Screening and Questioning for Personalised Exercise Programmes

We all know that designing effective programmes starts long before the first rep or run. It begins with understanding each individual—their preferences, their motivations, and what truly makes them enjoy being active. A recent study sheds light on just how important a client-centred approach can be when designing exercise programmes, emphasising the need for thorough screening and questioning to ensure an enjoyable and effective experience for each client.

The Study: Designing for Pleasure

In a fascinating study by Teixeira et al. (2024), researchers explored the impact of pleasure-oriented exercise sessions on participants’ exercise adherence. Forty-seven non-regular exercisers were divided into two groups: one that followed a standard exercise programme and another that was given a personalised exercise intensity based on their preferences and tolerance. The key to the study was that the experimental group received an exercise prescription specifically designed to enhance the pleasure experienced during each session.

The intervention consisted of three exercise sessions, with each group following the Frequency-Intensity-Time-Type (FITT) principle. However, the experimental group received an additional layer of personalisation: they were asked to self-regulate their exercise intensity to maintain a positive experience, with trainers encouraging them to adjust according to their comfort. The researchers used affective measurement tools like the Feeling Scale (FS) and the Felt Arousal Scale (FAS) to gauge participants’ emotional responses throughout each session. Participants were also asked to recall their experiences and anticipate future sessions, offering valuable insights into what made the experience enjoyable for them.

How Pleasure is Determined

The study found out what made exercise enjoyable for participants by using personalised assessments and encouraging self-regulation. Here’s how they did it:

Assessing Preferences and Tolerance: Before the intervention, participants were asked about their preferences and tolerance for exercise intensity. This assessment helped identify the most comfortable and enjoyable level of intensity for each person, which was key to making the exercise experience more pleasurable.
Self-Regulated Exercise Intensity: The experimental group was encouraged to adjust their exercise intensity based on how they felt during the sessions, with the aim of keeping the experience positive and enjoyable. This approach allowed participants to choose an intensity that felt good rather than pushing beyond their comfort zone, ensuring the exercise stayed enjoyable.
Measuring Enjoyment: Throughout the intervention, various tools were used to measure how participants felt during the sessions:
- Feeling Scale (FS): This 11-point scale measured how participants were feeling, ranging from “Very bad” to “Very good” at different points during each session.
- Felt Arousal Scale (FAS): This 6-point scale looked at arousal levels, from “Low arousal” to “High arousal”, to capture how relaxed or excited participants felt during exercise.
- Anticipated and Remembered Affect: Participants were asked about their anticipated feelings before each session and their remembered feelings after, which helped assess their emotional experience and expected enjoyment.
Encouraging Enjoyment: Trainers also gave instructions to promote positive feelings, emphasising self-regulation. This helped participants focus on enjoying the exercises rather than feeling it was just something they had to do.

This personalised, pleasure-focused approach, combined with the encouragement for self-regulation and ongoing measurement of participants’ feelings, was key to making the exercise experience more enjoyable for those involved in the study.

What Exercises Did Participants Enjoy?

The study focused on exercises commonly seen in gym programmes. Participants in the experimental group completed a combination of aerobic and resistance exercises, including treadmill walking/running, resistance training (such as chest press, leg press, and shoulder press), stationary cycling, and stretching. The results showed that participants particularly enjoyed self-regulated activities, where they could adjust the intensity to fit their comfort zone. Static passive stretching was consistently rated as the most pleasurable part of the sessions—likely because it provided a sense of relief and relaxation after the more strenuous components. Aerobic exercises on the treadmill and the cycling segments were also reported as more enjoyable when participants had autonomy over the intensity.

Interestingly, while resistance exercises were generally less pleasurable than aerobic and stretching activities, participants in the experimental group still found them tolerable and rewarding when they could choose their own weights or modify their pace. This suggests that giving clients some level of control over exercise variables can significantly boost their enjoyment and adherence.

Implications for Fitness Programming

The researchers concluded that providing clients with an element of choice and tailoring exercise intensity to individual preferences can lead to significantly better adherence and overall experience. The experimental group exhibited 77% higher gym attendance over an eight-week follow-up compared to the control group, demonstrating the power of making exercise a pleasurable experience.

This study underscores the importance of comprehensive screening and questioning at the outset. Understanding each client’s likes, dislikes, tolerance levels, and motivations is crucial in creating programmes that clients will actually stick with. Start by asking questions like:

How do you feel about high-intensity exercise?
Are there activities you particularly enjoy or dislike?
How do you prefer to set goals—by time, distance, or simply how you feel during exercise?

By using these insights, you can craft a programme that not only helps clients reach their fitness goals but also keeps them coming back for more. Encouraging clients to self-regulate their intensity can transform their experience, making them feel more in control and ultimately more motivated to maintain their routine.

The takeaway? Exercise doesn’t have to be about pushing to the max all the time. Sometimes, giving clients the autonomy to adjust their workouts and prioritising their enjoyment can lead to better, long-term outcomes—for both their health and their happiness.

Reference

Teixeira, D. S., Bastos, V., Andrade, A. J., Palmeira, A. L., & Ekkekakis, P. (2024). Individualized pleasure-oriented exercise sessions, exercise frequency, and affective outcomes: a pragmatic randomized controlled trial. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 21:85. Click here to review the full research article.

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