THE IMPACT OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY PROGRAMS DEVELOPED AT CLUBS ON THE BODY IMAGE OF ADULT NON-ATHLETES

Abstract

Academy practitioners’ incessant search for better physical appearance or the perfect body is a cultural phenomenon, many times more significant than economic, affective or professional satisfaction (NOVAES, 2001). The objective of this article is to grasp the philosophical understanding of the impact of physical activity programs developed in gyms on the body image of adult individual’s not-athlete. For this purpose, we attempt to understand the cultural body, which is the live expression of experience, not only with a physical dimension of its own, but also as the guardian of values attributed to it in function of its historical period, cultural environment and intricacy of its historical and social relationships. Intentionality and dissatisfaction are intrinsic to human beings; therefore, people pursue physical activities as a means to improve their image. Physical activity seems to improve the body image, but people remain unsatisfied and this dissatisfaction is evident even among those who have reached their own ideal goals or society-defined ideal conditions. Where does this dissatisfaction come from? Would it emanate from our transcendence, from our permanent desire to improve?