Online Fitness Research Articles

Effects of Live Streaming Service on User Online and Offline Engagement Behavior: Evidence from an Online Fitness Community

Effects of Live Streaming Service on User Online and Offline Engagement Behavior: Evidence from an Online Fitness Community

СТРАТЕГІЧНІ АСПЕКТИ ПІДВИЩЕННЯ КОНКУРЕНТОСПРОМОЖНОСТІ ФІТНЕС-КЛУБІВ М. ДНІПРА

The article proves the need to improve the management of the sports industry, namely the development of mass sports, which has enormous potential, it has a significant impact not only on the formation of the personality, the development of physical and spiritual qualities, but also increases the contribution to the socio-economic development of the country and improves the quality of a life. The sports industry is becoming increasingly important in the life of modern society and everyone in particular. In Ukraine, fitness has developed over the past 10–15 years. Today in all cities of our country, including the city of Dnipro, there is a variety of specialized fitness centers and clubs, beauty and health studios that provide a range of services that include popular fitness programs and technologies. They are based on the latest scientific developments and the latest tech-nologies in the field of physical culture and sports, which is aimed at meeting the various physical culture and sports interests of each client of the club. As a result of a study of the sports industry in Ukraine and the city of Dnipro in this article were dis-tributed fitness facilities by type of sports services. As a result, it was found that the largest market share is occupied by online fitness clubs. This is due to the preferences of club customers for choosing the fitness club itself, popular fitness programs, additional services, subscription prices, etc. The sports industry is becoming increasingly important in the life of modern society and each person in particular. It is always helpful to assess the starting situation in terms of strengths, weaknesses, potential opportunities and hazards. Therefore, the article presents an assessment of the current state and development prospects of fitness clubs in the city of Dnipro using the performed SWOT-analysis of competitiveness. The strategic aspects of the study of competitive industrial fitness clubs were analyzed in in the city of Dnipro. The theoretical foundations of the formula for competitive transformations have been developed, which make it possible to combine the factors of academic achievement, allowing the use of various methods of economic development and business processes. Conclusions were made highlighting key points regarding increasing the competitiveness of fitness clubs, promoting fitness at the highest level and encouraging Ukrainians to lead a healthy lifestyle.

Strengths%Weaknesses,Opportunities and Threats(SWOT) Analysis of Online Fitness Development in China

Strengths%Weaknesses,Opportunities and Threats(SWOT) Analysis of Online Fitness Development in China

Secular trends in motor performance of children and adolescents between 2010 and 2020

Over the last few years, numerous studies have proclaimed a negative trend in the motor performance of children and adolescents. Drawing from the online Fitness Olympiad database, the data of 8239 children and adolescents from Germany were analyzed by age, sex, and motor performance measured using the Dordel–Koch–test (DKT). Results were compared from the 2010-2012 and 2018-2020 cohorts. The results of the 2010-2012 and 2018-2020 cohorts were then compared regarding the general and sex-specific changes in the development of motor performance. A negative trend was shown for three of five motor performance test items, with decreases of 0.9%-4.8% in abdominal and leg strength and coordination under time pressure, respectively, being found. In contrast, endurance improved by 0.4% and arm and trunk muscle strength by 3.1%. The negative development can be seen as a correlate of exercise deficit disorder (EDD) due to increasing sedentarism. Therefore, the correlation between motor performance and health indicates a clear motivation to appropriately promote the main forms of motor activity.

Trends of Anger and Physical Aggression in Russian Women During COVID-19 Lockdown.

The effect of social lockdown during the COVID-19 outbreak on female aggressiveness is not well known. The strict measures of lockdown have resulted in millions of people, worldwide, confined to their homes during the pandemic. However, the consequence of lockdown strategies on females' psychological status including aggressiveness has not yet been investigated. We conducted a cross-sectional study on 31 Russian females' homemakers who are participants in an online fitness platform to investigate the immediate anxiety, depression, and aggression experienced under strict lockdown measures. The participants were surveyed using the hospital anxiety depression scale (HADS) and the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire. We used descriptive and statistical methods to investigate the prevalence of these emotions among two age groups (20–35 and 36–65 years). We found that moderate anxiety prevalence was 77.4% in the entire group while mild depression was 54.8%. Interestingly, the whole sample showed a high level of angriness (p = 0.0002) and physical aggression (p = 0.019). These two emotions seem to be more prevalent than other negative emotions such as hostility, verbal aggression. This relationship was not dependent on age. Overall, there is a significant worsening in female aggression that could lead to higher chances of female victimization and being subjected to partner violence. Future policies designing lockdown strategies should consider this effect on active female homemakers. Due to the small size of our cohort, our results are only indicative of data trends. Larger studies are still needed to confirm the current findings.

