A Study of the Motivations, Barriers, and Behavior for the Participants Involved in Qi-Gong as a Recreational Exercise

• Main Authors: Chang-Jen Li, 李章仁
• Other Authors: Hsu-I Huang
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2008
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/02585919484891457017

碩士 === 南台科技大學 === 休閒事業管理系 === 96 === The main motivation is to understand the motivations and barriers and behaveior for the participants involved in Qi gong as a recreational exercise. In this research, the researcher adopts the methods, like random sampling with different graded students, the objects of this study are the participants of the school,parants of students,and their friends, and research tools for the questionnaire which issued 400 questionnaires, including 368 valid questionnaires that reach the rate of 92% in responding. The data of this research was analyzed with the Factor analysis, T-test, One-way ANOVA , Reliability analysis, Validity analysis and other statistical analysis. The following is the conclusion according to the findings. 1. The popularity of practicing Qi gong recreational exercises According to the census taken with the questionnaire and the gender variant, females have a higher rate of practicing Qi gong than males; however, in other common recreational exercises males have a higher activity rate. According to the age variant, the age group of 50 to 59 years old was the most active to practice Qi gong, with the people over 60 years old in second place. According to the variant of the level of education, the people with a university degree or who were in senior high school were the most active in their Qi gong practice. As for the sort of occupation , the military, government workers, and professors were among the most popular. Concerning the variant of income, the people the income in the range of 20,000 to 40,000 dollars were the most commonly active, with the people with the salary range of 40,000 to 60,000 in second place. 2. Behavior of the participants towards Qi gong Among the group practicing martial arts, Martial arts spends the most amounts of time practicing Qi gong and the second group are the taoism . Then the third group is unknown . The group with a combination of achievements is the most popular. Three years is the most common length of time to practice Qi gong as a recreational exercise with 3 to 5 years as the second most common. It is more popular to follow a set curriculum or arranging a curriculum by oneself than to have no arrangements or plan at all. Practicing 3 to 5 times a week is the most popular and practicing once a week came in second. Half an hour is the most common amount of time used for one Qi gong practice session and 30-60 minutes is the second most popular length of time used. The most acceptable and reasonable fee is below NT$200, and between NT$200 to NT$400 came in second most acceptable. 3. The motive to practice the Qi gong recreation The participants’ motives to practice Qi gong recreational exercises include: "physical health", "stress relief", "practicing simple exercise", and so on. The least popular motives to practice Qi gong recreational exercises are "keeping others away", "because of religious purposes", "making use of Qi gong related equipment". 4. The factors enabling people not to participate in Qi gong recreation practice For the purpose of this study we have calculated the main factors influencing people to avoid practicing Qi gong as a recreational exercise. They are listed in order as: "no extra time", "excessive work or study", "lack of personnel knowledge",and so on. The least important factors inhibiting people to practice Qigong as recreational exercises are: "friends’ objections", "religion belief and faith" , "Qi gong mysterious factor". According to the results of this study, these suggestions are put forward: 1. Suggested characteristics of usual Qi gong practitioners The research suggests, as a result of the present survey, that the people most likely to participate in Qi gong recreational activities in the future are females more than males. Hence this market suggests targeting the female community while trying to increase the interest in the male community. The program information should be related through computer network, the Internet and television. As far as a popular spokesperson with good public praise to introduce the practice of Qi gong and attract mor practitioner. 2. The suggestions to coaches and organized associations In fact, various schools and association have different techniques and directives to practice and execute the movements. Every association should be more professional than the private instructor. The association’s main purpose is not making money. In general, the fees are fixed at the low level .However, the institutes need reasonable fee to run .The related in formation can be transmitted by computer, the Internet, television broadcasting to promote the convenience to the public. 3. Suggestions to the authorities The existence of common Qi gong recreational exercises in Taiwan owns a lot of respect to the development of the health care and has a rather important of position in the conservative and traditional national culture. Qi gong recreational exercises have long been associated with the folk culture and traditional values. Only recently the government has started to understand the importance the Qi gong recreational activities. If the knowledge of the Qi gong recreational exercises can be expanded and promoted, the health industry can grow and the benefits and diversities can be promoted.