Introduction and Research Questions

Ethnography is a reality-focused research method that has become increasingly popular throughout the years. This type of research provides qualitative findings pertaining to consumers, lives, habits and practices by observing people in their everyday lives and in their everyday environments. According to Clifford Geertz, author of Interpretation of Cultures, observations and findings obtained from ethnographic research represent “webs of meaning”, in other words, in-depth understandings of individuals everyday life practices (Geertz, 1973).
The research group chose to study behaviors and mannerisms particularly associated with subculture groups seen in gym environments. This topic of research was chosen not just because these subculture groups are unique, since they are only seen within a gym environment, but because fitness and health are very important and relevant topics to the current concerns society faces today such as, obesity.
According to the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association and Industry Insights, Inc (IHRSA), there were over 45 million Americans that belonged to a gym or health club in 2010 (IHRSA, 2010). However, obesity is a growing concern. Shockingly, there are major obesity concerns pertaining to the target demographic group, which is gym-goers between the ages of 18 to 39. The IHRSA found that the largest group of gym members are between the ages of 18 to 45 (IRHSA, 2010). Yet, key findings from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted in 2011 through 2012 showed that 30.3% of individuals between the ages of 20 to 39 were obese (NCHS, 2011-2012).
Some excuses for not going to the gym and living a healthy lifestyle, which are leading to obesity issues, stem from people feeling intimidated by gym’s subcultures. Two of the most common reasons for not going the gym