MOTIVATIONAL FUNCTIONS OF OBJECTIVES FOR FEMALE PARTICIPATION IN COMBAT SPORTS, MARTIAL ARTS AND FITNESS TRAINING

The purpose of the study was to determine the motivational functions of objectives for female participation in boxing (B), karate (K), Brazilian jiu jitsu (BJJ), muay thai (MT), and fitness (F) activities. It was assumed that the aims of female physical activity and the motivational functions of these aims were different depending on the type of sport. The study comprised 254 women aged from 15 to 35 years, mostly from the north-western part of Poland. The authors used the standardized Inventory of Physical Activity Objectives (IPAO) and the survey questionnaire. The research results prove that the most important goals for practicing B, K, BJJ, MT, and F included physical fitness, well-being, and pleasure from physical activity, followed by health.Female subjects participating in B, K, BJJ, MT and F were found to have significant (p=0.05) correlations of the aims between physical fitness and pleasure from physical activity and fulfilling the need for physical activity as well as between finding recognition in the eyes of other people and being fit. For women practicing B and K, these goals usually involved fulfilling the need for exercise, for those doing K, BJJ and MT - promoting this sport, and for K practitioners - well-being and the company of others. No differences were observed in the scales determining the motivational functions of objectives for participation in combat sports, martial arts and fitness training. Interestingly, motivational values and better organization of time increased with the training experience of females. These results were supported by the effect size (rg=-0.5). Understanding the reasons for any kind of women's physical activity may have an impact on more effective promotion of exercise.