The Impact of Well-Planned Training on Changing Sedentary Lifestyle Habits

Abstract

Introduction: A sedentary lifestyle is one of the biggest health problems of the 21st century. The role of the trainer in motivating the sedentary individual is crucial. Also, there is a growing accessibility to gyms today, especially outdoor gyms, as a novel way to motivate people to train. Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of regular combined indoor and outdoor physical activity on anthropometric and functional parameters and the adoption of a more active lifestyle. Methods: The study included 45 participants between 18 and 56 years of age. They underwent 12 weeks of resistance training, focusing on chest presses and leg presses. Height, weight, bioelectrical impedance, chest and leg press one-repetition maximums, push-up and curl-up counts, and sit and reach were measured both before and after the 12-week training program. Results: After 12 weeks of training, male participants showed a significant increase in the percentage of skeletal muscle mass (p<0.05) and a significant decrease in the fat mass percentage (p<0.05). Female participants experienced a significant reduction in the fat mass percentage (p<0.05). Both groups were able to significantly increase their one-repetition maximums for the chest press (p<0.05) and leg press (p<0.05). Push-up and curl-up counts increased significantly after 12 weeks of training in both sexes, as did flexibility in both sexes. A year after the study, 80% of all participants were still training with a combination of indoor and outdoor physical activities. Conclusions: After 12 weeks of training, the body composition of both female and male participants had changed significantly. Twelve weeks of resistance training significantly increased strength and flexibility in both male and female participants. A well-thought-out training plan seems to be the key factor in motivating a beginner trainee to adopt a more active lifestyle. Level of Evidence IV; Case series.