Understanding the impacts of user- and marketer- generated content on free digital content consumption

The literature has shown that user-generated content (UGC) and marketer-generated content (MGC) simultaneously influence consumers' decision-making process. Yet it is unclear how UGC and MGC jointly affect the overall market reaction, when digital content is freely available to all consumers. To fill the gap, we integrate the UGC and MGC literature and research of determinants of physical exercise to develop a comprehensive conceptual model. Using a dataset collected from a leading online fitness brand, we find that both UGC and MGC affect a free fitness video's incremental view count. We further categorize UGC into three dimensions, where favorability represents the normative dimension, various textual features represent the informational dimension, and reply-density of the self-organized reviewer community represents the social dimension. While both normative and social UGC are positively associated with online fitness videos' view count increase, the impact of informational UGC is insignificant. More importantly, product features, such as exercise intensity, moderate the impacts of UGC and MGC on free digital content consumption. When facing strenuous exercises, the consumer group relies more on peer users and less on marketers to make their content consumption decisions. The findings provide insightful implications to understand how consumers decide their engagement with free digital content delivered via social media channels.

The market position of online fitness in the market of sports and wellness services

The article reveals the specifics of online fitness services, examines their position in the market of sports and wellness services. The content is determined, the cost of this type of services is estimated, as well as the consumer benefits from their acquisition.

Candibod: building an online fitness brand through Instagram communities in the southern hemisphere

Study level/applicability The primary target audience for this teaching case is postgraduate business students, especially students of digital marketing, strategy and e-commerce, social media marketing, entrepreneurship and sports marketing. This teaching case is intended to be used as a case study in postgraduate business programmes such as Master of Business Administration, a specialist masters programme such as MM (entrepreneurship), postgraduate diploma in management, as well as selected executive education programmes. Subject area This case can be used in the subject areas of digital marketing, strategy and e-commerce, social media marketing, entrepreneurship and sports marketing. Case overview This case looks at South African fitness Instapreneur Candice Bodington and how her business trajectory unfolded at the same time of the successful Australian Kayla Itsines. The case begins with Bodington considering options for her brand in January 2020. Following her business, Candibod’s, fast initial growth via Instagram, the case tracks its development while also glancing at the enormous success of Itsines and her Sweat with Kayla app. However, as Bodington faces her own health care, the future and next steps of a brand built on social media becomes less certain. The case ends just a few months later with the unfolding effects of Covid-19 and a whole new host of uncertainties, especially in the fitness industry and Bodington having to reconsider her brand’s options. Expected learning outcomes The learning outcome of this paper is as follows: to understand the challenges of building an online brand. To evaluate the effect of brand communities as a growth strategy. To analyse the impact of social media platforms as a brand-building tool. To critically assess the effect of changing industry dynamics and technology on consumer behaviour. To evaluate how brands can navigate the negative implications of social media. To understand brand differentiation. To understand the strategic decisions associated with brand repositioning. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes. Subject code CSS 8: Marketing. Keywords Digital marketing, Brand building, Social media marketing, Strategic marketing

Monitoring fitness and productivity in cyanobacteria batch cultures

Cyanobacteria are key photosynthetic organisms in many aquatic ecosystems and hold great potential for sustainable green biotechnology. Growth of cyanobacteria in batch cultures is expected to be part of future biotechnological practices. However, the issue of correlating the dynamics of metabolic and photosynthetic parameters with the culture fitness during batch cultivation is still outstanding. In this paper we take advantage of a photobioreactor system to continuously track growth parameters of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, and to couple online culture monitoring with offline measurements of photosynthetic efficiency and biochemical and elemental cell composition under several light intensity and CO2 regimes. Light intensity determines the flux of energy into the photosynthetic system while CO2 concentrations determines the ability to capture this energy in chemical form. From this perspective, four distinct source-sink regimes were established and compared, which allowed us to reveal specific strategies to acclimate to both carbon and light limitation. As part of the measurements, room temperature excitation-emission spectra and elemental composition of Synechocystis cells were, for the first time, compared throughout the exponential and linear growth phases. In total, 39 parameters (out of 170 measured) were identified as highly correlating (R2 > 0.9) with growth rate or productivity under at least one tested cultivation condition, including concentrations and ratios of pigments or particular elements. For online fitness and productivity monitoring in cyanobacteria batch cultures, parameters such as photosynthesis and respiration rates and ratios, energy-dependent non-photochemical quenching (qE) or Zn and Mo concentration in the cultivation medium can be of interest.

