The affective beneficence of vigorous exercise revisited

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: High exercise intensity may be associated with reduced adherence to exercise programmes, possibly because it is perceived as aversive. However, several authors have suggested that an intensity as high as 60% or 70% of maximal aerobic capacity (VO(2max)) is necessary for exercise to elicit positive affective changes. To elucidate this discrepancy, the affective responses to increasing levels of exercise intensity were examined. DESIGN: In total, 30 volunteers rated their affect every minute as they ran on a treadmill while the speed and grade were progressively increased. METHOD: The methodology was unique in three respects: (1) affect was assessed in terms of the dimensions of the circumplex model instead of distinct affective states, (2) affect was assessed repeatedly before, during, and after exercise, not only before and after, and (3) exercise intensity was standardized across participants in terms of metabolically comparable phases (beginning, ventilatory threshold, VO(2max)) instead of percentages of maximal capacity. RESULTS: Pre-to-post-exercise comparisons indicated affective benefits in the form of increased energetic arousal and decreased tense arousal. During exercise, however, affective valence deteriorated beyond the ventilatory threshold and until VO(2max), a trend that reversed itself instantaneously during cool-down. CONCLUSIONS: Exercise intensity that requires a transition to anaerobic metabolism can have a transient but substantial negative impact on affect and this may, in turn, reduce adherence to exercise programmes.

Exercise does not feel the same when you are overweight: the impact of self-selected and imposed intensity on affect and exertion

“…Previous studies have shown that (a) when participants are allowed to select their preferred intensity, they intuitively tend to gravitate toward a level that approximates the point of transition from an intensity that can be maintained through aerobic metabolism to an intensity that requires anaerobic supplementation, operationalized as a threshold in blood lactate accumulation or gas exchange 47,48 and (b) a systematic decrease in self-ratings of pleasure begins once the intensity exceeds the level of the aerobic-anaerobic transition. [49][50][51][52] In analyses not detailed here, we found that normal-weight and overweight participants did not differ in terms of the level of oxygen uptake they utilized in relation to their gas exchange threshold (used as an indirect, noninvasive marker of the aerobic-anaerobic transition) in either the self-selected or the imposed-intensity condition. In the self-selected intensity condition, the intensity remained below the gas exchange threshold for the entire duration of the bout (78, 85, 93, and 97% of the oxygen uptake at the gas exchange threshold at min 5, 10, 15, and 20, respectively).…”

Variation and homogeneity in affective responses to physical activity of varying intensities: An alternative perspective on dose – response based on evolutionary considerations

“…However, assessments of affective responses during the activity bout have shown that, as intensity increases, there are consistent decreases in self-rated pleasure and, eventually, increases in displeasure during the activity (Acevedo, Kraemer, Haltom, & Tryniecki, 2003;Acevedo, Rinehardt, & Kraemer, 1994;Bixby, Spalding, & Hatfield, 2001;Ekkekakis, Hall, & Petruzzello, 2004;Hall, Ekkekakis, & Petruzzello, 2002;Hardy & Rejeski, 1989;Parfitt & Eston, 1995;Parfitt, Eston, & Connolly, 1996;Parfitt, Markland, & Holmes, 1994). Upon cessation of the intense activity, the typically negative changes are followed by rapid positive changes, leading to a post-activity state that is more pleasant than the pre-activity one (Bixby et al, 2001;Hall et al, 2002). Thus, the consequence of this problem is that a dose -response pattern that is apparent during the activity may quickly dissipate as soon as the activity is terminated.…”

A Comparison of Physical Self-Concept between Physical Education and Non- Physical Education University Students

“…Strong evidence exists for physical activity as a factor in reducing the risk of diabetes [1], osteoporosis [2], heart disease [3] and some forms of cancer [4]. Evidence for the role of physical activity in psychological well-being also has accumulated, with research indicating that physical activity may be effective in treating and/or reducing the risk of depression and anxiety [5].…”