tag:theconversation.com,2011:/us/topics/gym-membership-64350/articlesGym membership – The Conversation2023-06-29T23:03:54Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2057532023-06-29T23:03:54Z2023-06-29T23:03:54ZNew study: much of what we’re told about gym exercises and resistance training is from studies of males, by men<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/528518/original/file-20230526-23-5fzgqw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C6200%2C4130&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>When you lift weights, why are you doing what you are doing? Who told you to train that way – coach, a personal trainer, an online exercise guru? And where did they learn how to prescribe exercise?</p>
<p>In fact, much of what we (and our trainers) think of as typical resistance training routines is heavily influenced by “governing body” fitness industry organisations you’ve likely never heard of: groups like the American College of Sports Medicine, the United Kingdom Strength and Conditioning Association, and the Australian Strength and Conditioning Association.</p>
<p>These peak bodies often release “consensus statements” on what works when it comes to resistance training. These statements influence TAFE and university courses, and help shape the education of personal trainers and coaches. The findings in these statements trickle down into what you and I see happen in the gym every week.</p>
<p>My colleagues and I wanted to take a closer look at these statements, and the studies on which they’re based. We were interested to know how many of those studies looked at both males and females, and the gender of the people who authored these statements. </p>
<p>Our <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-023-01878-1">paper</a>, published today in the journal <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-023-01878-1">Sports Medicine</a>, found most of what you are being told to do in the gym is likely primarily based upon male data, written by men.</p>
<p>It’s worth noting research hasn’t served sex and gender diverse people well and has tended to use a binary.</p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/528992/original/file-20230530-27-vm7aep.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/528992/original/file-20230530-27-vm7aep.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/528992/original/file-20230530-27-vm7aep.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528992/original/file-20230530-27-vm7aep.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528992/original/file-20230530-27-vm7aep.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528992/original/file-20230530-27-vm7aep.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528992/original/file-20230530-27-vm7aep.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528992/original/file-20230530-27-vm7aep.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">When you lift weights, why are you doing what you are doing?</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
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<em>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/lift-heavy-or-smaller-weights-with-high-reps-it-all-depends-on-your-goal-190902">Lift heavy or smaller weights with high reps? It all depends on your goal</a>
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<h2>What we did</h2>
<p>Sex is a biological construct, whereas gender refers to the roles and traits society often assigns to men and women. It is important to note neither sex nor gender are binary. </p>
<p>However, data are typically presented in research in a binary manner. As our research was looking at the literature from a biological perspective, we used the terms female and male to describe the participants included in these studies. We used the terms woman and man to describe the gender of the authors and looked at all consensus statements published after the year 2000. As my colleagues and I noted in our paper, we acknowledge that our chosen methods of classifying sex and gender based on the above terminology may have resulted in misclassification of some people. </p>
<p>We then went through the list of studies referenced in these statements. We analysed the number of males and females who participated in these studies. </p>
<p>We also collected information about the gender of the authors of these statements. In other words, we collated the sex of over 100 million participants cited in the reference lists of 11 consensus statements from around the world.</p>
<h2>What we found</h2>
<p>We found:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>91% of the first authors of these statements were men</p></li>
<li><p>women made up only 13% of authors overall</p></li>
<li><p>female participants only accounted for approximately 30% of all people in the studies on which adult and youth consensus statements were based</p></li>
<li><p>guidelines relating to older adults were a bit more balanced, with 54% female participants.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Some may argue 30% female participant data is probably fine, because women don’t lift weights so much. In the 1980s and before, weight training was seen as a masculine pursuit.</p>
<p>Not any more.</p>
<p>In fact, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27119145/">a recent survey</a> in Australia found women are more likely to report adequate muscle strengthening activities over the previous 12 months when compared to men.</p>
