The aim of the study upon which this paper is based was two-fold: firstly, to determine what motivates individuals to join a fitness club, and secondly, to determine their sport and leisure ...behaviours. This is done in an industry that is growing but in which very little research has been conducted in the past from a South African perspective. A quantitative research approach was followed. Data collection took place at Virgin Active clubs in Gauteng, South Africa. A probability sampling, namely random sampling, was conducted. Questionnaires were distributed among Virgin Active members at three different fitness clubs. In total, 474 usable questionnaires were obtained, after which three factor analyses were conducted. For the first-factor analysis (reasons for exercising or being a member of a fitness club), five factors were identified; for the second-factor analysis (type of sport participating in), four factors were identified; and for the third-factor analysis (leisure time participation), three factors were identified. The research firstly revealed that the primary motives for being a member of a fitness club are for health reasons, part of my lifestyle, and to improve my quality of life. Secondary motives are interaction and being sociable, as well as being goal orientated. The second finding of the research is that traditional sport codes such as rugby, tennis, netball, and soccer remain the most popular sports to participate in. Lastly, the research proposes the CAP (creative, active and passive) leisure typology needs to be tested in future research in this field. This is the first time that these aspects (motives, sport and leisure behaviour) have been tested at fitness clubs in South Africa.
Studies show that parks provide people with the opportunity to participate in physical activity and encourage social interactions. However, there are few studies on the role of outdoor gym equipment ...on physical activity and social interactions, despite the increasing trend of installing gym equipment in parks in Australia and overseas. This study aims to determine people's experiences of using outdoor gym equipment in relation to physical activity and social interactions.
Single-layer spherical reticulated shells are typical roof structures for the gymnasiums. The center-hung scoreboard (CHS) is large weight display device which is usually suspended on the roof of the ...gymnasium. The effect of the CHS on the dynamic characteristics and seismic responses of the single-layer spherical reticulated shell (SPRS) is not fully clear. In this paper, the effect of the CHS on the SPRS under vertical seismic action is investigated. Two kinds of FE models are built with Abaqus software, including the flexibly suspended model and the simplified model. In a simplified model, the CHS is simplified as four fixed masses on the four CHS suspension nodes. The dynamic explicit method is used for the seismic responses, and the Lanczos method is used for the dynamic characteristics. The influence of the CHS weight and the sling length of on dynamic characteristics and seismic responses are analysed. It turns out that in the flexibly suspended model, the first three vibration modes are free swing of the CHS, and the CHS weight and the sling length have a significant impact on the fourth and subsequent modes. The length of the sling has a large impact on some low-order frequencies, but has little impact on the high-order frequencies. Compared with the simplified model, the axial forces of some structural members and some nodal acceleration in the flexibly suspended model under vertical seismic motions would increase by as high as 523% and 564%, respectively. It turns out that the seismic responses of the SPRS would be underestimated if a simplified model is used for analysis. The region in the central of the SPRS, the hoop members of the SPRS, and the support platform are the most affected regions in terms of both axial force and nodal acceleration.
Resumo: O mercado de academias de ginástica vem sofrendo mudanças ao longo de décadas, tanto no âmbito da prestação de serviços, como no modelo de gestão, remodelando as formas de atuação a fim de ...atrair novos clientes. Desta forma, o objetivo do estudo foi avaliar a qualidade dos serviços prestados pelas academias de ginástica considerando variáveis sociodemográficas. Para a coleta de dados foi aplicada a Escala de Avaliação da Qualidade dos Serviços Prestados por Academias de Ginástica (QUASPA) a uma população composta por 290 clientes de academias de ginástica localizadas na cidade de Londrina-Paraná. Foi identificado que as academias de ginástica apresentam uma pior qualidade nos serviços relacionados ao marketing. Pôde ser encontradas diferenças significativas nas variáveis escolaridade, tempo de prática contínua de exercícios físicos, tempo de prática contínua de exercícios físicos na mesma academia e o número de academias já frequentadas. Conclui-se que clientes com nível superior completo, maior tempo de prática de exercícios físicos, maior tempo de prática de exercícios físicos na mesma academia e maior número de academias frequentadas demonstram uma percepção de qualidade mais crítica referente aos serviços prestados por academias de ginástica.
