fitness trends & what if

[shootingstar]

http://www.nationalpost.com/life/story.html?id=1743951
Don't know how the study was conducted to determine the trends. Nor what the original survey questions were. No cycling was not mentioned. Wouldn't have expected it.

Which makes one wonder..IF cycling did become more an integral part of people's lives as a method of transportation, would people even think of it as a fitness activity? Somehow tend think that in countries where there is alot more lifestyle /functional/utilitarian cycling, regular folks don't even think of it as a fitness activity isolated from their regular daily activities.

[TsPoet]

http://www.nationalpost.com/life/story.html?id=1743951
Somehow tend think that in countries where there is alot more lifestyle /functional/utilitarian cycling, regular folks don't even think of it as a fitness activity isolated from their regular daily activities.

?And is that a bad thing?

[limewave]

I'm just wondering if cycling is considered a "sport" rather than a fitness activity. When I think "fitness"--I think gym stuff. That could be just me . . .

[shootingstar]

Not all a bad thing. Probably might be part of the problem for some people to motivate them for healthier lifestyle...for some people if they view something as exercise, it's a "task"/chore to them. If you try the word "sport" on same folks, it might sound intimidating to them.

For instance, it took me awhile in the beginning to view myself as undertaking a "sport", which is cycling. But sport to many people might suggests a form of competition/benchmarking. I still have an inferiority complex to use sport with 100% conviction for myself.

"Fitness activity" is more encompassing to everyone..if words can sell and motivate the unwilling, by all means, use it!

[lph]

*grumble* It's our bizarrely sedentary lifestyle that makes us think of any activity other than sitting still as a "fitness activity" or "sport", or "exercise", rather than the normal movement we were designed for. *grumble*

[OakLeaf]

Eh, this is a story written for and about the fitness industry, meaning gym professionals - personal trainers, group exercise instructors, and their administrators. (Never mind it's three months old.)

Other than the nod they give to running (and that only because unlike Spinning®, the treadmill manufacturers forgot to trademark their indoor workout), they don't talk about any participatory sports, only things that people can be taught to do in a gym.

Which are important supplements to sports.

[GLC1968]

I'm not sure I truly understand the purpose of the survey. They asked ASCM-certified professionals what they thought was most important in terms of fitness? Isn't that kind of like asking a cycling team what their favorite sport is?

[OakLeaf]

Well no, it's more like asking a cycling team what their top 10 most important workouts are - downhill intervals, hill repeats, one legged intervals, etc.

[GLC1968]

Well no, it's more like asking a cycling team what their top 10 most important workouts are - downhill intervals, hill repeats, one legged intervals, etc.

I guess what I'm saying is that relating this survey to the general public is like asking a cycling coach what the trends in cycling are and expecting their vision/expertise to include commuting, touring, and casual beach riding. And then drawing the conclusion that since they didn't mention those things...that those things aren't important (which is ridiculous).

I just think the study is skewed and really not very illuminating at all.