MultiSport Index Press Releases
A total of 6 out of 10 Czechs are discouraged from regular workouts due to rising prices as shown by the MultiSport Index survey. The number of athletes who have encountered an increase in the cost of sports facilities has already risen by half. However, Czechs want to work out with a total of 87% engaging in physical activity at least once a month. However, due to financial pressures, it still doesn’t reach the recommended dose of healthy workouts. Czechs also go for fewer walks while the popularity of fitness centers has increased with 15% of respondents visiting them. However, they won’t escape the price growth there. Moreover, Czech children also lack sufficient amount of workouts.
The current financial situation also affects the state of sports and physical activity in the Czech Republic, which has been unable to recover from the consequences of the pandemic. As a result, the crisis has forced a total of 6 out of 10 Czechs to visit sports facilities less often. This was shown by the MultiSport Index survey, which has been conducted by MultiSport Benefit in collaboration with NMS Market Research since 2019.
The average monthly expenses of Czechs for sports activities have increased by 18% in the last year and nearly half of them have encountered an increase in the cost of sports facilities. Some form of investment in sports activities had to be limited for 53% of Czechs. The increase in price did not deter only a third of the respondents from physical activities and visiting sports facilities.
“After the end of the coronavirus pandemic, Czechs returned to physical activity. Two-thirds of them consider themselves athletes, which is half more than last year. However, one of the main obstacles to regular workout is the pressure of the current financial crisis. A third of people are hindered by a lack of money from living a healthier lifestyle. Only 15% of respondents stated that they have no barriers and live healthy. Our goal is, of course, to increase this number,” explains Miroslav Rech, CEO of MultiSport Benefit, which provides the popular MultiSport Card.
Monthly Expenses of Czechs for Using Sports Facilities and Sports Activities
As the results of the MultiSport Index survey show, Czechs do want to work out. However, only 6 out of 10 people engage in physical activity at least twice a week. Despite the fact that almost 10% of Czechs, who do not invest in sports at all have decreased compared to 2021, the current financial crisis, which is making sports more expensive, could deepen the decline of athletes and hinder the growth of a healthy lifestyle in the Czech Republic.
“It seems that Czechs have thrown themselves into sports with enthusiasm after COVID. However, 42% of them do not work out even twice a week, while the recommended healthy dose of workouts for an adult is three times a week. Only then can a healthy lifestyle be maintained, taking care of one’s own health and preventing possible health complications,” comments Associate Professor Dalibor Pastucha, a pediatrician and physical education doctor from the Faculty of Medicine at Ostrava University.
How Often Do You work out?
With the end of the pandemic, interest in walks and hikes in the mountains has also decreased. Compared to 2021, when 52% of Czechs went out to the nature for walks, only 48% of respondents now engage in hiking. Similarly, the popularity of yoga and pilates has also decreased, practiced by only 14% of respondents. As shown by the MultiSport Index survey, on the other hand, the popularity of swimming and fitness centers has increased. 26% of Czechs regularly visit swimming pools and a total of 15% of them head to the gym for strength training. These are also the two most common sports facilities that will not escape price increases.
What Sports Do You Engage In?
“Despite walks are still being among the most popular sports, their popularity has decreased compared to last year. On the other hand, we can notice an increase not only in the so-called intensive sports, which include strength training in the gym, dancing or treadmill running, but also in recreational sports, where swimming is primarily included. However, the majority of Czechs still cannot devote themselves to them in a sufficient measure. In addition to the already mentioned financial barrier, the most common obstacle for them is a lack of time or will,” says Miroslav Rech.
On the other hand, the motivation for regular workouts for more than two-thirds of Czechs is to feel good physically and mentally, for 24% of them, this is the main reason why they work out. Nearly a tenth of Czechs work out for weight loss or muscle gain and 6% of them find regular workouts helpful in reducing stress. Movement is also perceived as a prevention of future illnesses by 6% of athletes. For fun or to improve their fitness, men work out more frequently, while women do it to reduce stress or to feel better mentally.
After the end of the pandemic, 44% of Czech children started to engage in physical activity. Despite the fact that now 47% more children are actively involved in sports than in 2021, this emerging positive trend could be slowed down by the economic crisis. This forced 17% of parents to limit or plan restrictions on spending on sports for their children. More than one fifth of parents do not spend a single extra crown on physical activities for their children. More and more parents are calling for greater state support for physical activity for children.
“Parents who call for higher state support for physical activity for children already make up almost two-thirds, which is not a small number. Regular physical activity is an integral part of the children‘s healthy development and its absence can lead to future health problems such as carrying excess weight leading to obesity. Physical activity in children can also increase muscle and bone strength and can even improve concentration at school. Support for sports from the state is therefore crucial in the current financial situation,” concludes Rech.
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