Effects of a Four-Week Training Program on Certain Physical Fitness Components of Conditioned Male University Students

Abstract

The effects of a 4-week training program on changes in body girth, subcutaneous tissue, muscular strength and endurance, and cardiovascular fitness of physically conditioned young men were investigated. Seventeen members of a karate class from the University of Minnesota were randomly assigned to an experimental group (N = 11) and a control group (N = 6). The experimental group did heavy resistive isotonic exercises (10-RM) geared for total body participation. The experimental group exercised for 20 min. three times per week in addition to participation in a karate class. The control group participated in karate class only. The experimental group decreased in all skinfold measurements and increased in all girth measurements except the waist girth. The control group displayed marked differences in the triceps skinfold (decreases) and the waist girth (increase) measurements. The experimental group significantly improved on the physical fitness index while the control group did not improve. Both groups displayed small gains in cardiovascular fitness. The results of the study indicate that, for physically conditioned young males, exercising of this kind brings about changes in girth and skinfold measurements, improves muscular strength and endurance, and has a small positive effect on improvement of the cardiovascular fitness level.