Leisure Habits of Professional Kickboxers

The aim of this study is to understand the meaning and function that professional kickboxers attribute to their leisure time, their subjective experiences, how they organize it, and the motivations that guide them in using their leisure time by analyzing it with a qualitative and phenomenological approach. This study adopts a descriptive phenomenological approach, a qualitative research methodology, to deeply analyze the subjective experiences of athletes. The “homogeneous case sampling” method was used to determine the sample group. Interviews were conducted with 14 kickboxing athletes who have national and international rankings. A “semi-structured interview form” developed by the researchers was used in the data collection processes. While creating the interview forms, relevant literature was reviewed, and the pilot interview questions were presented to two athletes who are experts in the relevant branches and two academics in the fields of sports sciences and leisure for review in terms of understandability and scope, and updates were made based on their suggestions. During the interviews, voice recorders were used with the permission of the participants. The MAXQDA 2020 program was used in the data analysis. Thirteen codes and subcodes emerged after the analysis of the data obtained from the interviews. These codes were grouped under the themes of “perception, need, and function of leisure time, athlete identity and intensity, leisure time activities, social interaction and emotional support.” Based on the findings from the study, it is clear that athletes involved in professional kickboxing view leisure as crucial for physical and mental recovery, stress management, and personal balance. However, the intense dynamics of athletic life severely limit access to these opportunities. Consequently, it is recommended that individuals raise awareness of the importance of leisure and encourage recreational activities, personal recovery, socialization, and development practices to complement athletes’ mental and physical health without compromising their athletic life.

Cite this article as: Arıcı, M., & Deryahanoğlu, G. (2026). Leisure habits of professional kickboxers. Research in Sports Science, 16, 0112, doi: 10.5152/rss.2026.25112.