“Making Gymnastics Enjoyable and Sustainable:” Positioning Gymnastics in Physical Education through Individual Interest Bolstering Study Engagement for a Lifelong and Healthy Lifestyle

While individual interest has been widely associated with student engagement across academic domains, its role in specialized physical education courses like gymnastics remains underexplored in Philippine higher education. This study examined the association between students’ individual interest in gymnastics and their study engagement in the subject. A total of 293 undergraduate students enrolled in a specialized physical education course that includes gymnastics at a state university in the Philippines participated in the study. Individual interest was conceptualized to three factors: positive affect and willingness to reengage (PAWR), stored utility value (SUV), and stored attainment value and knowledge-seeking intentions (SAVKSI). Multiple regression analysis revealed that overall individual interest in gymnastics is significantly associated with study engagement. However, when examined individually, only SUV showed a significant positive association, while PAWR and SAVKSI did not. These findings suggest that when students perceive the practical usefulness of gymnastics, particularly its contribution to fitness and long-term health, they are more likely to be academically engaged. Physical education instructors are thus encouraged to design lessons that highlight the real-life applicability of gymnastics to sustain student interest and engagement. Future research should explore how individual interest can be nurtured through innovative teaching approaches, integration of gymnastics with other movement disciplines, or across diverse student populations. This study supports the positioning of gymnastics as a sustainable component of university curricula to foster lifelong health promotion and active lifestyles.