The Image of Group Fitness Instructors: An Intra- and Inter-Country Comparison Between Portugal and Romania
Fitness instructors play an essential role in fitness services, as they require both technical and interpersonal skills. A good image of a fitness instructor can be defined as having a pleasant appearance and good presentation in terms of hygiene and/or clothing used, which is appropriate for the co...
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MDPI AG
2024-12-01
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| author | Viorel Petru Ardelean Vlad Adrian Geantă Corina Dulceanu Claudiu Bulzan Sónia Brito-Costa Guilherme Eustáquio Furtado Ricardo Gomes Fernando Martins Francisco Campos |
| author_facet | Viorel Petru Ardelean Vlad Adrian Geantă Corina Dulceanu Claudiu Bulzan Sónia Brito-Costa Guilherme Eustáquio Furtado Ricardo Gomes Fernando Martins Francisco Campos |
| author_sort | Viorel Petru Ardelean |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Fitness instructors play an essential role in fitness services, as they require both technical and interpersonal skills. A good image of a fitness instructor can be defined as having a pleasant appearance and good presentation in terms of hygiene and/or clothing used, which is appropriate for the context and characteristics of the participants. Their image significantly influences participants’ perceptions and satisfaction. The objective of this study was to conduct a comparative analysis between Romania and Portugal regarding the quality of services offered within group fitness classes, focusing on instructors. It involved 133 group fitness instructors and 210 participants from Romania and Portugal. An adaptation of the Szumilewicz questionnaire was used to assess the importance of the different attributes of the fitness instructor’s image. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, t-tests, and effect size to compare perceptions between countries and groups. Romanian instructors and participants generally attributed more importance to the fitness instructor’s image compared to their Portuguese counterparts. Significant differences were found in attributes like physical fitness, technical execution, and communication. Instructors tended to overestimate the importance of their image compared to participants. The fitness instructor’s image is crucial in determining participant satisfaction and the perceptions of service quality. The innovative aspect of this study lies in its intercultural comparison, which highlights how cultural context influences the perception of a fitness instructor’s attributes, such as physical fitness, technical execution, and communication. The practical application of these findings lies in the suggestion that fitness professionals should tailor their approach, balancing technical skills and interpersonal communication to align with the cultural expectations of their participants. This culturally sensitive approach is essential for enhancing participant satisfaction and improving the overall quality of fitness services. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-83c1f769645340bbb02ef2b4271d2f76 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2076-328X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Behavioral Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-83c1f769645340bbb02ef2b4271d2f762025-08-20T02:55:49ZengMDPI AGBehavioral Sciences2076-328X2024-12-011412119910.3390/bs14121199The Image of Group Fitness Instructors: An Intra- and Inter-Country Comparison Between Portugal and RomaniaViorel Petru Ardelean0Vlad Adrian Geantă1Corina Dulceanu2Claudiu Bulzan3Sónia Brito-Costa4Guilherme Eustáquio Furtado5Ricardo Gomes6Fernando Martins7Francisco Campos8Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, Aurel Vlaicu University of Arad, 2-4, Elena Dragoi, 310330 Arad, RomaniaFaculty of Physical Education and Sport, Aurel Vlaicu University of Arad, 2-4, Elena Dragoi, 310330 Arad, RomaniaFaculty of Physical Education and Sport, Aurel Vlaicu University of Arad, 2-4, Elena Dragoi, 310330 Arad, RomaniaFaculty of Physical Education and Sport, Aurel Vlaicu University of Arad, 2-4, Elena Dragoi, 310330 Arad, RomaniaHigher Education School, Polytechnic University of Coimbra, Rua da Misericórdia, Lagar dos Cortiços, S. Martinho do Bispo, 3045-093 Coimbra, PortugalHigher Education School, Polytechnic University of Coimbra, Rua da Misericórdia, Lagar dos Cortiços, S. Martinho do Bispo, 3045-093 Coimbra, PortugalHigher Education School, Polytechnic University of Coimbra, Rua da Misericórdia, Lagar dos Cortiços, S. Martinho do Bispo, 3045-093 Coimbra, PortugalHigher Education School, Polytechnic University of Coimbra, Rua da Misericórdia, Lagar dos Cortiços, S. Martinho do Bispo, 3045-093 Coimbra, PortugalHigher Education School, Polytechnic University of Coimbra, Rua da Misericórdia, Lagar dos Cortiços, S. Martinho do Bispo, 3045-093 Coimbra, PortugalFitness instructors play an essential role in fitness services, as they require both technical and interpersonal skills. A good image of a fitness instructor can be defined as having a pleasant appearance and good presentation in terms of hygiene and/or clothing used, which is appropriate for the context and characteristics of the participants. Their image significantly influences participants’ perceptions and satisfaction. The objective of this study was to conduct a comparative analysis between Romania and Portugal regarding the quality of services offered within group fitness classes, focusing on instructors. It involved 133 group fitness instructors and 210 participants from Romania and Portugal. An adaptation of the Szumilewicz questionnaire was used to assess the importance of the different attributes of the fitness instructor’s image. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, t-tests, and effect size to compare perceptions between countries and groups. Romanian instructors and participants generally attributed more importance to the fitness instructor’s image compared to their Portuguese counterparts. Significant differences were found in attributes like physical fitness, technical execution, and communication. Instructors tended to overestimate the importance of their image compared to participants. The fitness instructor’s image is crucial in determining participant satisfaction and the perceptions of service quality. The innovative aspect of this study lies in its intercultural comparison, which highlights how cultural context influences the perception of a fitness instructor’s attributes, such as physical fitness, technical execution, and communication. The practical application of these findings lies in the suggestion that fitness professionals should tailor their approach, balancing technical skills and interpersonal communication to align with the cultural expectations of their participants. This culturally sensitive approach is essential for enhancing participant satisfaction and improving the overall quality of fitness services.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/14/12/1199fitness instructors’ imagecustomer satisfactioncross-cultural comparisonfitness industry perceptionfitness health |
| spellingShingle | Viorel Petru Ardelean Vlad Adrian Geantă Corina Dulceanu Claudiu Bulzan Sónia Brito-Costa Guilherme Eustáquio Furtado Ricardo Gomes Fernando Martins Francisco Campos The Image of Group Fitness Instructors: An Intra- and Inter-Country Comparison Between Portugal and Romania Behavioral Sciences fitness instructors’ image customer satisfaction cross-cultural comparison fitness industry perception fitness health |
| title | The Image of Group Fitness Instructors: An Intra- and Inter-Country Comparison Between Portugal and Romania |
| title_full | The Image of Group Fitness Instructors: An Intra- and Inter-Country Comparison Between Portugal and Romania |
| title_fullStr | The Image of Group Fitness Instructors: An Intra- and Inter-Country Comparison Between Portugal and Romania |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Image of Group Fitness Instructors: An Intra- and Inter-Country Comparison Between Portugal and Romania |
| title_short | The Image of Group Fitness Instructors: An Intra- and Inter-Country Comparison Between Portugal and Romania |
| title_sort | image of group fitness instructors an intra and inter country comparison between portugal and romania |
| topic | fitness instructors’ image customer satisfaction cross-cultural comparison fitness industry perception fitness health |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/14/12/1199 |
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