{"id":38,"date":"2008-02-11T09:39:39","date_gmt":"2008-02-11T09:39:39","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2013-11-27T19:09:11","modified_gmt":"2013-11-27T19:09:11","slug":"changing-adult-activity-patterns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thesportjournal.org\/article\/changing-adult-activity-patterns\/","title":{"rendered":"Changing Adult Activity Patterns"},"content":{"rendered":"
Submitted by: Wayne L. Westcott, Ph.D.<\/div>\n

With all the research data on the health
\nand fitness benefits of regular physical activity, why do most American adults
\nremain sedentary? Primarily because it is difficult to change adult lifestyle
\npatterns. If this were not the case, the recent Surgeon General’s Report
\non Physical Activity and Health would have called for more than 30 minutes
\nof movement, most days of the week as a fitness
\nrecommendation.<\/p>\n

The 1990s have produced a wealth of
\ninformation on the importance of strength training for older adults
\n(Biomarkers, Living Longer Stronger, Strong Women Stay Young, Lifefit,
\nStrength Training Past 50<\/em>), but we see very few fitness facilities with
\na significant percentage of senior exercisers. What is the problem? It is
\npartly lack of education and partly lack of motivation, partly the challenge
\nof change and partly the fear of failure.<\/p>\n

Fortunately, these are not insurmountable
\nbarriers, as has been discovered over the past few years of adult emphasis
\nprogramming. During that time one has seen fitness center participants more
\nthan double in number, and the median age move towards 50 years. What follows
\nis the basic approach taken for changing adult activity
\npatterns.<\/p>\n

Education<\/strong><\/p>\n

We use a variety of media to present exercise
\ninformation to our surrounding communities, including television, radio and
\nlectures. However, the most effective method of communication has been the
\nnewspaper. In our weekly Keeping Fit <\/em>newspaper column we periodically
\npresent the benefits and principles of sensible strength and endurance exercise,
\nwhich prompts hundreds of sedentary adults to attend our quarterly fitness
\norientation sessions.<\/p>\n

Each season of the year, just prior to
\nour new Keeping Fit session, we hold an orientation session for adults who
\nwant to start a supervised exercise program. The evening event features a
\nslide presentation about our Keeping Fit program, followed by a question
\nand answer period. Our instructors then give the attendees a tour of the
\nexercise facilities and an opportunity to join the upcoming Keeping Fit<\/em>
\nprogram.<\/p>\n

Motivation<\/strong><\/p>\n

We have found the best exercise motivators
\nto be careful instruction and close supervision. To provide an attentive
\ntraining environment we hold our Keeping Fit <\/em>classes in a separate
\nexercise room. We limit each class to six participants with two instructors,
\nfor a favorable student-teacher ratio.<\/p>\n

Another means for motivating our new
\nmembers are large attendance sheets posted in the exercise room. Self-recording
\nis an excellent way to encourage exercise compliance, and most of the
\nparticipants check-off their attendance as soon as they enter the training
\nroom.<\/p>\n

Part of new member motivation is overcoming
\nthe challenge of change. Realizing that almost all of the program participants
\nhave been sedentary for many years, our instructors begin with a few basic
\nNautilus machines and progress gradually as the clients gain training competence
\nand confidence. We have found that a concise explanation and precise
\ndemonstration of each exercise is the key to making new clients feel comfortable
\nabout strength training. That is, when you make strength exercise simple
\nto understand and perform, most beginners are willing to try it
\nthemselves.<\/p>\n

Another pressing concern for the inactive
\nadult is the fear of failure. New exercisers do not want to appear awkward,
\nbe regarded as weaklings, or fall short of the goals you suggest for them.
\nConsequently, our instructors are careful to begin new clients at the appropriate
\ntraining level, provide plenty of positive reinforcement, and give specific
\nfeedback on personal progress.<\/p>\n

Part of the exercise motivation are
\nfitness assessments performed before and after the eight-week training program.
\nHowever, experience has convinced us not to go overboard in this area. We
\ntypically do just two physical assessments, body composition and blood pressure,
\nthat are most meaningful to the participants. These assessments are usually
\ncompleted within 10 minutes which makes the evaluation process easy on the
\nparticipants. We generally do not formally test muscle strength and
\ncardiovascular endurance, as improvements in these parameters are obvious
\nto everyone week by week throughout the program.<\/p>\n

Summary<\/strong><\/p>\n

We average over 400 new Keeping Fit<\/em>
\nparticipants each year, with approximately 80% of these joining the YMCA
\nafter completion of the program. As a result, a large percentage of our members
\nare previously sedentary, middle-aged adults who have permanently changed
\ntheir activity patterns. This has not happened spontaneously, but through
\na planned program designed specifically for these formerly inactive individuals.<\/p>\n

