Abstract
An Evaluation on the Sports Practices of Individuals Going to the Gym
Sports, which is one of today’s most important social phenomena, has numerous dimensions that are worth researching. The historical transformation of sports and how it is interpreted by individuals, differentiations in the motives for exercising sports, gender relations as well as the influence of socio-economic factors gain importance in the sociological analysis of sports. Actors/subjects can also play an active role in the field of sports. Sports activities, having become one of the important activity areas of urban life, are transforming into practices that are performed based on concerns and motives such as physical beauty, aesthetics and health, which also paves the way for addressing sports as a consumption material. While gyms/sports centres come to the fore as urban places providing services for individuals from all sections of the society, there exist some differences with regard to the sports practices of individuals going to the gyms. In this study conducted by using qualitative research methods, health has been found to be the main reason for exercising sports; however, it has also been observed that motives such as physical aesthetics and beauty are highly taken into consideration by individuals. Furthermore, it has been discovered that while the differences regarding gender are transforming when compared to the past, socio-economic factors become determinant, though not with sharp limits.
Keywords
Sports, Consumption, Gender, Socio-Economic Status
