The influence of a physical fitness appraisal and exercise counselling on selected measures of fitness
Date
1981
Authors
Petersen, Stewart Richard
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Abstract
This study was undertaken to investigate changes in physical activity patterns and physical fitness characteristics of subjects after they had received a physical fitness test and exercise prescription.
Thirty-two male police officers between the ages of 20 and 49 years were tested and individual training programmes were prescribed. Twelve months later, 17 of the officers were retested. At that time an additional 16 officers were tested to provide control data (C₇₉).
No differences (p <.05) were observed on the variables of age, height, weight, skinfold thickness, trunk flexion, or treadmill time between the data sets of those subjects who ultimately returned for the second test (Experimental Group) and those who did not (C₇₈).
Following the twelve months of training, improvements were noted between the 1978 and 1979 data sets for the Experimental Group on the following variables:
1. treadmill time (p . < .001) for tne group with ages pooled (20-49 years);
2. treadmill time (p < .003) for the younger age category (20-34 years); and
3. trunk flexion (p < .03) for the older age category (35-49 years).
No differences in physical and performance characteristics were observed between the data sets of subjects who had received the treatment (Experimental Group) and subjects who had not (C₇₉).
The results of the study suggest that white the Experimental Group demonstrated increased levels of physical fitness following the treatment, their physical and performance characteristics did not differ from the Control Group (C₇₉) who had not received the treatment. It appeared that factors other than the treatment may have caused a similar increase in physical performance capability.