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Exercise can be a vehicle for achieving other goals in addition to improving physical fitness, such as spending more time with friends or family, reducing feelings of stress, pursuing an interesting hobby or simply having fun. Ask anyone who
has been exercising for years what keeps them going, and you'll find that
enjoyment is one of the reasons. You'll probably hear stories like the
following, which were recently gathered from an employee fitness program:
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rational thinking has limited effectiveness. For example,
despite widespread knowledge about the hazards of smoking and
the health benefits of exercise, many people still smoke and
many remain sedentary. This is not to say we should give up on
educational campaigns -- these are still important, and do
convince many people to improve their health habits. But as
exercise professionals, we need some better motivational
techniques. In addition to preaching the benefits of physical activity to our clients, we must also take time to listen to our clients and to try to figure out what makes each of them tick. If we can recommend activities that clients perceive as valuable, or perceive as helping them achieve something of value, perhaps we can improve our clients' exercise perceptions. How do we find out what our clients value? Exercise psychologist Jim Annesi has pointed out that many exercise professionals are well-trained in the physiological aspects of personal training, but not in psychological aspects.1 We may be more comfortable talking than listening, and quickly proceed to outlining exercise frequencies, intensities and durations. We ramble on about the perfect strength-training program or describe in detail how to calculate target heart rate. Instead of jumping right into exercise recommendations, we need to take a few more minutes to ask questions about each person's exercise history. What activities have they enjoyed in the past? What was it about that activity that they liked? Was it the people they were with? The place where it occurred? The way the activity made them feel? Perhaps that particular activity is no longer convenient or feasible, but maybe with a little creative thinking you can help clients recapture certain elements that helped them enjoy being active. |
For example, let's say your client has been fairly
sedentary for more than ten years. In response to your questions,
she tells you she was on her college cross-country team. She loved
to go running first thing in the morning before the world was awake.
Since she is not yet physically conditioned for running, you might
ask her if she would still be interested in early morning exercise.
Would she like to walk? Perhaps she could build back up to some
jogging. Or would she like to try the early morning group exercise
class?
If clients have no exercise history, try to find out what types of
activities seem most appealing (or least horrifying). Is there a
friend they would like to exercise with? A class they would like to
try?
Psychological benefits
Many people make time for exercise because they appreciate the
psychological benefits of exercise. When exercise reduces feelings
of stress and makes them feel good, clients become more motivated to
make time for physical activity. Do what you can as an exercise
professional to help clients connect with the psychological benefits
of physical activity (i.e., improved mood, reduced feelings of
stress and anxiety, better sleep and improved attitude).
Performing pleasurable activities has health benefits above and
beyond the already wonderful benefits associated with exercise.
Feeling good is more than not feeling bad. While chronic anxiety and
stress lead to a number of harmful physical effects, positive
emotions help to prevent these ills.2 Many people exercise because
exercise is fun and makes them feel great.
Bring passion to your work
People love teachers who are passionate about their work. Your
enthusiasm for exercise is contagious. Some days it's difficult to
muster the energy to get through the day, and exuberance seems out
of the question. Oddly enough, pretending to feel enthusiastic and
exuberant often results in actually feeling better! Use the energy
you get from exercise to energize your passion for the benefits of
physical fitness.
REFERENCES
1. Annesi, J. Evaluating Ability to Support Client Adherence.
Fitness Management 15 (11): 36-37+, Oct. 1999.
2. Ornstein, R., and D. Sobel. Healthy Pleasures. Addison-Wesley:
Reading, Mass., 1989.
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Aerobic exercise at optimal levels of frequency, distance (time) and intensity can markedly reduce the risk of developing many of the chronic diseases commonly seen.
Regular exercise helps you feel less stressed and more energetic. Improve your health and live longer.