Feasibility and Effectiveness of a Motion Tracking-Based Online Fitness Program for Office Workers.

The development of technology-based home fitness has emerged from the booming digital healthcare market and recent demands for at-home fitness and health equipment due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Digital healthcare company Alyce Healthcare recently developed Weelo, which is a web-based online fitness program. Weelo recommends an exercise protocol through machine-learning-enabled recognition of the user’s motion and provides visual and auditory feedback. We evaluated whether Weelo improves physical and mental well-being to assess its capabilities and effectiveness. Thirty-two participants performed a total of 20 exercise sessions following the Weelo guide on a laptop. The participants were evaluated using a before and after exercise program, body composition, handgrip strength, six-minute walk test, modified star excursion balance test, short form 36, fatigue severity scale, Beck depression index, and a satisfaction survey. Overall, there was a significant improvement in muscle strength, endurance, and balance ability, as well as an improved quality of life and significant reduction in fatigue and depression. Participants showed high motivation to continue following the Weelo exercise program. In conclusion, utilizing Weelo improved physical and mental well-being and is considered to be an individual-use indoor exercise program that serves as an alternative to traditional face-to-face exercise.

Prevalence of Using Performance-enhancing Substances among Gym Users in Makkah, Saudi Arabia

Performance-enhancing substances (PESs) have unfortunately become ubiquitous in numerous sports; some of these substances pose a serious threat to the health and well-being of athletes. This study aimed to: assess the prevalence and determinants of PESs use among gym attenders in Makkah, Saudi Arabia Research design: a cross-sectional study. Subjects: a number of 122 adult gymnasts in Makkah city. Tool: The data was collected through an on line self-administered questionnaire. Results: This study revealed that 40% of participants using PESs, 63.8 % of them knew the chemical composition of PESs, majority of them having PESs from online shopping and fitness stores. Participants using PESs for improving appearance, sexuality and power. The duration of usage was less than six months and stop for causes other than price or side effects. The most common used PESs were creatine, alagenin and beta alanine. There were a statistical significance difference between the type of PESs used and age, gender and education while there was no statistical significance difference between the type of PESs used and marital status. Conclusion: less than half of participants using PESs for less than six months, significant differences were found between PESs and gender, age and education. Recommendations: counseling and education for gym users about the adverse effects of PESs, strict regulations should be done for screening and manipulating these substances.

The market of sport supplement in the digital era: A netnographic analysis of perceived risks, side-effects and other safety issues

BackgroundThe market of sport supplements is expanding worldwide. Such phenomenon is often supported by captivating marketing strategies and social media advertising providing unscientifically founded claims, thus raising safety concerns. The aim of our study is to provide a comprehensive analysis of the online market, patterns of use, perceived risks and other safety issues on supplement use as reported in online fitness communities. MethodsA mixed method approach was employed. An automatized web-based monitoring tool (Brand24®) was used to track the most popular supplements and related discussions according to the number of interactions between users and shares; the number and category of websites; the social media reach; and the most popular hashtags. Results were assessed through a netnographic qualitative analysis of online fitness fora, to identify motivations of intake, self-reported side effects andthe overall safety perception reliability of supplements information online. ResultsA social media reach of over four million individuals, inclusive of 18595 posts, emerged from our search. The most cited supplements were “Whey Protein”, “Branched Chain Amino-Acid”, “Creatine”, “Multivitamin supplements” and “Nitric Oxide boosters”. Supplements were mainly taken for muscle gain (23%), increase energy (17%), and weight loss (8%). Although the web narrative on supplementation was overall positive, a wide range of side effects were reported by 19% of fitness fora users. These included acne (9%), water retention (9%), stomach pain (9%), rashes (7%), erectile dysfunctions (7%) and weight gain (5%). Concerns about contamination (47%), counterfeit content (17%) and the presence of hidden ingredients (11%) were also recorded. ConclusionsIn a poorly regulated context, where unsolicited social media posts have replaced the typical advice provided by professionals, efforts should be made to ensure the reliability of the provided information to avoid the insurgence of unwanted adverse effects and safeguard public health.

