Latest
issue
Elevate
Elevate
Elevate
Follow Health Club Management on Twitter Like Health Club Management on Facebook Join the discussion with Health Club Management on LinkedIn
FITNESS, HEALTH, WELLNESS

Latest news

Competition ‘far stronger motivation’ for exercise than encouragement

People who are offered an element of competition as part of their exercise regime are much more likely to achieve positive results than those relying purely on “positive encouragement”.

That is the headline finding from a new study by Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania, US.

The study, which studied the behaviours of 800 people who signed up for an 11-week exercise programme, also found that offering people friendly support actually made them less likely to go to the gym. Results showed that those left to their own devices were more likely to attend exercise sessions than those given a network of supportive voices.

For the study, 800 people – students and staff at the university – were offered weekly exercise and gym classes at the university's health club, a programme of fitness mentoring and nutritional advice.

Researchers split the participants into four groups – individual competition, team support, team competition, and a control group – to test how different kinds of social networks affected their exercise levels.

Each group was promised rewards for attending classes.

In the individual group, participants could see exercise leaderboards listing anonymous programme members and earned prizes based on their own, personal success attending classes.

Members of the “team support” group were given instructions to chat online and encourage team members to exercise, with rewards going to the most successful teams with the most class attendance.

Meanwhile, those in the team competition group could see a leaderboard of other teams and their team standing.

Participants in the control group could use the website and go to any class, but were not given any social connections on the website; prizes in this group were based on individual success taking classes.

Overwhelmingly, competition motivated participants to exercise the most, with attendance rates 90 per cent higher in the competitive groups than in the control group.

Both team and individual competition drove the students to work out, with participants in the former taking a mean of 38.5 classes a week and those in the latter taking 35.7. Members of the control group went to the gym far less often, on average 20.3 times a week.

The members of the team support group, however, performed worse even than the control group – just 16.8 classes a week on average — which is less than half the exercise rate of the competitive groups.

Dr Jingwen Zhang, who led the project alongside Damon Centola, said: “Framing the social interaction as a competition can create positive social norms for exercising.

“Social support can make people more dependent on receiving messages, which can change the focus of the programme.”

“Supportive groups can backfire because they draw attention to members who are less active, which can create a downward spiral of participation.

“Competitive groups frame relationships in terms of goal-setting by the most active members. These relationships help to motivate exercise because they give people higher expectations for their own levels of performance.”

To read the report and its findings in full, click here.

