Older Adults' Perceptions of Exercising in a Senior Gym

Exploring exercise adherence and quality of life among veteran, novice, and dropout trainees

Introduction

The purpose of this study was to identify and reveal the different contexts, variables, and factors that may influence adherence to physical activity among veteran, novice, and dropout trainees, such as the frequency of the weekly training units, the trainees preferred type of exercise, the purpose of the physical activity, and the relationship between support and supervision by fitness instructors and professionals. This study also examined the relationships between trainees, seniority and the strength of the habit and adherence to physical activity, the effects of personal variables such as age and gender on adherence to physical activity, and how the seniority and adherence of trainees may affect their quality of life.

Methods

A total of 460 participants drawn from the broader Israeli exercise community, which encompasses a diverse range of individuals within the general adult population, were engaged in this study. These participants included seasoned exercisers, individuals who had recently initiated exercise routines, and those who had previously engaged in physical activity. Each participant completed a comprehensive set of questionnaires, including the Self-Report Habit Index, the Exercise Adherence Rating Scale, and the World Health Organization (WHO) Quality of Life Scale. In addition to the questionnaire responses, demographic data and inquiries concerning their physical activity were also collected.

Results

The results show that the average frequency of the weekly training units of veteran trainees was significantly higher than that of novice trainees: 3.95 and 2.93, respectively (p < 0.0001). We found no significant differences between novice and veteran trainees regarding their training goal preferences (p = 0.07). Veteran trainees who had been in training for more than a year appeared to have higher self-efficacy since 31.16% reported receiving no supervision compared to 16.67% among novice trainees. In addition, people over 45 appear to have more health-related goals compared to their younger counterparts (p < 0.001). The quality of life scores of the trainees was related to their seniority in physical training, but only by a small magnitude (R2 = 0.06), p < .001). Those who trained in resistance training showed the greatest rate of adherence in relation to flexibility and aerobic training (p < 0.001), and women preferred more body toning and had more weight loss goals than men (p < 0.001).

Discussion

The results indicate that there are central and important factors that may affect adherence to physical activity, and that all these aspects must be taken into account when planning a training program or when there is a desire to maintain or increase adherence to physical activity. The research findings indicate that the main factors that can influence adherence to physical activity are identifying and increasing the trainee's self-efficacy, maintaining weekly training units with sufficient frequency to form a habit and incorporating resistance training into the training regime, as resistance training has shown high levels of adherence. Moreover, it seems that people with different degrees of experience in physical training have distinct and varied training goals, and there is no one goal that fits all. In addition, specific factors such as age and gender must also be taken into account, because the age and gender of the trainees may significantly affect the goals of physical training.

Psychological Effects of Motivational Aquatic Resistance Interval Training and Nutritional Education in Older Women

Several studies have demonstrated the positive effects of physical exercise programs on physical and mental health throughout life. It is necessary to know the factors that contribute to the well-being of older adults in order to achieve healthy aging. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between well-being perception and the use of autonomy supportive coaching behaviours across a motivational aquatic resistance interval training program. Thirty-four women over 65 years of age from the province of Alicante, Spain, participated, and were randomly assigned to: motivational aquatic resistance interval training group (MART; age: 69.6 ± 5.01 years, height: 1.62 ± 7.88 m, weight: 75.3 ± 12.8 kg) and control group (CG; age: 67.7 ± 3.60 years, height: 1.54 ± 5.47 m, weight: 66.9 ± 10.2 kg). The MART program was conducted for 14 weeks, with three training sessions/week. The CG did not perform any physical activity during the study. Perception of autonomy support was assessed through the Autonomy-Supportive Coaching Questionnaire (ASCQ), Psychological needs by the Basic Psychological Needs in Exercise Scale (BPNES), Intrinsic motivation to exercise was assessed through Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI) and Perception of Physical Activity by the International physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ). In MART, compared to CG, significant differences were observed in BPNS, IMI and IPAQ questionnaires used, except in the ASCQ. The differences were significant in all three cases in BPNS (p < 0.05 in autonomy and competence and p = 0.001 in relationship with others), obtaining better scores after intervention than previously. As for the IMI scale, significant differences were also obtained in both subscales. The level of physical activity also improved significantly, with higher scores on the IPAQ after the intervention than before (p < 0.001). In conclusion, when practitioners perceive greater well-being, satisfaction of their basic psychological needs, greater self-selection, volition, and autonomy instead of pressure, demand and control, the result is better behaviour with greater psychological well-being, adherence and consequent health benefits.

