Heart rate response and fitness effects of various types of physical education for 8- to 9-year-old schoolchildren

Abstract

The present study investigated the heart rate (HR) response to various types of physical education (PE) activities for 8- to 9-year-olds (five school classes, n = 93) and the fitness effects of a short-term PE training programme (three of the five classes, n = 59) with high compared to low-to-moderate aerobic intensity. HR was recorded during small-sided indoor soccer (SO), basketball (BB), unihockey (UH), circuit training (CT), walking (W) and Nintendo Wii Boxing (NWB) and Nintendo Wii Tennis (NWT). Maximal HR (HRmax) and physical fitness was determined by the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Level 1 Children's test (YYIR1C) test. Following cluster randomisation, three classes were tested before and after 6 wks with 2 × 30 min/wk SO and UH lessons [high-intensity (HI), 2 classes, n = 39] or low-to-moderate intensity PE lessons (CON, 1 class, n = 20). Average HR in SO (76 ± 1% HRmax), BA (77 ± 1% HRmax) and UH (74 ± 1% HRmax) was higher (P < 0.05) than in CT (62 ± 1% HRmax), W (57 ± 1% HRmax), NWB (65 ± 2% HRmax) and NWT (57 ± 1% HRmax). Time with HR > 80% and 90% HRmax, respectively, was higher (P < 0.05) in SO (42 ± 4 and 12 ± 2%), BB (41 ± 5 and 13 ± 3%) and UH (34 ± 3 and 9 ± 2%) than in CT, W and NW (0–5%), with time >80% HRmax being higher (P < 0.05) in SO than UH. After 6 wk, YYIR1C performance was increased (P < 0.05) by 22% in HI (673 ± 57 to 821 ± 71 m), but unaltered in CON (674 ± 88 to 568 ± 81 m). HR 2 min into YYIR1C was lowered (P < 0.05) in HI after 6 wks (92.4 ± 0.8 to 89.1 ± 0.9% HRmax), but not in CON. In conclusion, ball games elicited high aerobic loading for young schoolchildren and a short-term, low-volume ball game PE-intervention improved physical fitness. Traditional PE sessions had no effects on intermittent exercise performance.

Keywords:

• Physical education
• exercise intensity
• sub-maximal heart rate
• intermittent exercise performance
• association football
• Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Level 1 Children's test

Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the Danish Sports Confederation (Danmarks Idrætsforbund), Team Denmark (Team Danmark), the Danish Football Association (Dansk Boldspil-Union), and Nordea-fonden, Denmark. The authors would like to thank the participating pupils, teachers and schools for their contribution and enthusiasm and the Municipality of Copenhagen for collaboration and assistance. A special thanks to Lone Hansen for her enthusiasm and much good advice. We would also like to thank Karina Westh and Casper Skovgaard Andersen for excellent technical assistance.