African American Couples’ Experiences during an Exercise Intervention Interrupted by the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Case Study
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Brief Overview of the Pilot Exercise Intervention (Pre-Pandemic)
2.2. Exercise Intervention Modifications Due to the Pandemic
2.3. Participants
2.4. Dyadic Interviews
2.5. Data Analysis
3. Results
3.1. Theme 1: Resistance Training Program Modifications
“…at first, I was like, how are we going to do this on Zoom©? But it worked out.”—ES female (Couple #3)
“…with the [pre-existing] knee problem that I have…I don’t feel like I got the same um, workout…even with my knee problems, the machines, you could utilize those to help strengthen them. At home, I have…one of those big balls that you can sit on and I would use it to support my back and roll up and down the [wall], but it just wasn’t the same.”—ET female (Couple #4)
3.2. Theme 2: Partner Interactions
“I’m pretty sure if y’all actually have the old Zoom© videos of her working out you’ll see me in the background cheering her on. Because I am her…I am her biggest fan you know. So whenever she does anything I’m right there to cheer her on, you know.”—ES male (Couple #3)
3.3. Theme 3: External Pandemic-Related Factors
“Well, I think the problem I faced was the fact that our routines were so much different from what they might normally be because we were participating [in the study] during all this other drama that’s going on in the world. So, it changed—changed who we were as participants.”—ET male (Couple #1)
4. Discussion
4.1. Interpretation of Themes
4.2. Limitations
5. Conclusions
Overall Assessment and Future Direction
- Utilizing a virtual training format appears largely acceptable and feasible in this group. However, participants should be adequately prepared for this method of program delivery (e.g., confirm or ensure comfort and home feasibility for videoconferencing, hold “practice” virtual training sessions to troubleshoot any barriers).
- Participants must be trained for any changes to programmatic exercises and equipment. Although this is a well-established, foundational concept in exercise laboratories, the atypical circumstance of the pandemic forced hurried protocol changes with only virtual participant contact. While we hope not to facilitate a transition like the one experienced in the current study again, these data highlighted the need for enhanced support, grace, and encouragement when asking aging participants to commence any program with more independence.
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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# Laboratory-Based Machine Exercises (Pre-Pandemic) | * Home-Based Exercises with Dumbbells (During the Pandemic) |
---|---|
Leg press | Squats |
Leg extension | Standing (or walking) alternating lunges |
Leg curl | Romanian deadlifts |
Chest press | Supine chest press |
Shoulder press | Seated shoulder press |
Lat pulldown | Standing row |
Biceps curl | Seated biceps curl |
Triceps press | Seated overhead triceps extension |
Abdominal crunch | Supine abdominal crunches or partial curl-up from seated |
Back extension | Prone back extension |
Variables | Mean ± SD or n |
---|---|
Age (years) | 57.3 ± 10.4 |
(range 41–72) | |
Time in Current Relationship (years) | 28.5 ± 4.7 |
(range 23–36) | |
Body Mass Index (kg/m2) | 33.6 ± 5.4 |
(range 25.7–42.7) | |
Physical Activity (baseline steps/day) | 5699 ± 1583 |
(range 3216–7843) | |
Self-Identified Gender (n) | Female: 4 |
Male: 4 | |
Highest Education Level (n) | Some high school: 1 |
High school graduate or GED: 0 | |
Some college: 3 | |
Associate’s degree: 2 | |
Bachelor’s degree: 1 | |
Master’s degree: 1 | |
Employment Status (n) | Employed full time: 3 |
Employed part time: 1 | |
Self-employed: 1 | |
Out of work <1 year: 1 | |
Retired: 2 | |
Gross Annual Household Income (n) | $75,000–$99,999: 2 |
$100,000 or more: 4 | |
Preferred not to answer: 2 | |
Relationship/Household Status (n) | Married, with dependents: 6 |
Married, no dependents: 2 |
Theme 1: Resistance Training Program Modifications | |
Transition to videoconference training | * SAMPLE QUOTES |
| “I was already familiar with Zoom© anyway. And…so once we got online [began training remotely] t’was just making sure I had the [computer tablet] in a place that picked up the biggest viewing ability for her [the exercise trainer].”—ET female (Couple #4) |
“You know, it’s very convenient to not have to leave the house. To be able to be trained online. That was great!”—ET male (Couple #1) | |
“…even though we have a basement with workout equipment, based on the setup and the convenience and the comfort of training downstairs, it just wasn’t a good fit for us.”—ES female (Couple #2) | |
