The majority of people take exercise as an elixir for a thrilling long life. It has many well-documented proof supporting physical and psychological benefits of doing sport. Despite these pieces of evidence, some people find it hard to endure physical training beyond six months. Additionally, relapse rates are very high among people who engage in this activity. The high attrition rates in athletic-related projects call for a change in people’s approach to remain in the sporting engagements for a prolonged period. This paper discusses the use of behavioral adaptations to help people stay in work-out routines without dropping out.
Self-motivation, the persistence in the pursuit of goals independent of the situational constraints, is a distinguishing factor between exercise adherents and individuals who quit. Personal drive reflects an individual’s skills such as practical goal setting, self-reinforcement, and self-monitoring. Studies have demonstrated that all these factors influence maintained participation in physical training initiatives positively. Closely related to individual commitment is self-efficacy, which refers to the belief in one’s abilities. Confidence in oneself determines the possibility of one starting and continuing a work-out routine (Green et al., 2018). Thus, physical trainers should encourage athletes to develop self-directed habits to ensure continued participation in exercise programs. They should also help people feel confident about their abilities.
Goal setting is another crucial behavioral change in ensuring continued participation in exercise programs. Although setting goals may be looked at as a simple task without much hold on the person, research shows that it impacts the individual. The goals set should be individualistic rather than come from extrinsic influence. The person placing the goals should believe and identify with them. Besides being stepwise, the plans should be adjusted with time. For instance, an individual beginning physical exertion to lose weight should set a goal of shedding a few kilos at first and continue changing until the desired mass for height is achieved (Rodrigues et al., 2018). Research also shows that attaining one goal motivates an individual to work and achieve other targets. Exercise specialists should provide beginners with a sense of success to ensure they participate in the program.
Additionally, social support from family and friends increase exercise participation and adherence. Individuals look up to their friends for approval of their behavior. The individual’s family and friends should motivate them to ensure continued involvement in work-out routines. The encouragement can be in the form of concern to their targeted training goals. Moreover, the family members can work out together and acknowledge any accrued improvements resulting from their teamwork. Keeping fit in a group with similar goals can also help maintain participation in drilling programs (Cauteruccio, 2016). As such, people should be encouraged to involve their families and friends in their physical training arrangements.
Despite the known benefits of exercising, adherence to work-out routines remains little. Behavior change is vital to ensure that individuals continue to engage in those exercise schemes. Some of these alterations include encouraging personal goal setting, involving an individual’s social network in the training aspects, and promoting self-motivation to increase confidence in one’s abilities. Adopting these strategies will allow individuals to exercise longer and enjoy the resulting benefits of physical training.
References
Cauteruccio, D. (2016). Effects of Self-Monitoring and Social Support on Exercise Efficacy. Musculoskeletal Care, 16(1), 233-237. Web.
Green, D. R., Greenlee, T. A., & Petruzzello, S. J. (2018). That feeling I get: Examination of the exercise intensity-affect-enjoyment relationship. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 35, 39-46. Web.
Rodrigues, F., Texeira, D. S., Cid, L., & Monteiro, D. (2019). Have you been exercising lately? Testing the role of past behavior on exercise adherence. Journal of Health Psychology, 1(1), pp 1-20. Web.