Elaine A. Rose

The psychological and physiological responses of sedentary individuals to prescribed and preferred intensity exercise

OBJECTIVES Affective valence responses to exercise may influence adherence. According to a newly proposed dual-mode model, affective responses have been proposed to vary depending on whether exercise is undertaken above or below the anaerobic threshold. With the model in mind, the study objectives were to explore the impact of an above-lactate, below-lactate, and self-selected exercise condition on acute affective responses in sedentary individuals. DESIGN Using a repeated measures design, 12 volunteers participated in two prescribed intensity exercise conditions (above and below-lactate threshold) and one self-selected intensity exercise condition. The three conditions were randomized. METHOD An incremental walking protocol was used to identify exercise intensities that would elicit above- and below-lactate threshold work rates for each participant. The exercise conditions were completed on different days and each lasted for 20 minutes. Physiological and affective responses were recorded pre-exercise, during exercise, and post-exercise. RESULTS Affective responses were more negative in the above-lactate condition during exercise compared with the below-lactate and self-selected conditions. There were no differences between the conditions post-exercise. Participants exercised around the lactate threshold and at a significantly higher intensity in the self-selected compared with the below-lactate condition. Inter-individual variability in responses was greatest below the lactate threshold, with similar levels of variability in the self-selected and above-lactate conditions. CONCLUSIONS Data are consistent with the proposals of the dual-mode model and support the use of self-selected intensity with sedentary individuals to promote positive affective responses.

Athlete burnout in elite sport: A self-determination perspective

Abstract Using self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 1985) as the theoretical framework, we examined potential antecedents of athlete burnout in 201 elite Canadian athletes (121 females, 80 males; mean age 22.9 years). Employing a cross-sectional design, our primary aims were to investigate the relationships between behavioural regulations and athlete burnout and to examine whether self-determined motivation mediated relationships between basic needs satisfaction and athlete burnout. Our self-determination theory-derived hypotheses were largely supported. Relationships among athlete burnout and behavioural regulations mostly varied according to their rank on the self-determination continuum, with less self-determined motives showing positive associations and more self-determined motives showing negative correlations with burnout. The basic needs of competence and autonomy, plus self-determined motivation, accounted for significant amounts of variance in athlete burnout symptoms (exhaustion, R 2 = 0.31; devaluation, R 2 = 0.49; reduced accomplishment, R 2 = 0.61; global burnout, R 2 = 0.74). Self-determined motivation fully mediated the relationships that competence and autonomy had with exhaustion. Analyses showed indirect relationships between these two needs and devaluation, through their associations with self-determined motivation. Motivation partially mediated the needs-reduced sense of accomplishment relationships, but the direct effects were more prominent than the indirect effects.

The effect of prescribed and preferred intensity exercise on psychological affect and the influence of baseline measures of affect

This study compared the effects of 20 minutes of treadmill exercise at a prescribed intensity exercise (65% VO2max) and a preferred intensity exercise on psychological affect and exercise enjoyment in aerobically fit individuals. Affect was measured before exercise, at 5-minute intervals during exercise and 5 minutes post-exercise. Heart rate, ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) and enjoyment were also measured during each session. Results indicated that there was no difference in psychological affect or enjoyment between the two exercise sessions, although work rate was higher in the preferred condition. However, pre-exercise values of affect played an influential role in the affective response to exercise. These results suggest that allowing fit individuals to select their own exercise intensity may be more beneficial physiologically and psychologically.

Can the feeling scale be used to regulate exercise intensity

INTRODUCTION/PURPOSE It is important that individuals experience a positive affective response during exercise to encourage future behavior. Exercise intensity is a determinant of the affective response. Current research protocols have failed to find the intensity at which all individuals will experience this positive affective response. Consequently, the purpose of this study was to evaluate whether sedentary women could self-regulate their exercise intensity during exercise using the Hardy and Rejeski Feeling Scale (FS) to experience a specific positive affective state and to examine the specific intensities chosen and their consistency over exercise bouts. METHODS Seventeen sedentary women completed eight 30-min laboratory-based treadmill exercise sessions (two sessions were completed each week). In four consecutive sessions, participants exercised at an intensity they perceived corresponded to an FS value of 1 (fairly good) and the other four sessions at an intensity corresponding to an FS value of 3 (good). Measures of exercise intensity were recorded. RESULTS Participants exercised at a lower intensity to achieve an affective state of good (FS 3) compared with fairly good (FS 1). Both these intensities lay close to the individuals ventilatory threshold. The selected intensity was consistent across trials with intensity increasing across time to maintain the required affective state. CONCLUSIONS Sedentary women can regulate intensity using the FS to experience a pleasant affective state, and the intensities chosen are physiologically beneficial for health and fitness.

Exercise experience influences affective and motivational outcomes of prescribed and self‐selected intensity exercise

The purpose of the study was to compare affective and motivational responses to exercise performed at self‐selected and prescribed intensity [close to ventilatory threshold (VT)] between physically active and sedentary women. Following a graded exercise test, the women completed two 30 min bouts of treadmill exercise (on separate days, order counterbalanced). Intensity was prescribed in one session and self‐selected in the other. Exercise intensity, exercise‐efficacy, perceived competence, autonomy and affective responses were assessed. Results showed that the active women self‐selected to exercise at a significantly higher %HRpeak than their sedentary counterparts but, importantly, both groups exercised close to their VT. The order of conditions influenced affective and motivational responses. The active women experienced more positive affect during exercise and greater competence than sedentary women when the self‐selected condition was completed first. Autonomy was higher for the self‐selected condition. Self‐efficacy and competence were higher in the active women. Differences in self‐efficacy perceptions before the exercise depended on which condition was completed first. In conclusion, sedentary women felt relatively positive in the self‐selected condition but would benefit from familiarization and experience with exercise to enhance their self‐efficacy and competence.