<p>All this matters because a growing body of evidence suggests <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34762308/">physiological differences</a> between sexes in response to exercise.</p>
<p>Research suggests differences in <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4285578/">skeletal muscle structure</a>, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10769046/">the way muscle fibres work</a>, and in the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11090586/">time taken to recover </a> following intense exercise. </p>
<p>Work from our team has also shown men <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33332016/">gain more absolute muscle size and strength</a> following participation in resistance training but that relative gains tend to be <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33332016/">similar or greater in women</a>.</p>
<p>And recent research has shown strength <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36610023/">differences appear to still be present</a>, even when muscle size is matched between sexes. </p>
<p>Could there be benefit in prescribing exercise differently between sexes?</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/529016/original/file-20230530-27-iaic5a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/529016/original/file-20230530-27-iaic5a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/529016/original/file-20230530-27-iaic5a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529016/original/file-20230530-27-iaic5a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529016/original/file-20230530-27-iaic5a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529016/original/file-20230530-27-iaic5a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529016/original/file-20230530-27-iaic5a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529016/original/file-20230530-27-iaic5a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">We know resistance training is good for our physical and mental health.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
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<h2>We don’t know what we don’t know</h2>
<p>We know resistance training is good for our physical and mental health.</p>
<p>At the moment, however, we don’t know if we are disadvantaging half the population by knowing too little about how best they should do it.</p>
<p>Due to the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11090586/">longer time course for recovery</a> mentioned above, should females have more rest days between high intensity sessions? </p>
<p>Given females appear to be <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5777316/">more fatigue-resistant</a>, should they actually be doing more training than males per session?</p>
<p>Unfortunately, we don’t yet know. A lot of the research needed to answer these questions conclusively hasn’t been done yet. And the research that we do have does not seem to be making its way to the papers informing the guidelines. </p>
<h2>What now?</h2>
<p>We need more women researchers authoring studies that feature female participants.</p>
<p>In other fields of medical research, the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35191324/">proportion of women authors</a> is linked to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32757645/">greater enrolment</a> of female participants in research studies. </p>
<p>Women authors are also <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31024130/">more likely to present data</a> <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30739690/">by sex or gender</a>, making this data more useful for real world interpretation. </p>
<p>The bottom line? What you are being told to do in the gym is likely primarily based on studies that include more males than females. And we can’t yet be sure if that is delivering the best results for females and girls who work out.</p>
<p>We need more research evidence examining sex differences during exercise, and methodologically rigorous studies focused solely on female cohorts.</p>
<p>This will bridge the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33400219/">data</a> <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36453705/">gap</a>, and help us understand how to get the best out of exercise for all. </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-often-should-you-change-up-your-exercise-routine-194905">How often should you change up your exercise routine?</a>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/205753/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Mandy Hagstrom does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Our new paper found most of what you are being told to do in the gym is likely primarily based upon data about men, written by men.Mandy Hagstrom, Senior Lecturer, Exercise Physiology. School of Health Sciences, UNSW SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1498862021-01-07T18:02:08Z2021-01-07T18:02:08ZConnected workouts can help you get fit alongside virtual buddies during the pandemic<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/377043/original/file-20210104-17-1cfjt5n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=135%2C692%2C7180%2C4795&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Riding together from afar can help you build the exercise habit.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/man-cycling-indoor-with-exercise-bike-trainer-royalty-free-image/1222113631">ArtistGNDphotography/E+ via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Sales of exercise gear and technology-based fitness tools have <a href="https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/09/how-the-pandemic-has-changed-the-fitness-industry.html">exploded in the U.S.</a> as people try to maintain their workout regimens without going to the gym.</p>
