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The preference for and tolerance of exercise intensity: An exploratory analysis of intensity discrepancy in health clubs settings

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Abstract

Health clubs are considered one of the most relevant contexts of exercise. However, they suffer from high dropout rates and struggle to keep exercisers enrolled in the long run. Considering the exercise intensity-affect relation, the main objective of this exploratory study was to test the relation of the discrepancy between the intensity traits and current exercise training intensity, and possible differences in subjective vitality, habit, and weekly exercise frequency. A total of 485 participants (female = 274) aged between 18 and 63 years (M = 39.9) enrolled in several activities participated in this study. Descriptive, correlational, and group comparison analyses were developed for study hypothesis testing. Results tend to support that different levels of agreement between the intensity traits and current training intensity have differentiated outcomes. Particularly, having both intensity traits in agreement with current training intensity depicted the most relevant scores for vitality, habit, and exercise frequency. Both traits in disagreement presented the worst scores.

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Data Availability

The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are not publicly available due to study privacy and ethics committee definitions, but are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Physical Education and Sport (ULHT), Lusófona University of Humanities and Technology, Campo Grande, 376, 1749-024, Lisbon, Portugal

    P. Marques, A. J. Andrade, A. Evmenenko, J. Faria & D. S. Teixeira

  2. ESECS - Polytechnic Institute of Leiria, Leiria, Portugal

    D. Monteiro

  3. Research Center on Sport, Health and Human Development (CIDESD), Vila Real, Portugal

    D. Monteiro, F. Rodrigues & L. Cid

  4. Sport Sciences School of Rio Maior (ESDRM) - Polytechnic Institute of Santarém, Santarém, Portugal

    L. Cid

  5. Quality of Life Research Center (CIEQV), Santarém, Portugal

    D. Monteiro & F. Rodrigues

  6. Research Center in Sport, Physical Education, and Exercise and Health (CIDEFES), Lisbon, Portugal

    D. S. Teixeira

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  1. P. Marques
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  2. A. J. Andrade
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  3. A. Evmenenko
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  4. D. Monteiro
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  5. J. Faria
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  6. F. Rodrigues
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  7. L. Cid
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  8. D. S. Teixeira
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to D. S. Teixeira.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Marques, P., Andrade, A.J., Evmenenko, A. et al. The preference for and tolerance of exercise intensity: An exploratory analysis of intensity discrepancy in health clubs settings. Curr Psychol 42, 20629–20637 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-022-03149-0

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