Gender comparisons in weight training for collegiate sports

Abstract

This paper examines one of the factors popularly believed to have discouraged young women from participating in collegiate sports: the fear that their physiques may become unattractive due to the regimen of physical training, such as weight lifting, required in such sports. Based on a study of all the athletes at a private university in the western USA, we found that in comparison with males, female athletes did express greater concern. However, in spite of that fear, they are more rigorous than their male counterparts in weight training. Physical training may have different meanings for the two sexes. Regression analyses, supplemented with qualitative data, show that, for the women, the most important motivation for physical training appears to be the enjoyment that they receive from having a strong body. Among the male athletes, the closest to being a significant factor is that they view weight training as a means to attain a masculine image. It appears that the psychological pathways to physicality for male and female may be quite different. They run against the traditional directions on instrumental and expressive orientations.While women are participating in competitive sports in unprecedented numbers since the advent of Title IX, some collegiate female athletes find themselves in a quandary over the consequences of the weight training regimens required by their participation. Training to build muscle mass is now a required element for participating in most NCAA Division I sports programs. This training produces a stronger body which coaches and athletes in most sports believe gives advantage in competition. The results of this training for women, however, may include developing a level of muscularity that deviates from one of the contemporary cultural ideal body types promoted by those who hold traditional definitions of femininity. In her article on the postmodern female body, Markula (1995) depicts this ideal in the title: Robert W. Duff is professor of sociology at the University of Portland. In addition to the sociology of sport, he has been researching the subculture of the elderly in retirement communities. Lawrence K. Hong is professor of sociology at California State University, Los Angeles. He has published articles on aging, sexuality, and popular culture. W. Stephen Royce is associate professor of psychology at the University of Portland. His interests include social learning, behavior management, and psychological assessment.

University Student Interest and Use of Personal Training Services

“…Females on the other hand may be more influenced to use a personal trainer for intrinsic reasons of effectiveness, efficiency, accountability and motivation. These results appear to be consistent with past research on exercise motivation between males and females (Duff, Hong, & Royce, 1999). To reach students who are in the Precontemplation exercise stage, our results denote that "motivational and accountability support" and "teaching safe, effective, and proper use of equipment" may be the initial marketing efforts necessary to reach inactive students.…”

Doping e controle de feminilidade no esporte

“…Ou seja, a modalidade tem servido como um espaço para a negociação de gênero por meio da aparência, da forma física e, por isso, as atletas estão redefinindo a feminilidade e desafiando as normas de gênero (Jaeger e Goellner, 2011). Segundo uma pesquisa realizada por Duff et al (1999), mulheres fisiculturistas relatam um enorme prazer em serem fortes fisicamente. Também disseram que a força física seria necessária para a prática de esportes e que isso torna as mulheres mais femininas.…”