A ten-week physical activity program for children ages nine to ten

This study implemented a fitness program for children and evaluated the benefits of a ten-week musculoskeletal and cardiorespiratory program. Participants in the study were selected from an after-school program entitled "All for Fun and Fun for All." Participants in the study included three boys who were pre and post-tested in each of the following areas of fitness: cardiorespiratory fitness (assessed with a treadmill protocol), muscular strength (assessed using the Physical Best chin-up protocol), muscular endurance (assessed using the Physical Best sit-ups protocol), body composition (assessed using a two-site caliper measurement), and a flexibility test (using the Physical Best sit-and-reach protocol). A psychological component was also analyzed using the Student Self Concept Scale (SSCS) for the pre and posttest measurement of self-esteem.Participants of the study attended the after-school training program three days each week for ten weeks. A control group was used in the study. Due to the low participation of the experimental and control group participants (n=2), the data collected was analyzed qualitatively for both groups.Changes were seen in posttesting in both groups. The SSCS composite scores for both control group and the experimental group showed positive changes. The experimental group composite score for self-esteem demonstrated a 5% increase and 30% increase for the control group. The composite score for outcome confidence demonstrated a 25% increase for the experimental participants and a 7% increase in the control group.Two of the three experimental group participants demonstrated improvements in muscular endurance, flexibility, muscular strength, while all three had lower resting heart rates recorded in posttests as compared to pretests. Both of the control group participants had slightly higher resting heart rates in posttesting. Both control group participants demonstrated no change in muscular strength, slight reductions in flexibility, and variable changes in muscular endurance.Due to the fact that all of the children in the training program wanted to continue being involved in the after-school program after the study was completed, and the benefits seen through the testing data, this type of program may be a positive intervention to reverse the trend of declining levels of children's physical fitness. The potential psychological benefits may also be a reason for offering a program of this type to children. More studies should be performed on larger sample groups to support this research.School of Physical EducationThesis (M.S.