The impact of distance fitness classes during the quarantine period on the physical condition of students of higher education institutions of technical profile

The relevance of the study of means to maintain and improve the physical condition of students SHEI during the quarantine during the pandemic in distance learning due to the negative impact of temporary restriction of physical activity during self-isolation on the physical condition of students and the likelihood of quarantine for the next school year. Purpose:to investigate the impact of distance fitness classes on the physical condition of students of PDABA during the temporary restriction of physical activity in March-May 2020 during the quarantine associated with the pandemic COVID-19. Tasks:To study and generalize knowledge and experience on the problem of temporary restriction of motor activity; to develop a set of practical remote classes aimed at preventing the deterioration of physical condition in connection with the temporary restriction of physical activity during the quarantine period and to determine its effectiveness. Conclusions.The study showed that limiting the motor activity of students for a long time poses a risk of negative changes in their physical condition; identified the need for psychological support of students during quarantine and the need to organize additional extracurricular activities for communication between students; statistically confirmed the effectiveness of remote online fitness training for students of PDABA, aimed at preventing deterioration of physical condition during the period of temporary restriction of physical activity in the spring of 2020 during the quarantine associated with the pandemic; revealed the advantage of using Internet services with the possibility of online communication over other forms of distance learning and the need to use during distance learning flexible requirements for the individual technical capabilities of each student. Despite the fact that the organization of distance learning process in the discipline of "physical education" has its own features and complexities, its use during quarantine associated with a pandemic is necessary and justified.

Recommending Physical Activity During the COVID-19 Health Crisis. Fitness Influencers on Instagram.

Fitness content creators on Instagram used the COVID-19 lockdown period to strongly and frequently recommend physical activity to their followers. These individuals are not professional fitness trainers and their Instagram activity consisted of sharing images that were more about the staging of their bodies than about educational content. However, when fitness clubs in France were forced to close in March 2020 following the government's decision to restrict non-essential movement and activities, influencers changed the images they shared daily to promote fitness training that could be done at home. In comparison, this study also analyses the case of a chain of fitness clubs which offered live fitness sessions online via its Instagram account, in order to manage the repercussions of the forced closure of its establishments. This article reveals some consequences of the temporary lockdown of the fitness training industry in France and questions the new dynamic of online fitness recommendations that was observed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Promotion of Physical Activity from Digital Services: Influence of E-Lifestyles on Intention to Use Fitness Apps

E-Lifestyles are individual forms of behavior in the digital environment that reflect the values, activities, interests, and opinions of consumers. Likewise, fitness Apps are considered technological tools for promoting physical activity online. Although there are studies related to sports lifestyles, it has not been analyzed yet how e-lifestyles are related to the use of fitness Apps. Based on this, this study represents a step to clarify how e-lifestyles influence different relationships with perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, attitude, and intentions to use Fitness Apps. Therefore, the objective of the study was to analyze the relationship between the e-lifestyles of consumers of Boutique fitness centers and their relationship with the perceived ease of use, the perceived usefulness, the attitude, and the intention to use Fitness Apps. The sample was 591 customers (378 women and 213 men) of 25 Boutique fitness centers. An online questionnaire was used for data collection. Data was analyzed with confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation model. Findings provide an insight into the importance of e-lifestyles in the intention of using fitness Apps and therefore in promoting physical activity through online fitness services. The results showed positive relationships between e-lifestyles, perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness and attitude toward fitness Apps. Finally, the attitude toward fitness Apps offered a very high predictive value on use intention. This study provides a better understanding of consumer´s intention to use fitness Apps. The conclusions and recommendations for sports managers of fitness centers highlight the importance of e-lifestyles as a predecessor for the use of fitness Apps.

The challenges of COVID-19 for people with dementia with Lewy bodies and family caregivers.

The challenges of COVID-19 for people with dementia with Lewy bodies and family caregivers.

Calculation of Critical Speed from Raw Training Data in Recreational Marathon Runners.

