Study Regarding Fitness Improvement Using Step Aerobics Programs
Abstract
Step aerobics represents and efficient and pleasant alternative for achieving fitness. Through its contents, this type of activity contributes to developing resistance, strength of lower body muscles and, not least, coordination.
The purpose of this paper is to note whether – after practicing systemati- cally the aerobic effort using step aerobics programs – muscles become more toned, joint mobility and muscle elasticity increase and whether balance and motor memory improve.
The hypothesis of the paper was the following: by using the step aerobic pro- gram, we can improve the fitness of people who practice this type of physical activity.
The sample within our research comprised 30 women aged between 20 and
35. The study was conducted throughout a year and trainings took place three times a week. The step aerobic sessions lasted for 60 minutes. The tests ap- plied to the research sample were as follows: test for abdominal and arm mus- cle strength and resistance; assessment of spine mobility in anterior plane; balance test; push-ups; and motor memory.
Findings
The values of mean and of standard deviation in the test for abdominal and arm muscle strength and resistance improved from 8.2±2.97 in the initial testing, to 13.00±1.94, while the variability coefficient dropped from 36.21% to 14.92%. In the test for joint mobility and muscle elasticity, the values in- creased from 22.8±5.91 to 28.9±4.92, while the variability coefficient de-
creased from 25.93% to 17.05%. Regarding the balance test, values recorded a progress from 2.8±0.78 balance losses to 1.2±0.48, while homogeneity im- proved from 27.85% to 15.70%. As for the test of arm muscle strength, val- ues augmented from 6.3±1.63 initially to 8.8 ± 1.13 in the end, while homo- geneity increased from 25.87% to 12.84%. Furthermore, the values of motor memory testing augmented from 4.3± 1.25 to 7.2± 0.78, while homogeneity from 29.10% to 10.95%.
Conclusions
After processing and interpreting the results, we posit that step aerobic pro- grams contributed to the fitness improvement of female practitioners; thus, the paper hypothesis was confirmed.
References
Grosu, E.F., Popovici, C., Mihaiu, C. (2010). Locul şi rolul fit- ness-ului în ştiinţa sportului, Editura G.M.I., Cluj-Napoca, p.
Kalidas K., Tapas M. (2016). Comparative study on physical fitness between physical education students and general stu- dents, International Journal of Physical Education, Sports and Health, 3(1): 223-226.
Orţănescu, D., Nanu, C., Cosma, G. (2007). Aerobic. Metodica predării, Editura Universitaria, Craiova, p. 27.
Chaddock, L., Pontifex, B.M., Hillman, H.C., & Arthur F.
Kramer F.A. (2011). A Review of the Relation of Aerobic Fit- ness and Physical Activity to Brain Structure and Function in Children, Journal of the International Neuropsychological So- ciety, 17: 1–11.
Moliner-Urdiales, D., Ruiz, J. R., Ortega, F. B., Jimenez-Pa- von, D., Vicente-Rodriguez, G., Rey-Lopez, J. P. et al. (2010). Secular trends in health-related physical fitness in Spanish ado- lescents The AVENA and HELENA Studies. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 13(6): 584-588.
Ochoa, M. C., Moreno-Aliaga, M. J., Martinez-Gonzalez, M.
A., Martinez, J. A., Marti, A. and Members, G. (2007). Predic- tor factors for childhood obesity in a Spanish case-control study. Nutrition, 23(5): 379-384.
Vicente-Rodriguez, G., Rey-Lopez, J. P., Martin-Matillas, M., Moreno, L. A., Warnberg, J., Redondo, C. et al. (2008). Televi- sion watching, videogames, and excess of body fat in Spanish adolescents: The AVENA study. Nutrition, 24(7-8): 654-662.
Hoeger, W.K., Hoeger. A.S., (2011). Fitness and Wellness. Ninth
Edition, Publisher: Cengage Learning, USA, p. 9.
Balsalobrea F.J.B., Sáncheza G.F.L., Suárez A.D., (2014). Re- lationships between physical fitness and physical self-concept in Spanish adolescents, Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sci- ences, vol. 132: 343 – 350.
Halil İ.C., Gönül B.I., Özcan, S. (2014). Examining of the ef- fects of aerobic dance and step dance exercises on some hema- tological parameters and blood lipids. International Journal of Human Sciences, 11(2): 980- 991.
Mavrić, F., Kahrović, I., Muric, B., Radenkovic, O. (2014). The Effects of Regular Physical Exercise on the Human Body. Phys- ical Culture, 68(1): 29-38.
Tan Chee H., Zainal Fikiri M., Tham Yin C., (2013). Physical Fitness Level between Urban and Rural Students- Case Study, Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, vol. 90: 847 – 852.
Uzunosmanoglu, E.,Gursel, F., Arslan F. (2012). The effect of inquiry-based learning model on health-related fitness, Proce- dia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, vol. 47: 1906 – 1910.
Nanu, M.N. (2009). Gimnastică aerobică. Mijloc de optimizare a condiţiei fizice, Editura Universitaria, Craiova, p. 35.
Blair, N.S., Cheng, Y., & Holder, S.J., (2001). Is physical activ- ity or physical fitness more important in defining health ben- efits? Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, p. 379-399.
Kaminsky, L., (2010). ACSM’s health-related physical fitness assessment manual. 3rd edition, American College of Sports Medicine, p. 4.
Nikić, N., Milenković D. (2013). Efficiency of step aerobic pro- gram in younger women. Acta Medica Medianae, 52(3): 25-34.
Hallage, T., Krause, M.P., Haile, L., Miculis, C.P., Nagle, E.F., Reis, R.S., Da Silva, S.G. 2010). The Effects of 12 Weeks of Step Aerobics Training on Functional Fitness of Elderly Wom- en, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 24(8): 2261-
Bavl, O., (2016). Investigation into the Effects of Eight Weeks of Step Aerobic Dance Practice on Static Balance, Flexibility and Selected Basketball Skills in Young Basketball Players. Journal of Education and Training Studies, 4(5)5: 233-238.
Kraemer WJ, et al. (2001). Resistance training combined with bench-step aerobics enhances women’s health profile. Medicine
& Science in Sports & Exercise; 33(2): 259-69
Błażkiewicz, M., Wiszomirska, I., Kaczmarczyk, K., Brzusz- kiewicz-Kuźmicka, G., Wit, A. (2016). Lower limb loading dur- ing knee up in step aerobics: a pilot study, Biomedical Human Kinetics, 8: 124–130.
Santos-Rocha R.A. (2006). Assessment of Biomechanical Load- ing in Musculoskeletal Structures of the Lower Limb. Biome- chanical Model of Step Exercise, in Faculty of Human Kinetics. Technical University of Lisbon, Portugal.
Cai Z, Chen WC, Wen HJ. (2014). Effects of a group-based step aerobics training on sleep quality and melatonin levels in sleep-impaired postmenopausal women. Journal Strength Conditioning, 28: 2597–2603.
Harden SM, McEwan D, Sylvester BD, Kaulius M, Ruissen G, Burke SM, Estabrooks PA, Beauchamp MR (2015). Under- standing for whom, under what conditions, and how group- based physical activity interventions are successful: a realist review. BMC Public Health, 15: 958.