<p>Purchases range from simple dumbbells and outdoor bicycles to internet-connected devices such as the Peloton stationary bike or the Tonal digital weight machine. There are exercise video games like Nintendo’s Wii Fit and PS-2’s Eye Toy: Kinetic; wearable technology like Fitbits or Apple Watches; and mobile apps like Strava. People are even using platforms like Zoom or Skype to connect with a personal trainer.</p>
<p>These <a href="https://www.techaheadcorp.com/blog/connected-fitness/">connected fitness tools</a> bring together your exercise workouts and your digital life. <a href="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1191-4863">As researchers in</a> <a href="http://education.msu.edu/search/Formview.aspx?email=kap@msu.edu">the field of kinesiology</a>, we’ve studied the effects of connected fitness on motivation and fitness outcomes. If you’re looking for ways to beef up your fitness during pandemic-related downtime or to replace a pre-COVID-19 exercise routine, one of these tech-enabled items may work for you.</p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/377045/original/file-20210104-19-1satrtd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="young woman uses a Wii Fit video game" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/377045/original/file-20210104-19-1satrtd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/377045/original/file-20210104-19-1satrtd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/377045/original/file-20210104-19-1satrtd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/377045/original/file-20210104-19-1satrtd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/377045/original/file-20210104-19-1satrtd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/377045/original/file-20210104-19-1satrtd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/377045/original/file-20210104-19-1satrtd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Games like the Wii Fit make users move their bodies to play.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/skylar-grey-gets-her-hands-on-wii-fit-u-while-at-the-news-photo/463355359">Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for Nintendo</a></span>
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<h2>Tapping into the tech</h2>
<p>Connected fitness is not new. The <a href="http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1750-8606.2011.00162.x">first such technology</a> was developed in the 1980s: stationary bikes connected to game consoles that required pedaling and steering on a handlebar-mounted gamepad. Exercise video games (exergames) were first created around the same time, really taking off in the late 1990s with games like Dance Dance Revolution and Nintendo Wii Fit <a href="https://doi.org/10.1089/g4h.2014.0077">that require limb or trunk movement</a> as the primary interface with the technology.</p>
<p>New and creative technologies, however, continue to make exercise more convenient, trackable and customized. <a href="http://doi.org/10.1080/15213269.2012.673850">Some exergames have become more gamified</a>, including rewards, challenge levels, leader boards and immersive story lines to <a href="https://us.humankinetics.com/products/advances-in-sport-and-exercise-psychology-4th-edition">create elements of competition and enhance engagement</a>.</p>
<p>Even before the pandemic, connected fitness devices and exergames were appealing because they eliminate some of common barriers to exercise or physical therapy. Users don’t need to worry about the scheduling problems, costs of joining exercise programs or <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2008.11.002">social physique anxiety</a> that can be associated with working out in public. These tools also shift the focus away from what can be unpleasant parts of exercising – like exertion, fatigue and boredom – to novel and engaging aspects of the activity.</p>
<p>One hitch, though, is that so far there are no independent “Consumer Reports”-type evaluations of how much these technologies affect performance outcomes or influence behavior. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/377046/original/file-20210104-17-1ha81ke.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="older woman on exercise bike" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/377046/original/file-20210104-17-1ha81ke.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/377046/original/file-20210104-17-1ha81ke.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/377046/original/file-20210104-17-1ha81ke.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/377046/original/file-20210104-17-1ha81ke.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/377046/original/file-20210104-17-1ha81ke.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/377046/original/file-20210104-17-1ha81ke.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/377046/original/file-20210104-17-1ha81ke.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Inspiring gameified content doesn’t help your fitness if you don’t make it a habit.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/senior-woman-on-exercise-bike-royalty-free-image/1182742824">MoMo Productions/DigitalVision via Getty Images</a></span>
