Motivations and Reasons for Exercising in Water: Gender and Age Differences in a Sample of Spanish Exercisers

Authors

Juan Antonio Moreno Murcia
Celestina Martínez Galindo
Pablo Marcos Pardo

Disciplines

Curriculum and Instruction | Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | Exercise Physiology | Exercise Science | Health and Physical Education | Kinesiology | Leisure Studies | Other Rehabilitation and Therapy | Outdoor Education | Public Health | Sports Management | Sports Sciences | Sports Studies | Tourism and Travel

Abstract

The purposes of this study were, on the one hand, to relate the reasons for exercising with self-determination and, on the other, to check gender and age differences with a sample of 311 exercisers in water. The data were collected using the Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire–2 and Motives for Physical Activities Measure–Revised. A positive and significant correlation was seen between self-determination and the reasons for exercise, with self-determination predicting 22% by enjoyment and 8% by fitness/health reasons. Similarly, the multivariate analysis showed that the women had more self-determination than the men and that they also rated fitness/health, social, enjoyment, and appearance reasons more highly. In addition, older exercisers rated the fitness/health reason more highly than the younger people. It seems that exercising in water is more satisfying for women than for men.

Recommended Citation

Moreno Murcia, Juan Antonio; Martínez Galindo, Celestina; and Marcos Pardo, Pablo (2008) "Motivations and Reasons for Exercising in Water: Gender and Age Differences in a Sample of Spanish Exercisers," International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education: Vol. 2: No. 3, Article 5.
Available at: https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/ijare/vol2/iss3/5