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Effect of the Resistance Exercise on Elementary School Students’ Physical Fitness

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Abstract

Background

Physical activity programs using components of resistance have the potential to improve health in school children. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a school-based resistance exercise program on physical fitness in elementary school students.

Methods

The sample was 256 children (mean age = 8.3 ± 2.5 years; 119 girls) from kindergarten to 5th grade. Participants performed a 10-min resistance exercise 2–3 times in each school day. Physical fitness outcomes were assessed using President’s Physical Fitness Challenge test. Measures were collected at baseline and at a 6-month post-test time point. A 2 × 2 doubly MANOVA was employed to examine the effect of sex and time.

Results

The multivariate model was statistically significant with a main time effect (Wilks’ λ = 0.19, F = 290.9, P < 0.001). Follow-univariate tests found significant differences between time-points on flex arm hang (P = 0.033), shuttle run (P < 0.001), and 1-mile run/walk times (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

A 6-month resistance exercise program improved upper body strength and cardiorespiratory endurance in elementary school aged children. The use of resistance exercise intervention during school day can be effectively used to promote physical fitness and ultimately improve the health of children.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the school students and teachers who participated in this study, and the graduate assistants who aided in the data collection process.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Community Health Sciences, University of Nevada, Reno, 1664 N. Virginia Street, Reno, NV, 89557, USA

    You Fu & Nora Constantino

  2. Department of Health, Kinesiology, and Recreation, College of Health, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA

    Ryan D. Burns

  3. Fitness and Recreational Sports, University of Nevada, Reno, 1664 N. Virginia Street, Reno, NV, 89557, USA

    Jim Fitzsimmons

  4. Department of Physical Education Teacher Education, East Stroudsburg University, 200 Prospect Street, East Stroudsburg, PA, 18301, USA

    Peng Zhang

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  1. You Fu
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  2. Ryan D. Burns
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  5. Peng Zhang
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to You Fu.

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Ethics Approval

The University of Nevada, Reno Institutional Review Board approved the study protocols.

Informed Consent

In this study, written assent was obtained from the children and consent was obtained from the parents prior to data collection.

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Fu, Y., Burns, R.D., Constantino, N. et al. Effect of the Resistance Exercise on Elementary School Students’ Physical Fitness. J. of SCI. IN SPORT AND EXERCISE 1, 184–191 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42978-019-0022-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42978-019-0022-7

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