Examining mindfulness as a strategy to improve the exercise experience.
Misbah Ticklay, Leighton Jones
Journal of Sports Sciences November 8, 2024 DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2024.2416841 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Experimental study (two-group comparison) Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 34 |
| Population | Adults with a mean age of 26.62 years (SD = 3.28) |
| Intervention | Mindfulness recording |
| Duration | Single 1.5-mile self-paced walk |
| Measures | Feeling Scale, Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Affect Walking Attentional focus Enjoyment |
| Key findings | Listening to a mindfulness recording during a self-paced 1.5-mile outdoor walk produced greater pleasure during exercise (Feeling Scale, p < .001, ηp2 = .36) and greater enjoyment (Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale, p < .001, d = 1.50) than a control condition, with no significant difference in attentional focus (p = .120, ηp2 = .07). Both conditions were rated as pleasant. |
Abstract
Mounting evidence shows that positive affective responses to exercise can facilitate continued engagement. Numerous strategies (e.g., mindfulness, music) have been proposed to improve how people feel during exercise. Mindfulness research has primarily occurred in laboratory settings, and the present study sought to examine the effects of listening to a mindfulness recording during a self-paced walk outdoors. It was hypothesized that the mindfulness condition would elicit more positive affective responses during and after exercise and lead to greater associative attentional focus compared to a control condition. Thirty-four participants (Mage = 26.62, SD = 3.28 years), divided into two groups (mindfulness recording vs. control), individually completed a self-paced 1.5 mile walk through a park. Participants in the experimental condition listened to a mindfulness recording via headphones during the walk. Feeling Scale scores during exercise indicated greater pleasure (p < .001, ηp2 = .36), and Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale scores revealed greater enjoyment in the mindfulness group (p < .001, d = 1.50); there were no differences in attentional focus between groups (p = .120, ηp2 = .07). Both conditions were considered pleasant, and results support the use of mindfulness to further enhance pleasure and enjoyment during a low-to-moderate intensity outdoor walk.