In the zone: an exploration of personal characteristics underlying affective responses to heavy exercise

Positive affective responses to exercise have been linked with longer term adherence. The Dual-Mode Model indicates that affective responses during heavy exercise (between the ventilatory threshold and the respiratory compensation point) are subject to interindividual variability (zone of response variability). Participants (N = 48) completed measures to assess personal characteristics prior to a graded exercise test (GXT). Responses to the Feeling Scale were recorded during the GXT and subsequently used to group participants as either Negative Responders or Neutral/Positive Responders to heavy exercise. Discriminant Function Analysis was applied and a significant weighted linear composite predicted affective response. Preference for exercise intensity and sex were significant predictors (p = .003). Negative Responders had lower Preference scores and were more likely to be men. The combination of these two variables successfully predicted group membership 71% of the time. Individual differences appear relevant when examining affective responses to heavy exercise.