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<h2>Connected in more than one way</h2>
<p>Purchasing fitness equipment and technology-based devices is a great first step toward adding more physical activity to your life. But just like with a gym membership that’s paid for but never used, a high-tech piece of gear can gather dust.</p>
<p>Luckily, exercise psychology researchers have figured out frameworks that are more likely to help folks keep up the intensity of their exercise regimens and turn them into habits. Setting exercise goals, having individual choices in the type of workout, seeing improvements in your performance and exercising with others all make you more likely to stick with it. <a href="https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-4666-9522-1.ch011">Working out in a group</a>, in particular, enhances the experience. The added social elements – including cooperation, coordination, obligation to the group, social comparison and even competition – all contribute.</p>
<p>Of course, finding the right exercise partner or group in these pandemic times can be difficult. Gyms are closed and social distancing guidelines are in effect. Can a virtual buddy do the job?</p>
<p>Our research team, which began investigating partnered exergames long before the pandemic, was the first to examine the use of virtual as well as nonhuman, software-generated exercise partners.</p>
<p>Based on principles of social comparison and what it takes to be a valued teammate, we customized our partners to be somewhat faster than the exerciser to provide a challenge to keep up. We also electronically “tethered” the partner to the exerciser in such a way that if the exerciser slowed down below their target pace, the partner had to slow down too. So if you start slacking, you slow down the team. This tool builds in some obligation to your partner.</p>
<p>We found that motivation and performance improve when the partner is slightly better than the exerciser. This finding held whether the partner is real, but virtually presented, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000003732">or unreal and software-generated</a>, and with a stationary bike <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2018.07.004">or a walking app</a>.</p>
<p>Even if you don’t have a software-generated exercise buddy, you can team up with someone on FaceTime or Zoom while you are on a stationary bike, treadmill or even doing dance aerobics. That way you can challenge and encourage each other to keep up the pace. Teaming up with someone who will also hold you accountable to keep showing up is also helpful. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="InstagramEmbed" data-react-props="{"url":"https://www.instagram.com/p/CJJu4z1h4E6","accessToken":"127105130696839|b4b75090c9688d81dfd245afe6052f20"}"></div></p>
<p>Even if you can’t find someone who can work out virtually with you at the same time, you can still share your workout results, compare notes and set future team challenges. A number of running apps, like Strava and RunKeeper, for instance, allow you to keep in touch with running buddies. Pricey indoor cycling classes like Peloton offer many options for how much or how little you want to compare with others, and let you share workouts with friends.</p>
<p>But you can apply the same motivational principles without spending money on such programs. Choose your activity, set your workout goals and search out an exercise buddy where you both challenge and encourage each other. If finding a workout pal is difficult, <a href="https://www.getmotivatedbuddies.com">GetMotivedBuddies</a> provides a low-cost membership.</p>
<h2>Just having fun or really working up a sweat</h2>
<p>Certainly, any movement is superior to a sedentary lifestyle in terms of health benefits. But to meet U.S. Department of Health and Human Services <a href="http://health.gov/paguidelines/">recommendations</a>, adults should attain at least 150 minutes per week of physical activity that is of at least the intensity of a brisk walk.</p>
<p>[<em>Get our best science, health and technology stories.</em> <a href="https://theconversation.com/us/newsletters/science-editors-picks-71/?utm_source=TCUS&utm_medium=inline-link&utm_campaign=newsletter-text&utm_content=science-best">Sign up for The Conversation’s science newsletter</a>.]</p>
<p><a href="https://us.humankinetics.com/products/advances-in-sport-and-exercise-psychology-4th-edition">Few of the companies that sell technology-based tools</a> to increase physical activity have provided evidence of objective changes in long-term physical activity. Exergames may or may not help you meet recommended levels of physical activity.</p>
<p>In one systematic review of 28 studies, researchers found that when playing the game outside of structured settings, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1090198112444956">exergamers rarely hit moderate to vigorous physical activity levels</a>. The most common exergames reviewed were DDR, Wii Fit, Playstation2 and GameBike.</p>
<p>An important consideration is how tools are used. For example, people can cheat to avoid exercise with a Wii controller by simply flicking the wrist instead of performing full-body movements. People still must commit to using tools for their intended purpose. </p>