People who are offered an element of competition as part of their exercise regime are much more likely to achieve positive results than those relying purely on “positive encouragement”.
HAF,FIT,IND,ACD,RES
THUMB15138_21443.jpg
Latest News
US private equity fund, Providence Equity Partners, is acquiring a majority stake in VivaGym from ...
Latest News
The Bannatyne Group says it has officially bounced back from the pandemic, with both turnover ...
Latest News
There is speculation that Basic Fit will sell the five Spanish Holmes Place clubs it ...
Latest News
While British adults are the most active they’ve been in a decade, health inequalities remain ...
Latest News
Kerzner International has signed deals to operate two new Siro recovery hotels in Mexico and ...
Latest News
Nuffield Health’s fourth annual survey, the Healthier Nation Index, has found people moved slightly more ...
Latest News
Short-term incentives to exercise, such as using daily reminders, rewards or games, can lead to ...
Latest News
With the launch of its 49th John Reed, RSG Group is looking for more opportunities ...
HCM promotional features
Sponsored
Nuffield Health has 8,300 assets that are outside the original manufacturer’s warranty and are now being maintained by ServiceSport UK
HCM promotional features
Sponsored
GymNation is pioneering the future of fitness with software specialist Perfect Gym providing a scalable tech platform to power and sustain its growth
HCM promotional features
Sponsored
Epassi, a provider of workplace wellness benefits, is creating a fitter and more productive workforce, one membership at a time 
HCM promotional features
Sponsored
Francesca Cooper-Boden says health assessment services can boost health club retention
HCM promotional features
Sponsored
University of Sheffield Sport has opened the doors of its flagship Goodwin Sports Centre following a major refurbishment
HCM promotional features
Sponsored
Operators, prepare to revolutionise the way members connect with personal trainers in your club, with the ground-breaking Brawn platform.
HCM promotional features
Sponsored
D2F had updated its brand styling to keep pace with business growth. MD, John Lofting and operations director, Matt Aynsley, explain the rationale
HCM promotional features
Sponsored
The New Keiser M3i Studio Bike brings ride data to life to engage and delight members
HCM promotional features
Sponsored
The partnership between PureGym and Belfast-based supplier BLK BOX is transforming the gym floor
HCM promotional features
HCM magazine
As health club operators move to incorporate recovery into their offerings to meet growing consumer demand, Steph Eaves takes a look at what cryotherapy and ice bathing can add to the equation
HCM magazine
Industry suppliers are responding to the exponential increase in consumer demand for strength training with a raft of new and innovative launches and concepts, as Steph Eaves reports
HCM magazine
Egym has announced deals designed to position it for growth acceleration, as Kath Hudson reports
HCM magazine
Basic-Fit – which has been scaling rapidly across Europe –  is considering franchising to ramp up growth further afield
HCM magazine
Now mental health is the number one reason for people to join a health club, do fitness professionals need a grounding in counselling to offer a more holistic service? Kath Hudson asks the experts
Featured supplier news
Featured supplier news: Sibec EMEA to blend fitness with luxury at Fairmont Monte Carlo
Experience the pinnacle of fitness and luxury at the premier industry event, Sibec EMEA, set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Fairmont Monte Carlo this Autumn.
Featured supplier news
Featured supplier news: Webinar: Building a new energy future for the leisure sector
As one of the most energy-intensive industries in the UK, leisure facilities face a critical challenge in balancing net zero goals, funding and increased costs.
Company profiles
Company profile: Mindbody
Mindbody is a true all-in-one software platform, providing first-rate service for your clients and the ...
Company profiles
Company profile: Active IQ
The UK’s leading Ofqual-recognised awarding organisation for the physical activity sector, we offer over 100 ...
Supplier Showcase
Supplier showcase - Jon Williams
Catalogue Gallery
Click on a catalogue to view it online
Featured press releases
Speedflex (Europe) Ltd. press release: Speedflex unveils revolutionary connected fitness zone at Everyone Active Fareham
Speedflex continue to make strides in the fitness space with their latest installation at Everyone Active Fareham. Two state-of-the-art Speedflex Blades were installed in their first ever dedicated connected fitness zone at the Fareham leisure centre.
Featured press releases
Power Plate UK press release: Whole body vibration as a platform for every class
Imagine a boutique group exercise studio in which every class takes place on a Power Plate platform. You’ve imagined Vibe Tribe in Beaconsfield.
Directory
Lockers
Fitlockers: Lockers
Snowroom
TechnoAlpin SpA: Snowroom
Spa software
SpaBooker: Spa software
salt therapy products
Saltability: salt therapy products
Cryotherapy
Art of Cryo: Cryotherapy
Flooring
Total Vibration Solutions / TVS Sports Surfaces: Flooring
Property & Tenders
Loughton, IG10
Knight Frank
Property & Tenders
Grantham, Leicestershire
Belvoir Castle
Property & Tenders
Diary dates
10-12 May 2024
China Import & Export Fair Complex, Guangzhou, China
Diary dates
23-24 May 2024
Large Hall of the Chamber of Commerce (Erbprinzenpalais), Wiesbaden, Germany
Diary dates
30 May - 02 Jun 2024
Rimini Exhibition Center, Rimini, Italy
Diary dates
08-08 Jun 2024
Worldwide, Various,
Diary dates
11-13 Jun 2024
Raffles City Convention Centre, Singapore, Singapore
Diary dates
12-13 Jun 2024
ExCeL London, London, United Kingdom
Diary dates
03-05 Sep 2024
IMPACT Exhibition Center, Bangkok, Thailand
Diary dates
19-19 Sep 2024
The Salil Hotel Riverside - Bangkok, Bangkok 10120, Thailand
Diary dates
01-04 Oct 2024
REVĪVŌ Wellness Resort Nusa Dua Bali, Kabupaten Badung, Indonesia
Diary dates
22-25 Oct 2024
Messe Stuttgart, Germany
Diary dates
24-24 Oct 2024
QEII Conference Centre, London, United Kingdom
Diary dates
04-07 Nov 2024
In person, St Andrews, United Kingdom
Diary dates

Latest news

Competition ‘far stronger motivation’ for exercise than encouragement

People who are offered an element of competition as part of their exercise regime are much more likely to achieve positive results than those relying purely on “positive encouragement”.

That is the headline finding from a new study by Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania, US.

The study, which studied the behaviours of 800 people who signed up for an 11-week exercise programme, also found that offering people friendly support actually made them less likely to go to the gym. Results showed that those left to their own devices were more likely to attend exercise sessions than those given a network of supportive voices.

For the study, 800 people – students and staff at the university – were offered weekly exercise and gym classes at the university's health club, a programme of fitness mentoring and nutritional advice.

Researchers split the participants into four groups – individual competition, team support, team competition, and a control group – to test how different kinds of social networks affected their exercise levels.

Each group was promised rewards for attending classes.

In the individual group, participants could see exercise leaderboards listing anonymous programme members and earned prizes based on their own, personal success attending classes.

