Motivações para permanência e barreiras ao modelo de treinamento de CrossFit

Abstract

CrossFit as a training model has grown significantly in recent years. With its own approach, the modality includes constantly varied workouts in its fitness program, with different functional movements performed at high intensity. The community character often associated with CrossFit is present in its collaborative methodology in which coaches, athletes and students become co-developers. Hereupon, the purpose of this study is understand and identify the reasons that promote maintenance as well as the barriers to maintenance among CrossFit practitioners. This study involved 118 CrossFit students from 5 different sized boxes in the city of Uberlândia – MG. The participants answered a questionnaire with questions divided into 3 blocks – the first one related to the sociodemographic profile and length of experience in the sport, then to the motivations and difficulties encountered in staying in the sport, and the third one, to the characteristics and aspects considered important in the coaches' work – and then to the adapted version of the Inventory of Motivation to Regular Practice of Physical Activity (IMPRAF-54). In order to understand the relationship between motivation and physical exercise, this study is based on Self-Determination Theory. The participants showed more self-determined regulation, related to pleasure, personal satisfaction and motivations with more internal origins, which contributed to the maintenance and regularity of the practice. The main barriers were the financial cost and the competitiveness perceived from a negative perspective.