<p>Physical activity is good for you in so many ways – including lowering the risk of developing multiple forms of cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Importantly, physical activity is also positively linked to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10238-020-00650-3">immune system function</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/17437199.2015.1022901">mental health</a>, which are paramount concerns during a pandemic like COVID-19.</p>
<p>So figure out your personal preferences and what motivates you. See what resources you can access. Fortunately, there are creative options available for those wishing to be physically active, and many of them involve technology-based tools. Now is a great time to get connected to fitness.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/149886/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Deborah L. Feltz has received funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the National Space Biomedical Research Institute, and National Institutes of Health. She currently does not receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Karin Pfeiffer has previously received funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. She has previously received and currently receives funding from the National Institutes of Health. </span></em></p>From step counters and active video games to apps for exercisers and tech-enabled gear, there are a lot of ways to combine your workouts with your digital life.Deborah Feltz, Distinguished Professor Emerita of Kinesiology, Michigan State UniversityKarin Pfeiffer, Professor of Kinesiology, Michigan State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1270902020-01-02T13:42:37Z2020-01-02T13:42:37ZWhy your New Year’s resolution to go to the gym will fail<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/302539/original/file-20191119-111635-f0gujo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Gyms start to empty as more and more people give up their New Year's resolutions.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.apimages.com/metadata/Index/Fitness-Gym-Cost-Tips/372a3c87e755441cb91636f335ab8939/15/0">AP Photo/Sang Tan</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Come January, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2018/01/01/the-science-of-keeping-your-new-years-resolution/">40% of Americans will make New Years resolutions</a>, and <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/378105/new-years-resolution/">nearly half of them will aim</a> to lose weight or get in shape.</p>
<p>But <a href="https://health.usnews.com/health-news/blogs/eat-run/articles/2015-12-29/why-80-percent-of-new-years-resolutions-fail">80% of New Year’s resolutions fail by February</a>, and gyms will experience a <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Business/best-time-sign-gym-membership/story?id=21373583">decrease in traffic after the first and second months</a> of the year as those who made New Year’s resolutions to get in shape lose steam.</p>
<p>As a lecturer at Binghamton and <a href="https://www.binghamton.edu/news/story/1737/binghamton-health-and-wellness-lecturer-earns-guinness-world-record/">former Olympic weightlifter, world champion powerlifter and strength coach</a>, much of my life has been spent in training halls and gyms around the country. People often ask me, “How do I stay motivated to work out?”</p>
<p><iframe id="WFV9s" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/WFV9s/1/" height="400px" width="100%" style="border: none" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<h2>Motivation and short-term objectives</h2>
<p>Years back, when I was at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, one of the sports psychologists told me that motivation is a lie.</p>
<p>It took me years of experience and research to figure out why, but I believe she was right.</p>
<p>Personally, I have no issues getting up on a cold and dark morning to train when a competition is drawing near. But when there is no immediate objective or goal in site, getting up that early is much harder.</p>
<p>Motivation is driven by emotion and that can be positive, as long as it <a href="http://doi.org/10.1016/S0959-4388(96)80077-8">is used for a short-term objective</a>. For some, a New Year’s resolution can serve as a motivator. But since <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-fundamental-four/201205/emotions-and-motivations">motivation is based on emotion</a>, it can’t last long.</p>
<p>Think of it this way: No one can laugh or cry indefinitely, and that is exactly how we know that motivation will fail.</p>
<p><a href="https://global.oup.com/academic/product/affective-neuroscience-9780195178050?cc=us&lang=en&">Emotion is a chemical release</a> yielding a physiological response. If someone attempting to get in shape is reliant upon this reaction to propel them towards working out, they are almost sure to burn out, just like with a resolution.</p>
<p>When people buy gym memberships, they have the best of intentions in mind, but the commitments are made in a charged emotional state. Motivation helps with short-term objectives, but is virtually useless for objectives that require a greater length of time to accomplish.</p>