Members of the “team support” group were given instructions to chat online and encourage team members to exercise, with rewards going to the most successful teams with the most class attendance.

Meanwhile, those in the team competition group could see a leaderboard of other teams and their team standing.

Participants in the control group could use the website and go to any class, but were not given any social connections on the website; prizes in this group were based on individual success taking classes.

Overwhelmingly, competition motivated participants to exercise the most, with attendance rates 90 per cent higher in the competitive groups than in the control group.

Both team and individual competition drove the students to work out, with participants in the former taking a mean of 38.5 classes a week and those in the latter taking 35.7. Members of the control group went to the gym far less often, on average 20.3 times a week.

The members of the team support group, however, performed worse even than the control group – just 16.8 classes a week on average — which is less than half the exercise rate of the competitive groups.

Dr Jingwen Zhang, who led the project alongside Damon Centola, said: “Framing the social interaction as a competition can create positive social norms for exercising.

“Social support can make people more dependent on receiving messages, which can change the focus of the programme.”

“Supportive groups can backfire because they draw attention to members who are less active, which can create a downward spiral of participation.

“Competitive groups frame relationships in terms of goal-setting by the most active members. These relationships help to motivate exercise because they give people higher expectations for their own levels of performance.”

To read the report and its findings in full, click here.

People who are offered an element of competition as part of their exercise regime are much more likely to achieve positive results than those relying purely on “positive encouragement”.
HAF,FIT,IND,ACD,RES
THUMB15138_21443.jpg

Latest news

US private equity fund, Providence Equity Partners, is acquiring a majority stake in VivaGym from
The Bannatyne Group says it has officially bounced back from the pandemic, with both turnover
There is speculation that Basic Fit will sell the five Spanish Holmes Place clubs it
While British adults are the most active they’ve been in a decade, health inequalities remain
Kerzner International has signed deals to operate two new Siro recovery hotels in Mexico and
Nuffield Health’s fourth annual survey, the Healthier Nation Index, has found people moved slightly more
Elevate
Elevate
As one of the most energy-intensive industries in the UK, leisure facilities face a critical
Short-term incentives to exercise, such as using daily reminders, rewards or games, can lead to
With the launch of its 49th John Reed, RSG Group is looking for more opportunities
PureGym saw revenues rise by 15 per cent in 2023, with the company announcing plans
Following three disrupted lockdown years, the European fitness market bounced back in 2023, according to
Charitable trust, Mytime Active, has removed all single-use plastic overshoes from its swimming pools and
Community Leisure UK is helping the drive to Net Zero with the launch of a
Questex/McLean Events (Spatec/SIBEC)
Questex/McLean Events (Spatec/SIBEC)
Experience the pinnacle of fitness and luxury at the premier industry event, Sibec EMEA, set
Operator Circadian Trust has launched a five-year growth drive designed to support health and wellbeing
Norwegian health club operator, Treningshelse Holding, which owns the Aktiv365 and Family Sports Club fitness
The HCM team were busy at the recent FIBO Global Fitness event in Cologne, Germany,
Atlanta-based boutique fitness software company, Xplor Mariana Tek, has kicked off a push for international
The Global Wellness Institute (GWI) has released new data on the US’ wellness economy, valuing
The fitness sector’s pivot to active wellbeing is being discussed in a new weekly podcast,
Planet Fitness has a new CEO – Colleen Keating. She will take up the position
UK Active has announced details of its annual health and fitness industry awards ceremony, which
1 - 20 of 12,300
HCM promotional features
Sponsored
Nuffield Health has 8,300 assets that are outside the original manufacturer’s warranty and are now being maintained by ServiceSport UK
HCM promotional features
Sponsored
GymNation is pioneering the future of fitness with software specialist Perfect Gym providing a scalable tech platform to power and sustain its growth
HCM promotional features
Sponsored
Epassi, a provider of workplace wellness benefits, is creating a fitter and more productive workforce, one membership at a time 
HCM promotional features
Sponsored
Francesca Cooper-Boden says health assessment services can boost health club retention
HCM promotional features
Sponsored
University of Sheffield Sport has opened the doors of its flagship Goodwin Sports Centre following a major refurbishment
HCM promotional features
Sponsored
Operators, prepare to revolutionise the way members connect with personal trainers in your club, with the ground-breaking Brawn platform.
HCM promotional features
Sponsored
D2F had updated its brand styling to keep pace with business growth. MD, John Lofting and operations director, Matt Aynsley, explain the rationale
HCM promotional features
Sponsored
The New Keiser M3i Studio Bike brings ride data to life to engage and delight members
HCM promotional features
Sponsored
The partnership between PureGym and Belfast-based supplier BLK BOX is transforming the gym floor
HCM promotional features
HCM magazine
As health club operators move to incorporate recovery into their offerings to meet growing consumer demand, Steph Eaves takes a look at what cryotherapy and ice bathing can add to the equation
HCM magazine
Industry suppliers are responding to the exponential increase in consumer demand for strength training with a raft of new and innovative launches and concepts, as Steph Eaves reports
HCM magazine
Egym has announced deals designed to position it for growth acceleration, as Kath Hudson reports
HCM magazine
Basic-Fit – which has been scaling rapidly across Europe –  is considering franchising to ramp up growth further afield
HCM magazine
Now mental health is the number one reason for people to join a health club, do fitness professionals need a grounding in counselling to offer a more holistic service? Kath Hudson asks the experts
HCM magazine
Fuel the debate about issues across the industry and share your ideas and experiences. We’d love to hear from you. [email protected]
HCM magazine
HCM People