Critical speed (CS) represents the highest intensity at which a physiological steady state may be reached. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether estimations of CS obtained from raw training data can predict performance and pacing in marathons. We investigated running activities logged into an online fitness platform by >25,000 recreational athletes before big-city marathons. Each activity contained time, distance, and elevation every 100 m. We computed grade-adjusted pacing and the fastest pace recorded for a set of target distances (400, 800, 1000, 1500, 3000, and 5000 m). CS was determined as the slope of the distance-time relationship using all combinations of, at least, three target distances. The relationship between distance and time was linear, irrespective of the target distances used (pooled mean ± SD: R = 0.9999 ± 0.0001). The estimated values of CS from all models were not different (3.74 ± 0.08 m·s), and all models correlated with marathon performance (R = 0.672 ± 0.036, error = 8.01% ± 0.51%). CS from the model including 400, 800, and 5000 m best predicted performance (R = 0.695, error = 7.67%) and was used in further analysis. Runners completed the marathon at 84.8% ± 13.6% CS, with faster runners competing at speeds closer to CS (93.0% CS for 150 min marathon times vs 78.9% CS for 360 min marathon times). Runners who completed the first half of the marathon at >94% of their CS, and particularly faster than CS, were more likely to slowdown by more than 25% in the second half of race. This study suggests that estimations of CS from raw training data can successfully predict marathon performance and provide useful pacing information.

온라인 운동 소비문화 #피트스피레이션 이해하기: 네트노그라피 연구법을 활용한 디지털 시대의 소비자 행동 연구

Purpose: Understanding the culture and the language of online consumesr and its specific underlying social motivations is a crucial aspect of achieving the market orientation. It can successfully conceptualize new products, employ existing and new channels. It also helps to writep otent advertising materials that meaningfully communicates to markets. Netnogrphay is enthnography adapted to the study of online communities.BR Method: This method provided information on the symbolism, meanings, and consumption patterns of online consumer groups. This study applied ‘netnography’ as an online marketing research technique for providing consumer insight. We examined some important cultural themse contained within the online fitness community.BR Results: We examined four themes; (1) discover communal values of health: decoding the language of diet, (2) networked sociality, (3) consumption webs: mapping the paths of desire, (4) commodified diet-related brands: brand images and community concerns. In addition, eacho f cultural theme was influenced by the character narrative and communal norms of online consumers.BR Conclusion: In summary, Online communities devoted to consumption-related topics are an increasingly important source of data for marketing research. This netnography study has implications for how marketers should plan, target, and how scholars should understand the online community as a new research area in a networked world.

‘Sis Science’ and Fitness Doping: Ethnopharmacology, Gender and Risk

This article is part of a larger investigation looking into recent changes in the demographics of fitness doping and the possible consequences of such changes. Contesting the historical alliance between masculinity and fitness doping, the article focuses on women’s narratives and experiences of fitness doping in a male-dominated open online community called Flashback. The article builds upon a qualitative and netnographic approach to the research. Employing the lens of the potential emergence of a woman-based ethnopharmacological culture, this article investigates the ways in which women talk about and rationalise their use of performance and image enhancing drugs (PEIDs), their potency and potential gendered side-effects. The results show that although fitness doping can be largely understood in terms of hegemonic patterns, women have gained ground in the context of online fitness doping, heralding a changing doping demography and a movement towards a ‘sis science’ ethnopharmacology. Although critiqued by men, the context enables women to freely discuss harm reduction, risks and the potential potencies of various drugs, and to share knowledge that is relevant to female biology and discuss their own experiences, an activity that also makes visible the negotiation of new gender positions.

Communitainment on Instagram: Fitness Content and Community-Driven Communication as Social Media Entertainment

This article discusses fitness content on Instagram as a form of social media entertainment (SME). A conceptual article that presents a literature review of studies on fitness postings on social media, it examines the research on communitainment values in online fitness content. While online entertainment on social media differs from traditional mass media such as television and movies, new concepts of social media–related entertainment have been described in the field of communication and media studies. Based on a literature review of online entertainment research on media effects and content-oriented approaches of so-called “social media entertainment” (SME), this article intends to discuss fitness postings and their corresponding community-driven communication as “communitainment.” Aspects of fitness content will be further explained in terms of (a) self-representation and self-disclosure, (b) community building, and (c) media use and well-being, thereby highlighting the new dynamics of fitness communitainment on social networking sites (SNSs).