Self-belief ‘can enhance benefits of physical activity’

People are more likely to extract benefits from exercise if they go into it believing they will, according to new research.

A team from the University of Freiburg invited 76 men and women aged between 18 and 32 to exercise for 30 minutes on a bicycle ergometer after watching one of several short films, which either praised or did not praise the positive effects of cycling on health.

In addition, the researchers asked the test subjects whether they had already believed in the positive effects of physical activity before beginning the study. It was found that subjects derived more psychological as well as neurophysiological benefits from exercise if they already had positive views on sports.

Those with better outlooks enjoyed the exercise more, saw a greater uplift in mood and a more pronounced drop in anxiety, as well as being more relaxed on a neuronal level.

It is likely that these results will also apply to other endurance sports, such as jogging, swimming or cross-country skiing.

Hendrik Mothes, from the University of Freiburg's department of sport science, said: "The results demonstrate that our belief in how much we will benefit from physical activity has a considerable effect on our well-being in the manner of a self-fulfilling prophecy."

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