<p>In other words, don’t totally discount the value of motivation, but don’t count on it to last long either because it won’t.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/302540/original/file-20191119-111663-n8erez.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/302540/original/file-20191119-111663-n8erez.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/302540/original/file-20191119-111663-n8erez.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/302540/original/file-20191119-111663-n8erez.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/302540/original/file-20191119-111663-n8erez.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/302540/original/file-20191119-111663-n8erez.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/302540/original/file-20191119-111663-n8erez.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Motivation will only get you so far.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/active-people-sport-workout-concept-521986915?src=2e5bc81f-e77d-4d40-a852-ba44d6d1791e-1-68">Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock.com</a></span>
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<h2>Discipline yields results</h2>
<p>If motivation won’t help you reach your goals, what will?</p>
<p>The answer is discipline. Discipline, as I define it, is the ability to do what is necessary for success when it is hardest to do so. Another way to think of it is having the ability, not necessarily the desire, to do what you need to when you least want to.</p>
<p>Failure to get up when the alarm rings, the inability to walk away from a late night of partying before game day or eating a doughnut when you have committed to no processed sugar are all failures of discipline - not motivation.</p>
<p>The keys to discipline are practice and consistency. Discipline means repetitive – and sometimes boring – action. There are no shortcuts. You can thank motivation for the first three weeks or so of your successful gym attendance, but after that you need to credit discipline.</p>
<p>There is another clear line defining the difference between motivation and discipline. Motivation in and of itself typically fails to build other qualities necessary for advancement, but discipline does. Discipline <a href="https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=hy9mDwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PT11&dq=Discipline+builds+confidence&ots=ga0Vo8UNjY&sig=wsZ-N4x6NhasmmAnbGb610pbt3Y#v=onepage&q=Discipline%20builds%20confidence&f=false">develops confidence</a> and patience.</p>
<p>Discipline builds consistency and consistency yields habits. It is those habits that, in the end, will ultimately define success.</p>
<p>[ <em>You’re smart and curious about the world. So are The Conversation’s authors and editors.</em> <a href="https://theconversation.com/us/newsletters?utm_source=TCUS&utm_medium=inline-link&utm_campaign=newsletter-text&utm_content=youresmart">You can read us daily by subscribing to our newsletter</a>. ]</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/127090/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>William Clark does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Gym memberships spike as people make their New Year’s resolutions – but very few people will actually use them past February.William Clark, Adjunct Lecturer of Health and Wellness Studies, Binghamton University, State University of New YorkLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1075512019-01-03T11:47:53Z2019-01-03T11:47:53ZGym membership: how to get the most out of it, according to a sports scientist<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/251743/original/file-20181220-45394-1e0f3uj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/fitness-gym-wooden-desk-space-288831212?src=5M7l7uqClmzdwnXwDP4PJw-4-28">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>CrossFit, circuit training, group exercise, functional training, resistance training, cardio training. Feeling dizzy yet? Never before have there been so many structured activities at the gym vying for your attention. </p>
<p>Simply idling into the gym and heading for the recumbent bike seems very old fashioned. More choice, however, is not necessarily a good thing – and the gym floor, with all of its complex equipment and confident lycra-clad inhabitants, can be a daunting place. </p>
<p>While my work with athletes often involves a range of complex training approaches using a host of equipment, you can still exercise effectively using the most basic apparatus on the gym floor. After all, there are enough barriers to making exercise an integral part of your week without the environment itself hampering your progress. So why not take a simple approach? </p>
<p>Here are few tried and tested (yet easy) exercises which, when combined with a broadly healthy lifestyle, are likely to improve fitness levels, maybe shed a little excess weight – and will make you feel at home in the gym.</p>
<h2>Hit the floor running</h2>
<p>The warm up is a great opportunity to include some easily neglected exercises. Start by repeating a short set of just four or five simple stretches. This will ensure your muscles are taken through a full range of motion. </p>
<p>You could also add some exercises which use your own body weight to improve strength, like squats, lunges, press ups and sit ups. Two or three sets of six to eight repetitions will be plenty. </p>
<p>The great thing about these exercises is that they don’t require any equipment, and can be performed in very little space. </p>
<h2>Ordered exercise</h2>
<p>People with busy lives aren’t going to divide their training sessions rigidly into resistance (weights) and cardio (running, cycling and rowing). You will most probably want to cram everything into the same session. </p>
<p>Not only is that okay, it is actually a good way of training, as the likelihood is the overall intensity of each session will be higher with more time spent actually exercising. </p>
