Motivation 101: How to Get Students Off the

Couch

Learning Objectives

• Describe intrinsic and extrinsic motivation• Articulate strategies to help students increase

motivation to engage in physical activity• Describe basic motivational interviewing

techniques• Analyze case studies from Job Corps center

programs

Let’s Start with You

• How often do you exercise? (poll)• Why do you exercise? What actually gets you

going several days a week?• What gets you going when you don’t feel like it?• Who has played a role in your motivation to

exercise? (poll)• What did this person do to motivate you?

Is it our job to motivate students to exercise?

• “I can’t keep you motivated to do something you don’t want to.” –Michael Grondahl, CEO, Planet Fitness

• According to the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) 45% of fitness club members quit in a given year.

Source: Saint Louis, C. (2011). Is the Gym Passé? The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/27/fashion/27SKIN.html?pagewanted=all

Motivating Others

• What has worked to increase a student’s motivation to exercise?

• What doesn’t work to increase student’s motivation to exercise?

Secret to Keeping People in the Gym

• “We know you have to engage the client. It’s got to be a challenge for them. And we know you’ve got to connect the client in a meaningful way to others.” –Terry Blachek, President of International Consulting, Former Exec VP of Crunch

Types of Motivation

No Motivation

Extrinsic Motivation Intrinsic Motivation

N/A External Somewhat External

Somewhat Internal

Internal Internal

Will not make a

change on their own

External rewards and punishments, controlled by

others

Self-control,ego, avoid guilt, pride

Accepted as

personally important,

value system

Behavior is part of

the person, synthesis, outcome

based

Interested in behavior,

find enjoyment in the process

Source: Ryan RM, Deci EL. Self-Determination Theory and the Facilitation of Intrinsic Motivation, Social Development, and Well-Being. American Psychologist. 55(2000)68-78.

Choice and Autonomy

Decision Making

• “Research in sport has shown that when teammates work together to arrive at a collective decision, perceptions of both task and social cohesion increase.” - L.J. Martin

• Just ask

Source: Martin, L.J. et al. (2009). The use of group dynamics strategies to enhance cohesion in a lifestyle intervention program for obese children. BMC Public Health. 9:277.

Support

Groups

• “Where have you been?”• Distinctiveness

– Groups that perceive themselves as unique from other groups have a stronger sense of cohesiveness (branding the group, creating “traditions”)

• Team focus• Goal setting• On going communication, feedback and social support

Source: Martin, L.J. et al. (2009). The use of group dynamics strategies to enhance cohesion in a lifestyle intervention program for obese children. BMC Public Health. 9:277.

Personal Interaction

• Crunch has found that members who sign up for sessions with a personal trainer remain members for twice as long as those who do not. They also refer eight times more people to join the gym than those who do not.

• Lack of social interaction big reason for quitting a gym.

Source: Gottfried, M. (2011). Gung-Ho at the Gym, Then Boredom Sets In. The Wall Street Journal. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903885604576486063266298474.html

Foster Competence

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyWAeorO7vo

What else works?

• Staff serve as mentors• During the training day—integrate into trades• Music• Address individual fitness needs—assessment

and orientation (Applebaum) (Red Rock JCC) http://www.adultfitnesstest.org

• Give them what’s trendy (P90X™, Zumba™)

Source: Applebaum, V. (2003). Retaining Members. IDEA Health and Fitness Association. Retrieved online: http://www.ideafit.com/fitness-library/retaining-members-0

Top Fitness Trends for 2012• Strength training• Core training• Zumba™• Functional fitness• Yoga• Boot camp• Outdoor activities• Spinning• Sport-specific training

• “High-end fitness chain Equinox adds new classes to the schedule every quarter, which the company says are based on the latest research and fitness trends.” –Wall Street Journal

Source: Thompson, W.R. (2011). Worldwide Survey of Fitness Trends. ACSM’s Health and Fitness Journal. 15 (6); 9-18.

What else works? (continued)

• The earlier the better!• Intense exercise works better

– Inner-city adolescents who lost weight and maintained weight loss

– 2-hours or more/day, 5+ days/week– Drill team, track team, basketball team, martial arts

class, baseball team, dance team

Source: Lieberman, A. (2009). Why Some Adolescents Lose Weight and Others Do Not: A Qualitative Study. 101; 439-447.

Main Motivators for Adolescents

• Weight management (esp. with girls)• Body shape• New social networks• Family support • Peer support• Note: support esp. helpful during “key transitional

phases”

Source: Allender, S. et al. (2006). Understanding participation in sport and physical activity among children and adults: a review of qualitative studies. Health Education Research. 6;82-835.