The key motivational components have
\nbeen the small classes, close supervision, and private exercise room, which
\nreduce the participants’ fear of failure and facilitate gradual change to
\na physically active lifestyle. In addition to enhancing the health and fitness
\nof our adult community, the Keeping Fit<\/em> program increases our YMCA
\nmembership base and provides a solid foundation for our entire fitness
\noperation.<\/p>\n

For more information on implementing
\na similar Keeping Fit<\/em> program in your facility (including articles
\non training benefits, exercise guidelines, research results, facility management,
\nteaching techniques, and program flyers), please send your request and business
\ncard to:<\/p>\n

Rita Nordhuus<\/p>\n

Nautilus International<\/p>\n

709 Powerhouse Rd.<\/p>\n

Independence, VA 24348<\/p>\n

\n

Wayne L. Westcott, Ph.D., is fitness
\nresearch director at the South Shore YMCA in Quincy, MA. Dr. Westcott has
\nwritten the Muscular Strength And Endurance chapter for the ACE Personal
\nTrainer Manual and has authored several textbooks on strength
\ntraining.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Submitted by: Wayne L. Westcott, Ph.D.<\/div>\n

\n With all the research data on the health
\n and fitness benefits of regular physical activity, why do most American adults
\n remain sedentary? Primarily because it is difficult to change adult lifestyle
\n patterns. If this were not the case, the recent Surgeon General’s Report
\n on Physical Activity and Health would have called for more than 30 minutes
\n of movement, most days of the week as a fitness
\n recommendation.\n <\/p>\n

\n The 1990s have produced a wealth of
\n information on the importance of strength training for older adults
\n (Biomarkers, Living Longer Stronger, Strong Women Stay Young, Lifefit,
\n Strength Training Past 50<\/em>), but we see very few fitness facilities with
\n a significant percentage of senior exercisers. What is the problem? It is
\n partly lack of education and partly lack of motivation, partly the challenge
\n of change and partly the fear of failure.\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_options":[]},"categories":[290,292,296],"tags":[8,12,23,65],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4btio-C","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":40,"url":"https:\/\/thesportjournal.org\/article\/international-physical-fitness-test-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":38,"position":0},"title":"International Physical Fitness Test","date":"February 11, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Submitted by: United States Sports Academy in cooperation with the General Organization of Youth and Sport (State of Bahrain) FOREWARD The United States Sports Academy, in cooperation with the Supreme Council for Youth and Sport, presents the Arab world with its own International Physical Fitness Test Manual based on norms\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Sports Exercise Science"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":382,"url":"https:\/\/thesportjournal.org\/article\/preschool-childrens-level-of-proficiency-in-motor-skills-and-the-level-of-their-physical-fitness-as-adolescents\/","url_meta":{"origin":38,"position":1},"title":"Preschool Children\u2019s Level of Proficiency in Motor Skills and the Level of their Physical Fitness as Adolescents","date":"July 9, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Michelle Reillo, Eric Vlahov, Judith Bohren, Margaret Leppo, and Diane Davis Full Title: A longitudinal study to determine and comprehend the relationship between preschool children\u2019s level of proficiency in motor skills and the level of their physical fitness as adolescents Abstract The epidemic of pediatric obesity and associated health-related issues\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Contemporary Sports Issues"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":53,"url":"https:\/\/thesportjournal.org\/article\/descriptive-comparisons-of-united-states-military-physical-fitness-programs\/","url_meta":{"origin":38,"position":2},"title":"Descriptive Comparisons of United States Military Physical Fitness Programs","date":"February 11, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Submitted by: Gordon R. 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The U.S. Bureau of Census (1994) predicted there will be more than 40 million people over\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Contemporary Sports Issues"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":379,"url":"https:\/\/thesportjournal.org\/article\/training-to-improve-bone-density-in-adults-a-review-and-recommendations\/","url_meta":{"origin":38,"position":5},"title":"Training to Improve Bone Density in Adults: A Review and Recommendations","date":"July 9, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Ed McNeely Abstract The loss of bone density is becoming a major health concern in industrialized societies. Increasing bone density during puberty and young adulthood is considered the best option for preventing the negative health consequences associated with osteoporosis, even in middle aged and older adults an exercise program can\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Contemporary Sports Issues"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thesportjournal.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thesportjournal.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thesportjournal.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesportjournal.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesportjournal.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=38"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/thesportjournal.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1342,"href":"https:\/\/thesportjournal.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38\/revisions\/1342"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thesportjournal.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=38"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesportjournal.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=38"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesportjournal.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=38"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}