<p>The order in which you complete the resistance and cardio components of your session is unlikely to make a huge difference. More important is not being fixed to a structure that becomes difficult to achieve at busy times and that, over time, becomes boring. My advice would be to have a rough plan of what you want to do – but not necessarily an order in which those different components will be performed.</p>
<h2>Resistance is definitely not futile</h2>
<p>Resistance (strength) training is absolutely something you should be doing. It won’t make you put on weight or become muscle bound. Nor does it have to be done while grunting in front of a mirror (although you can if you want to). </p>
<p>What it does do is help maintain a quality of life as we age. From opening jars to getting out of an armchair – everyday tasks that rely primarily on strength. For the exercises themselves, try and include certain types of movement in each session: push, pull, rotate and brace. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/251748/original/file-20181220-45388-13k86ko.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/251748/original/file-20181220-45388-13k86ko.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/251748/original/file-20181220-45388-13k86ko.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/251748/original/file-20181220-45388-13k86ko.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/251748/original/file-20181220-45388-13k86ko.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/251748/original/file-20181220-45388-13k86ko.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/251748/original/file-20181220-45388-13k86ko.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The floor is your friend.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/young-woman-practicing-yoga-doing-push-630547955?src=ZikVqqsf7bVfnA0r6Gd6yw-1-18">Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>For example, leg exercises that fall into the push category would be squats, leg presses or lunges, while dead lifts or seated leg curls are examples of a pull exercise. </p>
<p>The easiest way to remember which type of movement you are doing is to think about where the effort is placed – the hardest part of the leg press exercise, for example, is when you push to straighten your legs. </p>
<p>We can apply the same logic to exercises that strengthen the upper body – consider the shoulder “press” and “lat pull down”. Aim for somewhere between six and 12 repetitions, adjusting the load accordingly – the more reps, the lighter the load.</p>
<p>Rotation and brace exercises refer to those that strengthen what are commonly referred to as the “core” muscles – the ones that sit roughly below your sternum and above your hips. Rotation exercises can include twisting your upper or lower body, for example. The Russian Twist involves lying on a Swiss Ball, knees bent to 90 degrees, feet flat on the floor, and twisting to your right and left in an alternating manner. </p>
<p>Bracing exercises are those that require no movement at all, they involve lying (or standing) while holding a stable position, usually with gravity providing the resistance. Exercises in this category include the plank and bridge which involve lying on one’s front and back, respectively. </p>
<p>They are usually performed for a set period of time, for example 30 seconds rather than for a number of repetitions. Performing each type of exercise in a set, and targeting different body parts, will allow you to ensure variety in your routines.</p>
<h2>The heart of the routine</h2>
<p>Contrary to widely dispensed advice, cardio training does not have to mean spending large amounts of time on a treadmill, bike or cross trainer. You can quite easily incorporate an effective bout of cardiovascular and strength training in a single 40-minute gym session by using high intensity interval training. </p>
<p>This involves short yet intense periods of exercise separated by brief recovery intermissions.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/high-intensity-training-why-adjusting-recovery-periods-could-boost-your-fitness-98512">High-intensity training: why adjusting recovery periods could boost your fitness</a>
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<p>You can perform this type of training on the treadmill, bike, rower or cross trainer depending on your preference and level of confidence. </p>
<p>Your cardio session should comprise around 15 to 20 minutes of exercise (including recovery) and can be split into multiple sets. For example four bouts of four minutes of exercise each consisting of eight repetitions lasting 20 seconds interspersed by ten seconds of recovery. </p>
<p>Divided up like this, it doesn’t sound too bad, does it? The benefit of organising your training in this way is that you don’t have to do it all at once. You may choose to do one set followed by some strength work before returning for your second set. </p>
<p>This has a number of benefits, not least the ability to keep your session interesting – and without even realising it you are doing circuit training. It also means your gym membership won’t be money down the drain.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/107551/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Neil Gibson does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Where to start amid all the equipment, classes and lycra.Neil Gibson, Director of Sport, Performance and Health, Heriot-Watt UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.