The character of physical fitness in aged gateball players / 体力科学

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to determine the difference in physical fitness between aged gateball players (mean age =72.4yrs.) and people not engaged in exercise (mean age=72.4yrs.), ranging in age from 59 to 89 years.<BR>The sample sizes are as follows ; gateball players : male=68, female=36/people not engaged in exercise : male =21, female =52.<BR>A total of 11 tests representing each physical fitness domain were selected, considering aged people's physical condition.<BR>These tests and the questionnaire on their health and exercise participation were administered to them.<BR>A two-way analysis of variance was used to determine the differences of 11 physical fitness elements.<BR>The results can be summarized as follows:<BR>1. Aged gateball players are more self-confident about their health and physical fitness than people not engaged in exercise with a similar age. The latter tend to complain about their health conditions more frequently.<BR>2. Male gateball players showed significant higher scores in vertical jump and sit-andreach tests, and female gateball players in a tapping test, as compared with people not engaged in exercise.<BR>Overall, gateball players seemed to be healthier and to possess better physical fitness.<BR>3. Although a significant difference in standing height was found between gateball players and people not engaged in exercise in females, this was considered to depend mainly on the difference of standing posture.<BR>4. From examining correlations between the age and physical fitness elements, gateball exercise seemed to be useful to keep up aged people's health and to prevent their physical fitness from declining.