Browsing by Author "Tikka, Lotta"

In today’s world and society physical exercise is constantly present in people’s conversations, as different points of view and current trends, in regards to exercise, strongly reflects the way we view our bodies. A healthy lifestyle, physical exercise as a part of it, are highly valued in our culture. The objective of this thesis was to observe physical exercise as a cultural, social and political phenomenon. The thesis describes the relationship between the physical activity of a person and the aspects and elements of his/her physical activity, as well as the factors influencing them. In addition, the construction of a physical relationship in the individual's life span is identified. The goal is to understand what drives people to move, and the different ways in which people are directed towards physical activity. The thesis was done as a literature review, ie a theoretical mapping of the research literature of the subject. The starting points for the thesis were based in the Social Sciences and a plethora of Finnish physiology studies were used as source literature. The point of the thesis is to present how exercise, in general, as a phenomenon, affects everyone. Every person has a relationship of sorts towards physical activity, which can manifest itself in many ways. In a world where sports surround us all, motivational encouragement in physical activity is justified, in particular, by its health benefits. The well-meaning intent may, however, partially turn against itself, as the exercise speech may also come as too strong of a guidance, or even in the form of forced exercise. The ideal of a model citizen is also produced through exercise speeches, while some people may feel completely left out. Exercise has become an instrument for controlling one’s body, which allows a person to implement a suitable, continuous self-improvement project.