Is regular exercise linked to pleasure?
updated the 14 July 2015 à 18:30We speak to Hubert Ripoll, founder of the first laboratory dedicated to cognitive psychology in sports and author of Mental des Champions to learn more about the benefits of working out regularly.
Why is it so difficult to exercise regularly?
Hubert Ripoll: Women take family and social constraints more seriously. They have two work lives: the office life and family life, hence the incapability to commit to regular exercise. As much as 43% of men play one sport regularly, as opposed to 37% in women (Council of Europe 2011). Then there are the economic constraints. 27% percent of workers and 42% of job seekers do not practice any physical activity, against 4% of women executives.
What sports are females most loyal to?
The men are mostly involved in sports clubs (martial arts, tennis, football, etc.). Meanwhile, women are more likely to be spotted in fitness rooms. They are also very likely to participate in dance classes, gymnastic courses, ice skating, horse riding, and activities related to aesthetics and flexibility, which are traditionally feminine qualities. Yes, the so called ‘gender stereotypes’ still prevail. Finally, what a gym promises mostly concerns the appearance, which explains why 61% of women choose it. There is an increase in enrollment every January, when the New Year’s resolutions kick in.
What are the most effective motivations: aesthetic, the thrill of a challenge or the yearning for a social circle?
The aesthetic motivations are more prevalent in women than the thrill of a challenge or the desire for social connection. Diligence is linked to the pleasure experienced during these exercise sessions. Meaning if you love the sport you’re doing, whatever it may be, you will agree to devote some time and energy to practice it, even when you have other commitments. You may even become addicted. Other secondary motivations also have a role, they include the desire to improve, to feel good about oneself, and the demand for social encounters.
Can the desire to do sports run in the family?
We see our parents jog every morning, and so it’s natural if we start jogging too. Sports is part of a family lifestyle, though as an adult, we tend to move towards a new discipline. This does not mean we choose another sport exclusively to piss off our dad, who plays golf, for example.
Valérie Rodrigue
