ORIGINAL ARTICLE  EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOMECHANICS 

The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness 2022 January;62(1):47-50

DOI: 10.23736/S0022-4707.21.10575-4

Copyright © 2021 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

lingua: Inglese

Men and women trainers equally effective at promoting exercise adherence, self-efficacy, and fitness in women

Courtenay DUNN-LEWIS ¹ ✉, Marlo P. DELL’AQUILA ², Shawn D. FLANAGAN ³

¹ Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; ² Merrimack College, North Andover, MA, USA; ³ Neuromuscular Research Laboratory, Department of Sports Medicine and Nutrition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

BACKGROUND: This study examined the effect of a personal trainer’s sex on self-efficacy and fitness in woman clients.
METHODS: Women (N.=28; mean age, 41.6±15.0 years; height, 153.49±28.11 cm; BMI, 25.9±6.4 kg/m²) completed a perceptual scale of self-efficacy (BARSE) and fitness tests before and after a training program. Trainers (men and women) met one-on-one with the volunteers on a biweekly basis for 8 weeks. Univariate analyses of change scores and repeated measures analysis of variance with Fisher’s LSD pairwise comparisons tested changes in dependent variables by trainer sex.
RESULTS: Significant increases were seen in (mean±SE; change for men trainers; change for woman trainers): self-efficacy (7.3±3.4; 7.3±2.7%); leg press strength (18.2±3.7; 16.4±3.3 kg); seated row (6.1±1.5; 5.3±1.3 kg); muscular endurance in 60° flexion hold (20.5±5.8; 24.8±5.0 s) and wall-sit (19.9±6.4; 33.5±5.8 s); but not flexibility (V-sit, 7.11±5.51; 4.23±4.50 cm). Chest press strength significantly increased for women trainers only (2.7±2.2; 5.3±1.8 kg). Despite this, there were no significant differences for any variable in the change from pre-to-post based on the sex of the trainer.
CONCLUSIONS: Both men and woman-led training was effective for increasing markers of self-efficacy and fitness in woman clients.

KEY WORDS: Resistance training; Sex; Exercise; Social support; Self efficacy