Flipping the on switch: Men who became regularly physically active during middle age

Abstract

One method to increase physical activity (PA) in ageing adults is through the use of intervention research, and a means to inform designs of PA interventions is to examine the practices of those who are successful in adhering to activity. However, authors of recent review articles suggest that males are underrepresented in intervention research studies. Consequently, this study was designed to use the interpretative phenomenological analysis approach to explore the motivators and practices of three older active males who independently initiated regular PA participation during middle age. Participants discussed the role of mentors and other influences, and their awareness of effort or intensity during activity. Data analysis suggested that these men assertively managed their environments and used internal restraints in order to regulate their PA participation, consistent with some elements of Bandura's social cognitive theory. Activity researchers might consider counselling participants in effective use of the indicated strategies.

Keywords:

• exercise
• men's health
• qualitative research
• interpretative phenomenological analysis

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Alicia Cambron for invaluable support for this research project, and the three exceptional individuals who participated in this research. The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.