Affective and Motivational Experiences of Mindful and Distracted Walking at Moderately High Intensity

Previous research reported that distraction strategies (e.g., music, podcast) result in more positive exercise experiences compared to no strategy or association (internal attention) strategies. Mindfulness is considered an associative strategy that also includes awareness with acceptance and non-judgement. Initial evidence suggests mindful exercise is similar in affective experience to distracted exercise. Whether these results for mindful associative attention hold at a controlled higher intensity is not clear. Therefore, this study tested if a guided mindful exercise condition differed from a podcast (distraction) exercise condition on affective and motivational responses at a controlled moderately high exercise intensity.

An inactive female sample (n = 30) participated in a within-subjects crossover design consisting of a baseline and counterbalanced mindful and podcast 20-min continuous walking exercise conditions 1 week apart. Affect (in-task and post-task) and motivational responses were recorded. An interview to gather in-depth experiential responses was conducted after the final session.

Experimental manipulation was supported with significantly higher (p < 0.001) state mindfulness and internal focus in the mindful compared to the podcast condition. No other differences (p > 0.05) emerged across the two conditions on any affect or cognitive outcomes. However, interviews revealed some aversive experiences to mindfulness condition by a third of the sample. Those high on trait intrinsic motivation experienced higher state intrinsic motivation, but only in the mindfulness condition.

Results help guide how and for whom guided mindfulness can be used to support positive exercise experiences. Those who do not appreciate the sensations of exercise experience may not benefit from an acute mindful exercise experience.

This study is not preregistered.