Runners vs. Joggers

Runners• Intense competition• Winning

Joggers• Beat own time• Health benefits• Increased status afforded

to them by non-exercises who saw them as fit and healthy

Source: Allender, S. et al. (2006). Understanding participation in sport and physical activity among children and adults: a review of qualitative studies. Health Education Research. 6;82-835.

Main Barriers for Adolescents• Previous negative experiences• Peer pressure “For many girls, impressing

boyfriends and other peers was seen as more important than physical activity.”

• Boys’ dominance—disruptive (girls)• Competitive classes• Bored by sports (girls)• Ill-fitting/unattractive workout clothes

Source: Allender, S. et al. (2006). Understanding participation in sport and physical activity among children and adults: a review of qualitative studies. Health Education Research. 6;82-835.

Not a Sports Bra

Main Barriers for Adults

• Anxiety and lack of confidence about entering an unfamiliar setting

• Not knowing other people• Poor body image/not fitting in with the “gym” culture• Do not identify with “role models”/want exercise leaders

to have realistic body types• Sometimes viewed gyms as a white, middle-class male

domain

Source: Allender, S. et al. (2006). Understanding participation in sport and physical activity among children and adults: a review of qualitative studies. Health Education Research. 6;82-835.

Arguments and CounterargumentsArgument• I’m not coordinated/out of

shape• I think I look good with

meat on my bones• I don’t like to exercise• Exercise is boring

Counterargument

The Stages of Change and Motivational Interviewing

Motivational Interview (MI)

• Non-judgmental style• Student comes to his or her own conclusions• Develop a discrepancy• OARS

– Open-ended questions– Affirmations– Reflections– Summaries

Open-Ended Questions

• On a scale of 1-10, how ready do you feel to start exercising? What would it take to move you to a [higher number]?

• How is your current weight affecting your life right now? How do you feel about that?

Source: Puhl, R. (2011). The Obese Patient in the Healthcare Environment. Available at: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/749440?src=mp&spon=17

MI Questions

• What has motivated you in the past?• What makes you feel like you can continue to

make progress?• What are your obstacles? How do you think you

can overcome [insert obstacle]?• How would your life be different if you lost weight

and/or started to exercise?

Affirmations

• Statements of recognition of students’ strengths

• Build confidence in ability

• Must be genuine

Affirm the Person

• Acknowledgement of

– Struggles or difficulties– Successes– Skills/strengths– Goals/values

Affirmations Include:

• Commenting positively on an attribute:– You’re a really good dancer.

• A statement of appreciation: – Thank you for your honesty.

• Recognize efforts:– You are doing a great job fitting cardio in twice a week.

• Highlighting a value:– It’s really important to you to be a positive influence on your little

girl.

Supply the Affirmation

• “I’ve been trying to get to the step class, but some nights I’m just too lazy.”

• “I’m so tired after 30 minutes of playing basketball. I really can’t keep up with the other guys.”

Reflections

• Always a statement, not a question

• Drop voice at end of sentence

• Can choose to reflect content or feelings

• Use the student’s language

Examples of stems:

• It sounds like you….• You are feeling….• You’re wondering if…• You…

Summaries

• Just longer reflections• At the end of a conversation or during a

transition

“Let me make sure that I understood everything you

said. I understand that you…”

Free Info on MI

• Motivational Interviewing: http://www.motivationalinterview.org

• Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers: http://www.motivationalinterview.net

• Demo video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uy-yIuQLZQA

• Spring webinar

Case Study #1

• Walking group targeting overweight students• Great participation the first day; trickles off after• By the third week, one person shows up

Questions

• What do you think happened?• How do you move forward?

Case Study #2

• Zumba™ class introduced• Had to create a waiting list because so many

students want to take the class and the room isn’t big enough

• At 6 months, the class still has about 10 people showing up, but no where near as popular

Questions

• What happened?• How can you bring the excitement back?

Case Study #3

• Recreation is very popular among about half of the students—the athletic, already in-shape students, that is

• The students who need exercise the most are the ones most likely to play video games

• The two groups don’t mingle

Questions

• What would you do?

Case Study #4

• A lot of students smoke on your center.• Often, these students don’t want to work out

because they feel winded quickly and they don’t want to quit smoking because they will gain weight.

Questions

• How do you approach these students?• What’s your counterargument?

Activities Must…

• Bring students (and staff) together• Be challenging and fun• Be ever changing and be planned with student

input• Include a lot of different things for a lot of

different people

Communications must…

• Be supportive and nonjudgmental• Lead the student towards making changes

without being directive

Questions?