When physical activity gets complicated

Last week I presented at the Happiness & Its Causes conference in Sydney & argued that “taking enjoyment seriously” is a key to sustainable active living. Whilst this is not an argument initiated by me, as it’s been developing in the health promotion literature for sometime, it is one I’ve become very curious about.

On the face of it, “do something you enjoy” seems like sound advice to anyone seeking to improve their health status by increasing physical activity (PA) levels. However, this simple bit of advice is not as simple as it might seem. Despite our natural affinity for moving our bodies in space, many people have a complicated relationship with PA…a relationship that is often tainted in childhood & adolescence & that can negatively impact an adult’s activity levels for decades to come.

When “little lunch” leads to big problems

Most people can remember a variety of their school experiences & particularly the things they did during break times. For many, recess & lunch times were the best parts of the day, because it meant going outside to socialise, play games & be active. Being the least structured part of the day, recess times give children some autonomy & permit discretionary choices about how they’ll spend their free time.

However, not all children experience recess in a positive way. As an increasing amount of research is showing, schoolyard experiences are often profoundly negative for many children. For example, a recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Oregon found that children who felt socially excluded from games & activities during recess reported more social isolation as adults, less enjoyment of PA & less evidence of an active lifestyle. This has been further confirmed by studies that have focused on the negative consequences of being picked last for sports teams or group games.

As these studies point out, the physical activity levels of adults are diminished NOT simply because of the negative association formed between an important early context for PA (i.e., the school yard) & the experience of being socially marginalised (i.e., being excluded, bullied or picked last).

Rather, the lack of support & opportunity to participate can have important ramifications for self-efficacy beliefs, which can inhibit the development of motor skills, lower perceptions of physical competence & make PA seem unappealing. The practical implication of these findings is for schools to continue doing what they can to provide high-quality, inclusive recess-time experiences.

Of course, it is not just recess-time experience that can complicate a person’s relationship with PA. Other factors like social pressure to participate in sport or other physical pursuits, or hyper-competitiveness (driven by self or significant others) can tarnish its appeal. Also problematic are the personal attitudes role models - like parents - can have towards PA, particularly when they show little interest in PA or actively devalue it. This was the case for Eddie, a story we told in 26 Ways to Keep Moving.

Not very sporty, or maybe just not discovered your thing?

For most of his life, Eddie had little to do with forms of structured PA or sport. As a child, his small, light stature made him a target for bullying by the bigger sporty kids at school, plus his parents were very “anti-sport”. As such, his attitudes towards PA were less than positive & Eddie directed most of his time attention towards academic pursuits & music, which resulted in him completing a PhD & become a multi-instrumentalist.

However, when Eddie was 50, a visit to the GP changed his life. During a consultation about his two teenage sons, the doctor suggested he find something active for them to burn off excess energy. Later, when he asked his sons what they’d like to do, one said “sword fighting!”.

So, Eddie became a fencing dad. Twice a week, he’d take them to the local PCYC, stand off the piste & watch them learn their new sport. One night, after about 12 months, Eddie decided to give it a try & went over to pick up a foil. The first thing he noticed was how light it was (only 500 grams), which was encouraging for someone who felt he lacked strength. Next, a quick practice bout showed Eddie that he could land some hits & score some points. Quite unexpectedly, he seemed to have found something he might be able to do…& might also enjoy. So, he decided to get involved.

Fast forward 10 years & Eddie’s involvement in fencing is multi-faceted. He is a competitor & regularly wins medals at veteran’s tournaments. He is a fencing coach, as well as an administrator who organises events & a leader within the local fencing community. He also knows a great deal about the history of the sport & the strategy of sword play. All this from a man who, only a decade ago would have self-identified as “not very sporty”.

On untangling the knots

To my mind, Eddie’s story is an encouraging one, full of hope. For me, It shows that whilst childhood & adolescent experiences can lead us away from active living in adulthood, it doesn’t mean we aren’t intrinsically interested in PA. Indeed, we only need to observe children in a playground to see that we are inherently active beings. Unfortunately, for too many people (like Eddie), those natural inclinations can become obscured, sometimes buried deep beneath an array of disappointing experiences and/or a lack of social support. As health scientists continue to tell us, the implications of this for successful ageing are immense.

Fortunately, it’s possible to reconnect adults with these natural impulses & I see two ways of doing that:

By encouraging people to tap into those impulses, by looking back & reflecting on the past. By assuming that people have - despite their past negative experiences - some moments of joy & satisfaction, & to explore that for the future possibilities it might present. This first stage of the Health Activation Process (i.e., Reflect) can be personally significant, as it can lead people to tackle issues of self-identity & encourage deep thinking about who they are & what they value.
By developing enough physical confidence to create a bridge between intention & behaviour. By helping people to see that even a small amount of PA can lead to positive effects, creating a self-reinforcing spiral of effort and reward. This is something I’ve observed using the Ready2Move group program I recently piloted with a group of mid-life adults (aged 45 to 65). After combining the 4-stage Health Activation Process with 4-weeks of basic physical conditioning, participants reported improvements in physical confidence, attitudes towards PA & social connections.

As complicated & knotty as PA can be for some people, it can be untangled. However, the path to sustainable active living is NOT via a prescriptive approach that tells people what to do & frames “exercise-as-medicine”. Rather, it is better to utilise a more person-centred, collaborative approach…one that assumes people have an interest in body movement & gives them the time & the space to work out how that could best work for them.

Coaching for Sustainable Active Living: A 1-day workshop

Are you a skilled helper interested in supporting people to live more actively?

If so, we’re running a 1-day workshop on Friday 1st December in Sydney that might interest you!

For more information or to register, go here

info@drgordonspence.com
(+61) 421 641649