Barriers to, and Facilitators of, Exercising in Fitness Centres among Adults with and without Physical Disabilities: A Scoping Review

Fitness centres are an obvious arena for performing physical activity for the general population but representation of adults with physical disabilities (AwPD) is lacking. To increase possibilities for AwPD to exercise in fitness centres together with adults without physical disabilities (AwoPD), the aim of this study was to identify, synthesise, and compare barriers to, and facilitators of, exercising in fitness centres for each group. A scoping review was conducted and data extraction of the barriers and facilitators was performed independently by two researchers on six categories of contextual factors based on the framework of Di Blasi: (1) The fitness centre setting; (2) The fitness centre user characteristics; (3) The fitness instructor/staff characteristics; (4) The fitness centre user–instructor/management relationship; and (5) The fitness/exercise characteristics. An extra category, (6) Other relationships, was added. The PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews was used for reporting. Of the 102 included papers, only 26 (25%) of the papers were on AwPD, which focused mainly on physical barriers (category 1: inaccessible settings). In contrast, the remaining 76 papers involving AwoPD focused primarily on facilitators (category 2: motivational factors and exercising effects). In categories 3–6, the two groups had similar results, as both groups preferred skilled instructors, a welcoming and comfortable fitness centre environment, an ability to exercise at their preferred type and level, and good social connections. Since most data were based on AwoPD, more studies on actual experiences from AwPD are needed, to reveal the facilitators/motivational factors for fitness centre use.

Affordable and enjoyable health shopping: Commodified therapeutic landscapes for older people in China's urban open spaces

The complex influences of the commodification of therapeutic landscapes on sense of health are not fully understood. This study investigates how commodification affects the healing sense of urban open spaces for older people from a relational approach. Drawing on eight months of fieldwork in two Chinese cities, it demonstrates that (1) China's social and cultural backgrounds shape older people's consumer values and redefine their whole-person sense of health; (2) the consumption landscape, especially retailers, enhances the therapeutic components of the spaces for older people by providing new health products to increase their self-care capacity, and by providing an affordable and enjoyable purchasing experience to help them construct positive social identities; and (3) the dichotomy between consumers' demands that are created and met by an array of marketing activities, and the healing sense of those same spaces that stem from consumers' actual needs may be the main risk of a sustainable therapeutic consumption space. These findings expand the meanings of health for the geographies of aging and health in non-Western contexts. This study contributes to the relational thinking of the commodification of therapeutic landscapes and geography of aging by proposing a reciprocal benefit between older individuals and the consumption landscape. Based on these findings, scholars and policymakers should consider consumption activities in non-Western contexts as important determinants of health of the older population vis-a-vis an overwhelming market of health products, services, and activities.

Staying Strong Together: Older People Engaging in Resistance Training With a Peer

The aim of this qualitative exploratory study was to investigate older adults' perceptions of having a peer to encourage their participation in resistance training. The participants were recruited from a retirement village to undergo a 6-week resistance training program. Some participants attended a center; others participated in their home. Data were collected via semistructured interviews and analyzed thematically using a six-phase framework to obtain the participants' perspectives about the peer support they received. The participants (n = 21) had divergent views about peer support, with some finding it enabling, while others did not find it helpful. Overall, the participants suggested that peer support could be beneficial if offered as a choice. Further research is needed to determine whether peer support assists in sustaining resistance training engagement among older adults when the aspect of choice is included.

Ageism in the Fitness and Health Industry: A Review of the Literature

This review aims to understand how age-related stereotypes against older adults' physical capabilities influence their ability to engage in regular physical activity. The authors wanted to know how people construe ageism in the fitness and health arena, how ageism manifests in this field, and how ageism influences older adults' learning and practicing physical activity. Data was extracted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis. Twenty-two empirical studies met the selection criteria. The findings revealed that the attributes of ageism fell into either self-imposed or other-directed ageism categories and manifested as implicit or explicit ageism. The study also identified the following four themes: (a) perceptions of aging and exercise, (b) exercise motivation, (c) opportunities for older adults, and (d) ambiguous positionality as older exercisers. The research provides evidence for the existence of ageism against older exercisers. Further research considering the implication of ageism within the exercising industry is necessary.

Identifying Motives of Midlife Black Triathlete Women Using Survey Transformation to Guide Qualitative Inquiry

Demonstrating health disparities related to race, age, and gender, older Black women (BW) are the most sedentary demographic group in the United States. Increasing PA in mid-life is important, as it improves health as BW age into their later years. Advancing our understanding of the exercise motives of BW triathletes presents a "reverse engineering" opportunity to identify motives that could influence sedentary mid-life BW to increase their activity. The purposes of this study were to: (a) utilize an innovative survey transformation method to adapt a measure developed primarily in Caucasian males, i.e., the Motivations of Marathoners Scale for Triathletes (MOMS-T) into a qualitative interview guide for use with BW triathletes; (b) use this interview guide to identify culturally based motives for triathlon participation among BW not previously addressed by the MOMS-T and; (c) interpret the novel motivational domains of the MOMS-T discovered, in order to gain understanding and influence subsequent interventions. Purposive sampling was used to select 12 interview participants from 121 self-identified Black female US residents aged ≥36 years with recent experience completing or training for a triathlon. The interviews identified four culturally based themes, including improving body composition to become "more lean", physical attractiveness, triathlete family, and camaraderie. These novel themes were related to existing MOMS-T scales, but the current MOMS-T questions did not illuminate their culturally distinct aspects. The process of survey transformation provides a viable approach to identify important culturally based characteristics and to adapt surveys to cultural minority populations, particularly when study resources are limited.