Table 1 The right strength exercises – relative versus absolute

Although the reasoning is simple, not all strength exercises are appropriate. Heavier people are stronger in absolute sense. This means that strength exercises where someone’s own body weight plays a role (so called relative strength exercises like doing push-ups) can still be experienced as something negative. Absolute strength exercises (like strength exercises with free weights) can result in the intrinsic reward that is absent in other physical activities.

An extra dimension that makes strength exercises more fun, is when being valued based on qualities. A strength exercise where peers say “you win because you are fat” (like tug of war) is less motivating compared to an exercise with free weights or medicine balls where the reaction is “you are good because you are strong!”