probably been told to keep moving, and probably found that easier said than done. Our personal trainers build 30-minute sessions around the condition at our Douglas and Ballincollig gyms, following whatever your rheumatologist, GP or physio has advised.
Arthritis and training
Why strength training helps, and how we keep it safe
Stronger muscles take load off sore joints. Done properly, lifting is one of the most useful things you can do with rheumatoid arthritis.
Muscle protects the joint
Stronger muscles around a joint absorb more of the load, so the joint itself does less of the work. That usually means less pain day to day, not more.
Built around your flares
Some weeks are better than others. On a bad week the session gets lighter or shifts to the joints that feel fine. Nobody trains through pain here.
Coached throughout
Personal training, with your own programme and a coach keeping an eye on technique and load, which matters when joints are involved.
Working to your team's advice
Whatever your rheumatologist, GP or physio has said about what to do and what to avoid, we follow it and build the programme around it.
Low impact by default
Machines, cables, dumbbells and bodyweight, with grips and ranges adjusted for hands, wrists and shoulders. No jumping unless it suits you.
Energy, not exhaustion
Sessions are 30 minutes. You leave feeling looser and more capable, and fatigue is respected rather than pushed through.
How it works
Training with rheumatoid arthritis at ATP
Rheumatoid arthritis is not the wear and tear kind. It is an autoimmune condition, it comes and goes in flares, and the fatigue can be as hard as the pain. So the advice to exercise, which every guideline gives, has to be applied with a bit of sense. The aim is to keep the muscles around your joints strong and your movement free, without ever provoking a joint that is already inflamed.
That is a coaching job, not a gym membership job. Being handed a programme and left to it is how people with RA get hurt or give up. Having someone beside you who adjusts the session to how you are today is how they keep going for years.
What a session looks like
You train 1:2, one coach and two clients, each on your own programme, for 30 minutes. We start with the joints that feel good and build the big movements around them: sitting to a box and standing, a hinge, a row, a press, a carry. Grips, handles and ranges of motion are adjusted for hands, wrists, elbows and shoulders. Load goes up in small steps on the good weeks and comes down without fuss on the bad ones.
Flares, fatigue and the days you feel wrecked
Tell your coach at the start of every session how you are. On a flare we ease off the affected joints, work what is comfortable, or make it a gentle mobility session. Missing a session is fine too. Our no-expiry packs never lapse, so a bad fortnight costs you nothing.
Working with your rheumatologist, GP and physio
Whatever they have advised about what to do and what to avoid, we follow it and build around it. If your physio has given you exercises we will fold them into the session. We are happy to talk to them directly if that helps.
What we are not
We are not a medical service. We do not diagnose, we do not adjust medication, and we are not a replacement for your physio or your consultant. We are a coached gym where people with arthritis train safely every week, get stronger, and stop being afraid of the weights room.
Getting started
Your first session is free. Claim it below and mention your arthritis in the form or when we ring. It is a real coached 30-minute session at Douglas or Ballincollig, no card and no commitment. Our bone health page may also be relevant, since RA and some of its treatments can affect bone density, and if you are in your 60s or beyond our over 60s page is written for you. If yours is the wear and tear kind rather than rheumatoid, our osteoarthritis page is the one to read.
Memberships & pricing
Simple, flexible pricing
Personal training from €20.56 a session on a rolling membership, €35 pay as you go, and no-expiry packs from €289. See full pricing →
FAQ
Rheumatoid arthritis and training questions
If yours is not here, give us a ring. We would rather talk it through.
Is it safe to lift weights with rheumatoid arthritis?
For most people, yes, and it is recommended in the guidelines, as long as it is coached, low impact and adjusted around flares. We follow whatever your rheumatologist, GP or physio has advised.
What if I am in a flare?
Tell your coach and the session changes. We work the joints that feel fine, ease off the ones that do not, or make it a gentle mobility session. Nobody trains through pain here.
Will exercise make my joints worse?
Done properly, no. Stronger muscles take load off the joint, and regular movement helps with stiffness. What makes joints worse is loading an inflamed joint or poor technique, which is exactly what coaching prevents.
My hands and wrists are the problem. Can I still train?
Yes. We use machines, cables, straps and neutral grips so you can work the rest of your body without gripping hard, and build the hands up gradually if that suits.
How often should I train with RA?
Two 30-minute coached sessions a week is a good target. Consistency over months matters far more than any single hard session.
Do I need to talk to my doctor first?
We recommend a quick word with your GP or rheumatologist if you are starting from scratch or your condition has changed. Then tell us what they said and we build the programme around it.
How much does it cost?
Rolling memberships start at €179 every 4 weeks for two sessions a week, and our no-expiry packs never lapse. Your first session is free, no card and no commitment.
From our members
From members who started where you are
In their own words, straight from Google.
"Having being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis a few years I had to stop exercising due to pain . I needed to find the right information and guidance to begin my fitness journey again. ATP fitness was recommended to me as somewhere that focuses on all abilities and ages . I joined 8 weeks ago and everyone has been so welcoming and friendly . The instructors are so encouraging and really cater for individual levels and fitness aims ."
"Both gyms are warm and welcoming and trainers take the time at the start of each class to check in on the people attending for injuries and energy wise. You are never pushed to beyond your limits but always encouraged to reach your full potential."
"The Team at ATP have been excellent in helping me get to grips with a change of training approach. A long term injury means I have to look at things differently and they've helped me tailor my training without letting me take my foot off the gas. Great experience and application of knowledge. Enjoyable sessions and never a dull moment!"
"Very relaxed and welcoming place. I was apprehensive about training after severe back injury and my concerns were fully taken on board when starting training and a plan was put in place. I’ve been training and pain free for over a year now thanks to them and never felt better."
Talk to a coach
Want to talk it through?
If you'd like a chat about training around rheumatoid arthritis, leave your details and one of our coaches will give you a ring. No pressure and nothing to sign up to.
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Find us
Two locations across Cork
Douglas
2nd Floor, Unit A1, Donnybrook Commercial Centre, Donnybrook, Cork City
Tel: 087 649 4134
Mon-Thurs: 6:30am - 8:30pm
Friday: 6:30am - 7:00pm
Saturday: 8:00am - 2:00pm
Sunday: Closed
Ballincollig
Unit 1A, Link Road Business Park, Carrigrohane, Ballincollig, Co. Cork
Tel: 085 725 2370
Mon-Thurs: 6:30am - 8:30pm
Friday: 6:30am - 7:00pm
Saturday: 8:00am - 2:00pm
Sunday: Closed