Did you leave the academy? The problem may be the environment.

When we think of exercise, we think of: academy This is a space created for people to move around because our current lifestyle no longer requires physical activity, we can do almost everything with our thumbs on our mobile phones. But how Does this environment affect your motivation to exercise?

Scientific data confirms what we feel on the skin: most people who attend gyms don’t stick to it for months afterward. The numbers are striking: overall, physical activity programs drop out in about 25% of cases, but when it comes to the gym, it’s much worse: 40% to 60% dropout.

What explanation do we have for this high dropout rate? From an exercise psychology perspective, we as humans have basic psychological needs and these needs, if well supported, can help our participation as it creates a higher quality motivation for exercise. These are the needs for social ties, autonomy (having choices), and competence (feeling competent, being able to carry out an activity).

If we look at the trend of low-cost gyms in Brazilian capitals, we can already assume that the environment does not support the first basic psychological need. Highly technological and clean environments for a relatively cheap monthly fee, but with an important critical factor: impersonality. Just train in these gyms for one day and you’ll understand: each has its own.

Loud music, dark environment (trendy) and sullen and low talkers. At first glance, we might think that this is in favor of education: less talk and more effort. But not for everyone, because social relationships are a basic psychological need of human beings. A term even popped up recently: “gymtimidated” is used when someone is not very confident and feels threatened by others at the gym.

You have to think: but how do these gyms always seem so full? probably status quo in people’s behavior, it keeps them that way. It seems that the “remaining condition” is valid for people who continue to pay with a credit card while entering the annual tariff at the gym, without going to training. This is what one study showed: Only 17% of those who started the gym over the course of a year left, but 86% continued to pay!

Relationship with other people, practitioners or professionals involved in the environment is important. In a study of gyms in Korea, this was the most relevant factor for people to continue training in the first 3 months. The invitation and support of a friend to go to the gym can make a difference! You can even start a training partnership that can boost your workouts with the relay of a device in the gym. For most people, consistency is more important than training intensity.

In the latest study on the subject, researchers from Norway compared people training in three types of gyms: low-cost (only cardio and weight training), multi-mode gyms, and fitness studios. The practitioners who offered the best motivational quality were those from fitness studios. They also had more social support.

The intimate and personal environment may have had an impact on their motivation. These smaller environments, offering more personalized service, have grown after the pandemic, after traditional gyms closed their doors.

Gyms that focus on cohesion and social community can have more active and motivated members, according to the authors, who can train together as well as create common space for people to exercise like in traditional strength training gyms. A similar result was observed in CrossFit® practitioners.

In a survey of 25 gymnasiums, higher pleasure drive, self-efficacy (belief in ability), and social support levels were the strongest predictors associated with regular exercise frequency during the first year, a critical period for commitment.

According to this research, an exercise facility that includes group activities and social support in a safe environment with qualified instructors can help athletes stay motivated, committed, and consistent with their exercise behaviors. The results highlight: A stronger social bond between individuals who exercise can increase the likelihood of commitment.

According to some studies, the best gym will not necessarily be the one with the best equipment and workout accessories, but the one where you feel motivated. Consider the best kind of gym you like to be in training, this is an intrinsic motivational feature characterized by pleasure during workouts!

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fabio dominski He holds a PhD in Human Movement Sciences and a degree in Physical Education from Santa Catarina State University (UDESC). He is a university professor and researcher at the Sport and Exercise Psychology Laboratory (LAPE/CEFID/UDESC). He is the author of Physical Exercise and Science – Facts and Myths and presents the Physical Exercise and Science program on UDESC Joinvile radio (91.9 FM); The show is also available as a podcast on Spotify.