| “Well, I think she [exercise trainer] did an excellent job when she moved us online. We had no problems contacting her. We had no problems, you know, getting input from her when we were exercising and all that. Ya know, plus encouragement. I, I think she did a wonderful job.”—ET male (Couple #4) |
“…the same way he [exercise trainer] pushed me when we were in person, he actually pushed me like that on Zoom©.”—ES male (Couple #3) | |
“…when we were on Zoom©, to me it was hard for her to actually see. Even though she can see…you don’t get as much…so they can see how you’re doing. Whether you’re doing it [exercise movements] right or wrong.”—ET female (Couple #4) | |
“…she [exercise trainer] didn’t have any way of knowing up close and personal, what, what effort was being required to do what we were asked to do.”—ET male (Couple #1) | |
New resistance training modality | |
| “And sometimes I struggle with the weights. But um…I was used to ‘em [the laboratory resistance training machines]. But when you’re doing weights at home it’s kind of different it seems like. Um, but other than that, I mean, it was still a good workout.”—ES female (Couple #3) |
“I think you can gauge your progress so much more effectively with the apparatus [laboratory resistance training machines]…Like, yeah, it was like, it just wasn’t the same. It was a totally different experience.”—ET male (Couple #1) | |
“…with the new weights you are using your own body as a hydraulic which is…it is more challenging.”—ET female (Couple #1) | |
| “So, we’d have to take the time to adjust the weights then change it out, then change it back after she [partner] did her reps. And so, it was just more tedious.”—ET male (Couple #1) |
Theme 2: Partner Interactions | |
Perpetuated positive interactions | * SAMPLE QUOTES |
| “Once we left the gym and came here to the house, like she said…as soon as we got the equipment that we needed to continue on. I mean it’s like you’re already doing this, you might as well keep on doing it.”—ET male (Couple #4) |
| “Based on how she’s responded to the study…I’m really proud of her, that she’s been able to stick to the walking [during the pandemic]…”—ES male (Couple #2) |
Shift in couple unification | “Well, we had that commonality [prior to the interruption]. We were on the same page. We looked forward to it [exercising together in the laboratory]….I just don’t know what happened. It [exercising together at home] became a, ‘You’re going too fast. You’re not doing this right.’…There was a lot of friction.”—ET female (Couple #1) |
Theme 3: External Pandemic-Related Factors | |
Waiting to transition from laboratory to home-based resistance training | * SAMPLE QUOTES |
| “I feel like all the benefits of what we work[ed] for, for the first six weeks, were lost.”—ET male (Couple #1) |
| “So I think the challenges were, you know, we had to wait to get the equipment. So trying to make sure that we kept our own selves accountable…uh, until we could get some kind of assistance in our home.”—ET female (Couple #4) |
Unforeseeable circumstances | “…everything just changed because the whole situation in our life changed. My mindset changed. The fact that my [previously ill] parents [became inaccessible] and a lot of stuff happened. So uh, we just got in that fog like most people did during COVID.“—ET female (Couple #1) |
Pandemic weight control | “…I will say, because a lot of people have complained about the COVID-19 pounds that they gained, I have gained weight but I can’t imagine what I would have gained had I not continued to do the walking and getting some form of exercise.”—ES female (Couple #2) |
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Hornbuckle, L.M.; Cooke, W.M.; Rauer, A.; Barroso, C.S. African American Couples’ Experiences during an Exercise Intervention Interrupted by the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Case Study. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19, 4190. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19074190
Hornbuckle LM, Cooke WM, Rauer A, Barroso CS. African American Couples’ Experiences during an Exercise Intervention Interrupted by the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Case Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2022; 19(7):4190. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19074190
Chicago/Turabian StyleHornbuckle, Lyndsey M., Wendy McLean Cooke, Amy Rauer, and Cristina S. Barroso. 2022. "African American Couples’ Experiences during an Exercise Intervention Interrupted by the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Case Study" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19, no. 7: 4190. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19074190