Journal Paper

Introduction: the perceived instructor quality (PIQ), in fitness group activities (GA), plays a vital
role in users’ satisfaction, motivation, and long-term engagement with fitness services.
Objective: this study aimed to assess and compare PIQ from both user and instructor perspectives,
and to analyze how user perceptions vary according to gender, age group, and club attended.
Methodology: a total of 270 users and 32 instructors from five clubs of a fitness chain in Portugal
completed an adapted version of the QIF-AG questionnaire, assessing 10 IQ items. Statistical
analyses included independent samples t-tests and one-way ANOVA, with Tukey post hoc comparisons.
Results: results showed that users consistently rated instructors more positively than the instructors
themselves, with statistically significant differences in their communication, punctuality,
and knowledge. Female users reported higher IQ scores than males, particularly in relational
dimension. While age-related differences were not statistically significant, younger users
tended to give higher ratings across most items. Significant variations were also found among
the clubs, some showing more favorable ratings, especially in technical-pedagogical dimension.
Discussion: findings underscored the multidimensional and context-sensitive nature of users
PIQ. Fitness professionals and managers are encouraged to implement targeted quality improvement
strategies, considering the user profiles and club characteristics.
Conclusions: this investigation highlights the value of integrating multiple perspectives and
contextual variables when assessing service quality in fitness.