Attitudes Surrounding Group Cycling versus Individual Cycling during the COVID-19 Pandemic

• Published in: The Physical educator Vol. 80; no. 5; pp. 527 - 539
• Main Authors: Trumbetti, Alexis, Razon, Selen, Judge, Lawrence W, Huffman, Olivia, Ramick, Meghan G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Urbana Sagamore-Venture 01.09.2023; Sagamore Publishing; Sagamore Publishing LLC
• Subjects: Adults; Attitudes; Bicycling; COVID-19; Cycling; Cyclists; Distance Education; Educational Technology; Exercise; Experiential Learning; Group Activities; Learner Engagement; Likert scale; Older people; Pandemics; Physical Activities; Physical fitness; Self Esteem; Student Attitudes; Student Motivation; Surveys; Training; United States > US
• ISSN: 0031-8981; 2160-1682
• DOI: 10.18666/TPE-2023-V80-I5-11463

Group exercise settings can offer a team-like environment that can enhance social bonding as well as increased physical effort and perhaps higher enjoyment of the activity. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many exercisers were unable to attend their conventional exercise classes. To circumvent this issue, a local spin studio in the Mideast United States allowed members to rent a spin bike and follow along to rides recorded and broadcasted by instructors. The purpose of this study was to survey members' remote cycling experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Seventeen adult cyclists (16 female, 1 male, M[subscript age] = 37.1 ± 12.0 years) responded to a survey that included five Likert scale and six open-ended questions. The results revealed that participants were less motivated, less engaged, and felt less confident while spinning remotely from home. Members reported missing the community component of in-person classes the most. Isolation is sometimes a barrier to chronic exercise; a group fitness class can help motivate participants to push themselves physically and mentally.