Promoting New BodyWorks Programs Within the Greater Point Grey Area : A Mixed-Methods Survey
Creators: name: Pearson, Luke
name: Griffith, Skyler
name: Anderson, Kyle
name: McGill, Jonny
name: Soriano, Jason
Publisher: name: The University of British Columbia
Year: 2024

description: UBC BodyWorks is an exercise outreach program facilitated by UBC’s School of Kinesiology. BodyWorks provides a unique program delivery through use of kinesiology students and knowledgeable exercise professionals. Infamous for their Changing Aging program, BodyWorks has solidified itself as a prominent seniors’ outreach program on the UBC campus and in its surrounding neighbourhoods (Chun et al., 2021). However, with new Community Fit Classes and Semi-Private Training programs, a prime opportunity for BodyWorks to expand its clientele to the young adult population emerges. The purpose of this study is to identify the predictors, motivators, and barriers to participation in group activity for young students residing on the UBC campus and in the greater Point Grey area. Recommendations drawn from this study’s findings will inform the promotion of UBC BodyWorks’ new Community Fit and Semi-Private Training programs to the study population. The literature identified stress management, social interaction, and previous participation in group exercise as key common motivators to physical activity habits among the study population (Ferreira Silva et al., 2022; Silver et al., 2019; Yorks et al., 2017). Key barriers to physical activity habits within the population identified across various studies included stress, lack of social support, and busy schedules (Chun et al., 2021; Ferreira Silva et al., 2022; Legaspi et al., 2021; Silver et al., 2019; Thomas et al., 2019; Yorks et al., 2017). Gender, ethnic/cultural, and religious experiences were also predictors to group exercise identified in the literature (Silver et al., 2019; Thomas et al., 2019; Zimmermann-Sloutskis et al,. 2010). These common motivators, barriers, and predictors to group exercise became focal points for the study’s data collection. This mixed-methods survey was conducted via Qualtrics. Participants were asked to rate and self report motivators and barriers to their participation in group activity to help predict how this population may engage with BodyWorks’ new programs. 121 responses were gathered from individuals with 86 of those meeting the inclusion criteria. 31 participants were aware of BodyWorks while 16 were aware of new Community-Fit and Semi-Private Training options. Stress management, social interaction, and previous group exercise experience were the most common motivators for group exercise. Most agreed that stress, busy work schedules/academics, and finances were barriers to group exercise participation. Female respondents indicated more openness to participate in new training options compared to males. Preferences for same-gender trainers varied. Previous group and individual exercise experience positively influenced willingness to participate in new programs. Major recommendations for BodyWorks emerging from this study’s findings include using differing language regarding body image in promotional content when targeting men as opposed to women, posting promotional materials in other recreational facilities on UBC’s campus, promoting the stress-relieving effects of BodyWorks programs, and communicating that clients can book Semi-Private training with whichever trainer they feel most comfortable with. Disclaimer: “UBC SEEDS provides students with the opportunity to share the findings of their studies, as well as their opinions, conclusions and recommendations with the UBC community. The reader should bear in mind that this is a student project/report and is not an official document of UBC. Furthermore readers should bear in mind that these reports may not reflect the current status of activities at UBC. We urge you to contact the research persons mentioned in a report or the SEEDS Coordinator about the current status of the subject matter of a project/report.”