Effect of weekly sports participation through physical education class at university on muscle strength and power in the lower body

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare lower body-based physical fitness tests of university students before and after 15-week of sports activity in a university physical education class. Eighty male university students participated in this study. They took a physical education class (softball, futsal or basketball) in university once a week for 10 weeks. Measurements taken at 2nd and 3rd class (pre) and at 14th and 15th class (post) were: body weight, body mass index (BMI), systolic and diastolic blood pressures (SBP and DBP), resting heart rate, muscle thickness (MT) for anterior and posterior thigh and posterior lower leg, girth for thigh and lower leg, muscle strength margin with squat-to-stand motion (MSM), knee extension muscle strength (KE), standing broad jump (SBJ), 30-s chair test (CS-30), one-legged standing with eyes closed and handgrip (HG). Body weight, BMI, SBP and DBP were decreased (p < 0.05) from pre to post (Body weight: 62.8 ± 8.2 kg vs. 61.8 ± 7.4 kg, BMI: 21.5 ± 2.6 kg/m² vs. 20.9 ± 3.3 kg/m², SBP : 118.6 ± 10.2 mmHg vs. 112.3 ± 10.3 mmHg, DBP : 71.0 ± 9.1 mmHg vs. 65.8 ± 9.2 mmHg, respectively). There were differences (p < 0.05) in MT between pre and post for posterior thigh and lower leg, but not for anterior thigh. MSM, SBJ and CS-30 were increased (p < 0.05) from pre to post (MSM: 197.7 ± 17.8% vs. 202.4 ± 20.1%, SBJ: 211.4 ± 0.2 cm vs. 221.5 ± 0.2 cm, CS-30: 36.9 ± 4.0 times vs. 39.2 ± 4.3 times, respectively). There was no difference (p > 0.05) between pre and post in KE (41.6 ± 9.2 kg vs. 43.3 ± 9.5 kg). One-legged standing with eyes closed was increased (p < 0.05) from pre to post (60.4 ± 37.1 sec vs. 77.0 ± 40.4 sec). Our results indicate that weekly sports activity in a university physical education class effects in lower muscle strength and power in university students.