Cristiano Ronaldo

Footballer and entrepreneur
Taking care of your physical and mental health is essential for a fulfilling life
HCM magazine
We’ve had an outstanding year, with record revenues of €77m and €31m in EBITDA in 2023.
HCM magazine
McFit, the original budget gym is undergoing a transformation with a new look and estate-wide overhaul, as Liz Terry reports
HCM magazine
Members are telling us they need support with their mental and spiritual health and the industry is starting to see this need. Now’s the time to fast-track our response
HCM magazine
HCM People

Dr Jonathan Leary

Founder, Remedy Place
It was as though the whole world woke up at the same time
HCM magazine
Featured supplier news
Featured supplier news: Sibec EMEA to blend fitness with luxury at Fairmont Monte Carlo
Experience the pinnacle of fitness and luxury at the premier industry event, Sibec EMEA, set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Fairmont Monte Carlo this Autumn.
Featured supplier news
Featured supplier news: Webinar: Building a new energy future for the leisure sector
As one of the most energy-intensive industries in the UK, leisure facilities face a critical challenge in balancing net zero goals, funding and increased costs.
Company profiles
Company profile: Mindbody
Mindbody is a true all-in-one software platform, providing first-rate service for your clients and the ...
Company profiles
Company profile: Active IQ
The UK’s leading Ofqual-recognised awarding organisation for the physical activity sector, we offer over 100 ...
Supplier Showcase
Supplier showcase - Jon Williams
Catalogue Gallery
Click on a catalogue to view it online
Featured press releases
Speedflex (Europe) Ltd. press release: Speedflex unveils revolutionary connected fitness zone at Everyone Active Fareham
Speedflex continue to make strides in the fitness space with their latest installation at Everyone Active Fareham. Two state-of-the-art Speedflex Blades were installed in their first ever dedicated connected fitness zone at the Fareham leisure centre.
Featured press releases
Power Plate UK press release: Whole body vibration as a platform for every class
Imagine a boutique group exercise studio in which every class takes place on a Power Plate platform. You’ve imagined Vibe Tribe in Beaconsfield.
Directory
Lockers
Fitlockers: Lockers
Snowroom
TechnoAlpin SpA: Snowroom
Spa software
SpaBooker: Spa software
salt therapy products
Saltability: salt therapy products
Cryotherapy
Art of Cryo: Cryotherapy
Flooring
Total Vibration Solutions / TVS Sports Surfaces: Flooring
Property & Tenders
Loughton, IG10
Knight Frank
Property & Tenders
Grantham, Leicestershire
Belvoir Castle
Property & Tenders
Diary dates
10-12 May 2024
China Import & Export Fair Complex, Guangzhou, China
Diary dates
23-24 May 2024
Large Hall of the Chamber of Commerce (Erbprinzenpalais), Wiesbaden, Germany
Diary dates
30 May - 02 Jun 2024
Rimini Exhibition Center, Rimini, Italy
Diary dates
08-08 Jun 2024
Worldwide, Various,
Diary dates
11-13 Jun 2024
Raffles City Convention Centre, Singapore, Singapore
Diary dates
12-13 Jun 2024
ExCeL London, London, United Kingdom
Diary dates
03-05 Sep 2024
IMPACT Exhibition Center, Bangkok, Thailand
Diary dates
19-19 Sep 2024
The Salil Hotel Riverside - Bangkok, Bangkok 10120, Thailand
Diary dates
01-04 Oct 2024
REVĪVŌ Wellness Resort Nusa Dua Bali, Kabupaten Badung, Indonesia
Diary dates
22-25 Oct 2024
Messe Stuttgart, Germany
Diary dates
24-24 Oct 2024
QEII Conference Centre, London, United Kingdom
Diary dates
04-07 Nov 2024
In person, St Andrews, United Kingdom
Diary dates
Search news, features & products:
Find a supplier:
Elevate
Elevate
Partner sites