Source: Brandon 1xbet online games login , 785-532-6765, bcirwin@k-state.edu
News release prepared by: Megan Saunders, 785-532-1566, molitor@k-state.edu
Monday, Nov. 26, 2012
MOTIVATIONAL LOSING: BEING THE WEAK LINK IN 1xbet online games login ACTIVITIES MAY LEAD TO LONGER, MORE INTENSE WORKOUTS
MANHATTAN -- The key to motivation in physical activity may be feeling inadequate. One Kansas State University researcher found that those who exercised with a teammate whom 1xbet online games login perceived to be better increased their workout time and intensity by as much as 200 percent.
Brandon Irwin, assistant professor of kinesiology, was the principle investigator in a study that tested whether individuals engage in more intense physical activity when alone, with a virtual 1xbet online games login or competing against a teammate.
"People like to exercise with others and make it a social activity," 1xbet online games login . "We found that when you're performing with someone who you perceive as a little better than you, you tend to give more effort than you normally would alone."
For the first part of the study, college-age females exercise on a stationary bike six sessions in a four-week period. 1xbet online games login told participants to ride the bike as long as 1xbet online games login could. On average, each participant rode for 10 minutes.
Next, the same group of participants returned to the lab for more exercise sessions, but was told they were working out with a 1xbet online games login in another lab whom they could see on a screen. In reality, this was only a looped video. Participants also were told that their virtual 1xbet online games login was part of the first study and had ridden the bike approximately 40 percent longer than them.
"We created the impression that the virtual 1xbet online games login was a little better than the participant," Irwin said. "That's all they knew about their 1xbet online games login . In this group, participants rode an average of nine minutes longer than simply exercising alone."
While this 90 percent increase was promising, Irwin said he and his team had a hunch that the motivation could go even further. The participants were invited back to the lab for more exercise sessions with a virtual 1xbet online games login . This time, though, they were told they were on a team with their 1xbet online games login .
"We told them they were working together to achieve a team score," 1xbet online games login . "The team score was the time of the person who quits first. The participants believed that in the previous trial, they didn't exercise as long as the other person. We created a situation where the participant was the weak link."
Participants in this team trial exercised approximately two minutes longer than simply working out alongside someone. However, 1xbet online games login added that the results look different over time.
"This was an average, but over time the difference got much bigger," he said. "In the beginning, the participants were exercising about a minute longer than the 1xbet online games login group. By the last session, participants in the team group were exercising almost 160 percent longer than those in the 1xbet online games login group, and nearly 200 percent longer than those exercising as individuals."
Irwin said this might be because those who believed they were exercising with a 1xbet online games login built a rapport over time and didn't want to let the 1xbet online games login down. He said the team was initially surprised at the drastic increase over time in participants working out with a teammate.
"If they're constantly working out with someone who's beating them, we wondered how motivated people would be to keep coming back and getting beat again," 1xbet online games login . "It turned out to be exactly the opposite. Over time, it can be very motivating, as long as the conditions are right."
Irwin said research has shown that if an exercise 1xbet online games login or teammate is roughly at the same level or is exponentially better, the motivation disappears. He and his team found that a 1xbet online games login who worked at a level approximately 40 percent better was optimal.
"In certain fitness goals, like preparing to run a marathon, consider exercising not only with someone else, but with someone who is that much better," 1xbet online games login . "For an extra boost, consider some type of team exercise that involves competition, like playing basketball at a regular time throughout the week."
The team's research findings were published in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine, a bimonthly peer-reviewed medical journal. In the future, 1xbet online games login wants to continue using virtual partners to increase the time and intensity of physical activity, but he hopes to move beyond false partners.
"I want to 1xbet online games login people up with actual individuals, not just prerecorded workout partners," he said. "Similar to matchmaking software for romantic relationships online, individuals from different sides of the country could be matched up based on their fitness goals and levels. Using technology, you could run with someone using your smartphones."
1xbet online games login is currently researching this option and hopes to bring it to fruition within the next several years.
