A study of the effects of two physical fitness programs on second and fifth grade children in terms of endurance, abdominal strength, and flexibility.

Abstract

Second and fifth grade students were involved in an 8-week, 5- or 10-minute physical fitness program. Four experimental groups (2 second and 2 fifth grades) and two control groups (1 second and 1 fifth grade) were pretested and posttested in the 9-minute run, sit-ups, and the sit-and-reach. The data were subjected to an analysis of variance to determine if there are significant differences in mean gains between experimental and control groups, between sexes within each group, between the 5- and 10-minute physical fitness program, and between second and fifth grade experimental groups. Results reveal significance for three experimental groups in the 9-minute run and one experimental group in the sit-ups test. The only group to show significant differences between sexes is the fifth grade control group in all three tests. No significance is revealed between the 5- and 10-minute program or between the second and fifth grade groups. The .05 level was utilized to determine significance.