An exploratory study of motives for participation in extreme sports and physical activity

Abstract

While participation in traditional sports and leisure-time physical activity (PA) is declining globally, participation in extreme sports is increasing. Few studies have examined the motives of participants in extreme sports. We explored motives for participation of extreme sports in China, adopting a qualitative design. Participants were 14 adults, who participated in extreme sports as serious leisure pursuits. We interviewed participants about the reasons why they participated in their chosen activity. Each interview lasted between 40 and 60 minutes. We transcribed digital recordings verbatim and conducted an inductive-deductive content analysis. We identified nine general dimensions (motives), seven of which were consistent with participation motives in traditional sports (mastery, enjoyment, psychological condition, physical condition, affiliation, others' expectations, competition/ego) and two were new to extreme sports (vertigo, catharsis). We note limitations of this study, draw conclusions for future research, and propose implications for increasing participation in sport and PA arising from this study.

The Impact of Modern Ultramarathons on Shaping the Social Identity of Runners. The Case Study of Karkonosze Winter Ultramarathon

“…Investigated ultramarathon runners claim that regular training has a positive effect on physical and mental health and has a cleansing effect on the psyche. There is also some evidence from previous studies that running has a positive impact on mental health and causes feeling of catharsis [1,26]. Moreover, the satisfaction with one's running progress mediated relationships between well-being and the amount of running.…”

“…. " (Piotr [1]). Participants are aware of many hazards on the race route, therefore everyone is trying to consider the other person, which is proved by the statement: "On the road I feel very badly-a contestant with whom I raced for a long time, despite this unfortunate event, waited for me and asked if everything was all right and whether I need his help" (Krzysztof).…”

“…Overcoming one's own psychophysical barriers is the core of the matter among the participants of ultramarathon: "competition with someone is important, but even more important is competing with oneself. The factor of self-improvement is very important for each of us" (Katarzyna [1]). The more success the participants achieve in a sports competition, the more positively their social identity is assessed by other runners and fans.…”

“…According to Zhou et al while interest in extreme sports is rising, few studies have investigated the motivations of athletes in extreme sports. Moreover, reasons leading to develop extreme sports involvement over the years are very complex [1]. In particular, the social identity of ultramarathoners remains a research niche.…”

Test–Retest Reliability of a Questionnaire on Motives for Physical Activity among Adolescents

“…Motives for PA tend to differ by gender, age and geographic region [ 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 18 , 19 ]. Boys were reported as having higher rates of achievement motivation than girls, but lower rates of social and health motives than girls [ 7 ]; social and health motives were reported more frequently in older adolescents than in younger, while achievement motives were reported more frequently in older adolescent boys and in younger adolescent girls [ 10 ].…”