Author(s)

Douglas Popp Marin^1,2, Luis Felipe Tubagi Polito^1,3, Denis Foschini⁴, Christiano Bertoldo Urtado⁵, Rosemari Otton²

¹Graduation Program in Physical Education, Metodista University of São Paulo, São Bernardo do Campo, Brazil.
²Interdisciplinary Post-Graduate Program in Health Science, CBS, Cruzeiro do Sul University, São Paulo, Brazil.
³Post-Graduate Program in Physical Education, São Judas Tadeu University, São Paulo, Brazil.
⁴Post-Graduate Program in Food, Nutrition and Health, Federal University of São Paulo, Santos, Brazil.
⁵Post-Graduation Program in Physical Education, Federal University of Maranhão, Sao Luis, Brazil.

The present study investigated the motivational factors, behavioral regulations based on self-determination theory framework, and the relationships between basic psychological need satisfaction and actual exercise behaviors of CrossFit and resistance training (RT) participants. A total of 493 subjects (males = 351, females = 148), RT (n = 365, 279 males, 86 females) and CrossFit (n = 128, 69 males, 59 females) completed an online questionnaire. Results indicated that CrossFit participants presented higher levels of enjoyment, stress management, social recognition, affiliation, competition, and weight management. Conversely, RT participants reported higher motive for appearance. Intrinsic motivation to exercise was significantly higher in CrossFit, whereas RT participants scored higher controlled motivation. There was no significant difference between weekly exercise volume between groups; therefore, correlation and mediation analysis were conducted with pooled data. Autonomy and competence were significantly associated with more autonomous forms of motivation. Exercise frequency and weekly exercise volume were positively related to intrinsic motivation. When examining the mediating model, competence and intrinsic motivation were found to mediate the relationship between enjoyment and weekly exercise volume. Our results support the relationship among psychological needs satisfaction, intrinsic motivation, and exercise behavior in CrossFit and RT participants. Exercise professionals can encourage individuals to seek self-determined and personally meaningful exercise benefits to promote long-term exercise adherence in fitness centers.

Self-Determination Theory, Strength Training, Exercise Enjoyment, Exercise Participation

Marin, D. , Polito, L. , Foschini, D. , Urtado, C. and Otton, R. (2018) Motives, Motivation and Exercise Behavioral Regulations in CrossFit and Resistance Training Participants. Psychology, 9, 2869-2884. doi: 10.4236/psych.2018.914166.