PHYSICAL EXERCISE IN GYMS: PERSPECTIVES OF THE SELF-DETERMINATION THEORY

RESUMO

Carla Maria de Liz, Maick da Silveira Viana, F�¡bio Hech Dominski e Alexandro Andrade

Reasons for the practice and the motivational regulations of men and women engaged in weight training were investigated. Descriptive cross-sectional study with 252 adherents of weight training (133 men and 119 women). Questionnaires were used to collect data. Men and women are self-determined to practice weight training. The weight loss was positively associated with the introjected regulation and the increase in muscle mass in women and in men to the reason “health and wellness”. The increase in muscle mass was associated with intrinsic motivation and the self-determination index of women. The reasons "health and wellness "and "leisure and socialization" were related to each other and to the identified regulation, the intrinsic motivation, and to self-determination index. Older women presented higher introjected regulation, the same occurred with the ones practicing bodybuilding for over a year. Women practicing weight training for over five years presented higher identified regulation.