Abstract: The gym market has been undergoing changes for decades, both in terms of service delivery and management model, reshaping the forms of action in order to attract new customers. Thus, the objective of the study was to evaluate the quality of services provided by gyms considering sociodemographic variables. For the data collect, the Scale of quality assessment of services provided by fitness center (QUASPA) was applied to a population composed of 290 clients of gyms located in the city of Londrina-Paraná. It was identified that gyms have a worse quality in services related to marketing. Significant differences were identified in the variables education, time of continuous physical exercise practice, time of continuous physical exercise practice in the same gym and the number of gyms already attended. It was concluded that customers with higher education level, longer time of physical exercise, longer time of physical exercise in the same gym and larger number of gyms attended demonstrate a more critical perception of quality regarding the services provided by gyms.
Resumen: El mercado de gimnasios ha cambiado durante décadas, tanto en términos de prestación de servicios como de modelo de gestión, remodelando las formas de acción para atraer nuevos clientes. Por lo tanto, el objetivo del estudio fue evaluar la calidad de los servicios prestados por los gimnasios teniendo en cuenta las variables sociodemográficas. Para la recopilación de datos, se aplicó la Escala para la evaluación de la calidad de los servicios prestados por los gimnasios (QUASPA) a una población compuesta por 290 clientes de gimnasios ubicados en la ciudad de Londrina-Paraná. Se ha encontrado que los gimnasios tienen una peor calidad en los servicios relacionados con el marketing. Se identificaron diferencias significativas en las variables educación, tiempo de práctica de ejercicio físico continuo, tiempo de práctica de ejercicio físico continuo en el mismo gimnasio y la cantidad de gimnasios que ya asistieron. Se puede concluir que los clientes con un nivel de educación superior, mayor tiempo de ejercicio físico, mayor tiempo de ejercicio físico en el mismo gimnasio y más gimnasios asisten a una percepción más crítica de calidad con respecto a los servicios prestados por los gimnasios.
Diese Aufgabensammlung enthält die ausführlichen Lösungen zu über 150 Staatsexamensaufgaben zur Algebra (und Zahlentheorie). Die Lösungsvorschläge sollen dabei nicht als Musterlösungen verstanden ...werden, sondern sind zumeist wesentlich ausführlicher als in den Prüfungen verlangt: Es wurde versucht, die Lösungen so aufzubereiten, dass sie auch für Studenten, die am Anfang ihrer Lernphase stehen, verständlich sind. In einem den Aufgaben vorangestellten ersten Teil sind – gegliedert in Themenblöcke – alle Definitionen und Sätze formuliert, deren Kenntnis in den vergangenen Jahren zur Lösung der Examensaufgaben notwendig und hilfreich war. Dabei wurden die Sätze häufig nicht in ihrer allgemeinsten Fassung, sondern so aufgeschrieben, wie sie in den in Teil II vorgestellten Lösungsvorschlägen verwendet werden.
Resumo Estudos sobre a representação da brasileira em Portugal a retratam como uma mulher “fácil, vítima da dominação pós-colonial e patriarcal. Recentemente, o surgimento de uma ginástica “ Made in ...Brasil ”, publicitando “o segredo da mulher brasileira”, nos levou a investigar a subjetificação destas imigrantes através do corpo, a partir de entrevistas e observação participante. Constatou-se além da hipersexualização da imagem, que as brasileiras entrevistadas entendem as qualidades pelas quais são identificadas e se identificam como um recurso de negociação na busca de prestígio.
Our investigation deepens in the insufficiencies present the south community Isleta of the Guantánamo municipality in the preparation of the systematic trainers of the community micro gymnasiums ...related with the work of physical preparation. This was confirmed from application of technical and empiric methods in the process of training in the gymnasium micro community, during the course 2008– 2009. We propose to elaborate a system of physical educational activities for the integral formation of the young systematic trainers of bodybuilding. The work is in correspondence with one of the lines of investigation of the Institute of Physical Culture of Cuba related with the search of ways and methods for the development and consolidation of physical activity in the community. The proposal of a system of physical educational activities is pertinent, competent and valid considering the actions to carry out.
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