Barriers to Resistance Training among College-Aged Women

Objective: To examine resistance training (RT) barriers among college-aged women. Participants: Female college students (n = 223) from a Midwestern university. Methods: Data were collected in September 2014. Participants completed a survey assessing demographics, current and past RT habits, and barriers to resistance training. Descriptive statistics were used to examine barrier agreement. Differences between current and past RT participation, residency, and class standing were analyzed. Results: A majority of participants were Caucasian (78.9%) and, on average, 19.7 ± 1.5 years of age; 52% participated in RT and 46.6% met RT recommendations. Women who did not report current RT participation reported significantly higher mean agreement with all barriers, compared to those who do RT. Highest agreement was observed within socially based barriers. Conclusion: A majority of college-aged women are not meeting RT recommendations. Providing educational programs and avenues for finding same-sex RT partners may be most beneficial for overcoming common RT barriers.