Instructors' and classroom characteristics associated with exercise enjoyment by females

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between exercise enjoyment and participant's perceptions of selected characteristics of the exercise instructor and exercise class. Women (N=296) attending aerobics classes at a university fitness center were surveyed. Analysis yielded significant correlations among exercise enjoyment and the four characteristics of instructor and five for classroom. Correlations ranged from .16 to .32. Stepwise regression analysis was also conducted. Three of the nine characteristics entered into the model: (1) instructor's personal fitness, (2) instructor's ability to communicate instruction, and (3) liking of other participants in the class. The three variables combined accounted for only 17% of the variability for enjoyment of exercise.