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Effect of a six‐month training programme on the physical capacities of Romanian schoolchildren
Author(s) -
Serbescu Carmen,
Flora Dorina,
Hantiu Iacob,
Greene David,
Benhamou Claude Laurent,
Courteix Daniel
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
acta pædiatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1080/08035250600599719
Subject(s) - multi stage fitness test , cardiorespiratory fitness , medicine , physical therapy , physical fitness , long jump , motor skill , jump , physics , quantum mechanics , psychiatry
Aim : To analyse the effects of a training programme on the motor performance of Romanian schoolchildren. Methods : A total of 178 boys (9.5±0.8 y, 34±9 kg, 137.6±8 cm) and 192 girls (9.6±0.4 y, 32.7±7.6 kg, 136.9±7.5 cm) were randomly selected for the training group (TG) (n=198, 109 girls, 89 boys) and control group (CG) (n=172, 83 girls, 89 boys). The TG completed a 6‐mo extracurricular training programme (two 50‐min sessions per week) involving moderate‐intensity impact exercises. At baseline and at follow‐up, the EUROFIT tests were administered, and body composition, skeletal maturation and BMI were calculated. Results : At baseline there were no differences in physical characteristics between TG and CG. With the exception of cardiorespiratory endurance, both groups improved motor performances at follow‐up. However, for TG boys the improvement was greater than for CG boys in the plate‐tapping (+37.2%), sit‐up (+20.4%), standing broad‐jump (+13%) and shuttle‐run tests (+3.8%). TG girls improved more than CG girls only in the standing broad‐jump (+18.8%) and shuttle‐run (+8.5%) tests. Conclusion : Boys and girls in trained groups demonstrated greater increases in some tests of motor performance compared to their untrained peers. Two extra sessions of physical education per week were sufficient to elicit improvements in a number of components of motor fitness.