80% of Poles are stuck in a sports rutine. Why is a variety of activities key to health?

21 października 2025

Poles rarely go beyond their training regimen. The MultiSport Index 2025 survey shows that although 64% of adults engage in physical activity at least once a month, in practice this means sporadic exercise, which can hardly be considered a lifestyle element that has a positive impact on health. Last year, only 16% of adults took up a new form of exercise while 30% of respondents declare such a willingness.

Various forms of activity, one key to health

From a medical point of view, a variety of physical activity is the key to preventive health care. Different types of exercise affect the body in different ways – they improve performance, strengthen muscles, increase the range of motion in joints and support mental health. That’s why the World Health Organisation recommends both regular aerobic exercise and strength training for adults.

Combining cardio (endurance) training, e.g. running or cycling, with strength training has a comprehensively beneficial effect on the body. It improves cardiovascular and respiratory fitness while strengthening muscles. It has a positive effect on mood, sleep and cognitive abilities and prevents bone osteoporosis, which translates into better overall condition, a lower risk of injury and a higher quality of life

- says Prof. Ernest Kuchar, specialist in sports medicine and infectious diseases from the Medical University of Warsaw.

He adds that this approach also works in competitive sports, where interspersing training in different sports disciplines (cross-training) allows us to develop muscle groups omitted in basic training, improves performance and reduces the risk of injuries.

Diversity is also particularly important for older people, as strength training prevents the loss of muscle mass and osteoporosis, while swimming or aquatic gymnastics allow for safe movement with minimal strain on joints – emphasises Prof. Kuchar.

Thus, diversity in activity is not only an investment in long-term health and disease prevention. It also provides real support in everyday functioning, helping people rest more effectively, cope with stress, and regain energy faster.

The paradox of consciousness and ambition

Poles know perfectly well that physical activity is crucial for health. 93% of respondents believe that varied forms of exercise have a positive impact on their psychophysical condition. The declarations go further: 68% of adults mention that they would not like to limit themselves to one discipline, and 30% plan to try a new physical activity.

Participants in this year’s MultiSport Index survey stated that they could be motivated to take up new physical activity by a loved one, health issues, as well as the availability of infrastructure and support from their employer. In the context of this last factor, it is worth considering that for 36% of Poles, access to a sports card is a significant contribution from the employer. The fact that this is an effective benefit is proven by the data from the MultiSport Programme. The indicator of the level of physical activity undertaken once a week is 84% for MultiSport Programme users, while for all respondents it is 48%. We also see that our card holders are open to exploring different disciplines and are eager to try new ones. The most popular tandem of disciplines practised by them is swimming in the pool and exercising in the gym or fitness clubs. Gyms and fitness clubs also “accompany” those who play squash, climb, or practise martial arts – says Kinga Kołodziej, Customer Relations Director at Benefit Systems.

Looking at the disciplines practised by physically active Poles, we can see that the most popular ones include cycling, running, gym exercises and fitness classes. Among people practising more than one discipline, cycling is most often combined or supplemented with walking or training at the gym, and running – with training at the gym, cycling or swimming.

Novelty stimulates the brain and motivation

Routine in physical activity can be the silent enemy of regularity. Monotonous workouts quickly lose their attractiveness, and boredom often leads to giving up exercise. Meanwhile, trying new activities not only makes it easier to stay engaged, but also gives one the chance to discover a discipline that is truly enjoyable. The novelty also stimulates biological mechanisms of motivation as varied activities activate the reward system in the brain more strongly and release dopamine, making the satisfaction from exercise greater and longer lasting¹.

Breaking the routine and setting yourself even small challenges forces the brain to adapt, thus supporting its neuroplasticity. Trying new things, including sports activities, learning something new, visiting previously unknown places stimulates our brain on a daily basis and prevents it from getting stuck

– says Mateusz Majchrzak, cognitive-behavioural psychotherapist, MultiSport expert.

He adds that it’s worth treating trying a new activity as a “behavioural experiment,” which involves confronting predictions with reality and allows us to better understand our own preferences.

We write down our expectations, that is “what will happen if I do something,” and then we confront it with reality. For example, someone is embarrassed to go to a fitness class with their colleagues because they think it will be awkward. We write down these predictions. But then we also immediately note what it was like. How did we feel during the experience? And the day after? Such experiments are very good at developing new beliefs or breaking old ones. It is in real life that we learn how we really function in each situation. It is difficult to figure it out while sitting on the couch. How are we supposed to know what we like more and what we like less if we haven’t tried it? – asks Mateusz Majchrzak.

Premierowy komunikat prasowy MultiSport Index 2025

¹https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7593334/

About the survey: The survey commissioned by the MultiSport brand was conducted on a representative random sample of 1,400 Poles aged 18+. The survey was conducted using computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) techniques. It was carried out in cooperation with the Minds & Roses agency between 25 July and 1 August 2025.

Barbara Jastrzębska

Senior PR Specialist Benefit Systems

539677460

Benefit Systems has been operating on the Polish market for over two decades and is one of the leaders in providing non-financial benefits that support employee wellbeing. The company is the creator of the MultiSport Programme, which enables physical activity in sports facilities throughout the country. Its portfolio also includes the MyBenefit cafeteria platform and the MultiLife wellbeing programme. For several years now, the company’s sports offer has been developed on foreign markets, including the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Croatia, and Turkey. The Benefit Systems Group also operates fitness clubs (in Poland it is responsible for Fabryka Formy, FitFabric, Fitness Academy, Good Luck, My Fitness Place, Saturn Fitness, StepONE, Total Fitness and Zdrofit networks). An important area of Benefit Systems activities is the promotion of an active lifestyle at every stage of life, which is why the company implements initiatives supporting physical activity of children, adults, and seniors, also as part of the MultiSport Foundation. Since 2018, Benefit Systems has been part of the global B Corp initiative, bringing together companies operating and engaging in solving the most important social problems. More information can be found at benefitsystems.pl/en.