Thesis (Ed.M.)--Boston University

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a twice-weekly thirty-minute 'physical conditioning class' in improving the Cardiovascular Condition and Motor Fitness of male college freshmen at the University of British Columbia. It was hypothesized that selected measurements of the physical fitness of the sample would be improved significantly by the programme. Fifteen subjects, selected randomly from a larger number in the conditioning class, were given a fitness test battery prior to and at the end of the eight week conditioning programme. The gains in fitness measured were evaluated in terms of statistical significance and in terms of standard scores previously established for normal young college men. A statistical comparison of the experimental group and a large sample of first year students tested in 1962 was made for the variables height, weight and motor performance. The two groups were found to be sufficiently alike to consider the experimental group as reasonably representative of male college freshmen enrolled in the Required Programme at the University. In almost all of the variables studied, approximately two-thirds of the subjects showed changes which were in the direction of increased physical fitness. All but one of the twenty-two variables used showed small mean changes in the direction of increased physical fitness although only twelve of these were statistically significant. Most of the mean gains were too small to be considered biologically or practically important. In the cardiovascular items, several subjects with relatively high scores on their first tests had lower scores when they were retested and several subjects who had relatively low scores on their first test had higher scores when they were retested. Most of the other subjects increased some of their scores slightly when they were retested but also some of their scores decreased slightly. The following conclusions were made. For improvement of Cardiovascular Condition, the training programme was too easy for the initially fit students, reasonably adequate for the initially unfit students and only slight stimulus for the majority. For improvement of Motor Fitness the training programme was not sufficient either in duration or intensity (or both) to produce practical or biologically important changes. / Education, Faculty of / Curriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP), Department of / Graduate

This study attempted to evaluate the effects of endurance training upon certain cardiovascular variables of a group of middle-aged men. Seventeen subjects were tested at the University of British Columbia before and after nine weeks of moderate training (average frequency of participation was two to three noon hour sessions per week). The subjects underwent a test procedure consisting of quiet sitting for fifteen minutes, brachial pulse wave tracings (sitting, standing, and post-exercise), a one-minute step test, and a six-minute ergometer ride. Finally, body weight was taken. Fourteen test variables were obtained from the results of this test procedure. These variables utilized by this study were: A. Heart Rate Measurements of 1. Quiet Sitting Heart Rate, 2. Step Test Two-Minute Total Recovery Heart Rate, 3. Cycling Steady-State Heart Rate, and 4. Cycling Two-Minute Total Recovery Heart Rate. B. Brachial Pulse Wave Measurements of 1. Sitting Area Under The Curve, 2. Sitting Systolic Amplitude, 3. Sitting Dicrotic Notch Amplitude, 4. Sitting Fatigue Ratio, 5. Sitting Obliquity Angle, 6. Sitting Diastolic Surge, 7. Sitting Rest To Work Ratio, 8. Standing Systolic Amplitude, and 9. Post-Exercise Systolic Amplitude. C. Body Weight in Pounds. The Null Hypothesis was proposed as a means of evaluating the significance of the mean difference between pre-training (Test 1) and post-training (Test 2) scores on each test item. The 5 per cent level of confidence (t = 1.746) was selected as the criterion for each variable. The results of this study indicate that the group showed no significant changes at the 5 per cent level of confidence in the quiet sitting heart rate, nor in any of the nine brachial pulse wave variables. Reductions significant at the 5 per cent level were observed in the step test two-minute total recovery heart rate, cycling steady-state heart, and cycling two-minute total recovery heart rate. Reductions in body weight were also observed to be significant at the 5 per cent level of confidence. The group appeared to improve their tolerance for sub-maximal exercise through moderate participation in the training programme. The significant heart rate reductions noted during and after work imply an increased work capacity. It appears that this moderate degree of training was not sufficient enough to significantly alter the refined cardiovascular variables (brachial pulse wave items). The coarse variables (recovery heart rate sums, steady-state heart rate, and body weight) were, however, significantly altered at the 5 per cent level of confidence. / Education, Faculty of / Curriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP), Department of / Graduate

This thesis is a record of the tests of physical fitness which I have carried out during the last eight years on university and other college students and during the last four years on high school children. The early work has already been published; reprints of these papers are included as an appendix. The title, 'Physical Fitness of Young South Africans', has been selected to convey the best general impression of the subject matter but the scope of the thesis is in some respects narrower, and in others broader, than the title suggests. The investigation has been restricted to adolescents and young adults (aged 12- 27 years). The South Africans tested were at high schools or colleges in or near Cape Town and are representative of the main racial groups in the southern part of the Western Cape Province. I took the opportunity to compare their performance of the fitness tests with the performance of the same tests by children and young adults in the United States of America and in Great Britain.

Thesis (MPH)--University of Limpopo, 2011. / Background: Physical inactivity is a major risk factor for coronary heart diseases, with inactive and unfit people almost twice more likely to die from coronary heart disease than more active and fit people (DoH, 2004). According to the American Heart Association inactive people are twice as likely as active people to die from cardiovascular disease. Physical inactivity has been associated with chronic diseases and health risks such as coronary heart diseases and obesity. Physical inactivity is the most prevalent risk factor for CHD. Aim: To establish the level of physical activity and factors associated to physical activity among women residing in Imizamo Yethu informal settlement in Cape Town. Objectives: To determine the level of physical activity and inactivity among women residing in Imizamo Yethu informal settlement in Cape Town. To investigate the factors associated to physical activity among women residing in Imizamo Yethu informal settlement in Cape Town. Method: This study is a cross-sectional quantitative survey. The study was conducted in Imizamo Yethu informal settlement, Cape Town. This township consists of predominantly informal housing. Participants who took part in this study are black women of the age between 20-60 years old living in Imizamo Yethu Township, Cape Town. Sample size calculation: Using Epi Info version 3.2 (CDC, 2004), the sample size was calculated to be 323 at 80% power and a 95% confidence level, using the following assumptions based on lack of time for exercise being the most important factor associated with inactivity. The researcher has administered questionnaire with closed-ended questions to collect data. Descriptive statistics has been calculated for all factors, and the relative risk (RR), 95% confidence interval around the RR, and Chi-square p-values for each factor has been calculated using STATA version 10. Findings: A total of 323 women participated in the study. The age of the participants ranged between 20-60 years. About a half of the participants were aged between 20-30 years, while a quarter of them aged between 30-40 years. A half of the women were unemployed (50%), and almost a half was employed 46%. Of those participants who were employed, 23.5% were domestic workers. The majority of participants received education at secondary level (75%), primary level (16), tertiary education or higher (7%) and no formal education (2%). Among women who were interviewed, over half of the participants (n=323), (57,9%) reported that they have not participated in any kind of physical activity and only 42% reported participation in physical activity. In this study, the overall findings indicated that the participants had acceptable level of physical activity. However, of the women employed (n=156), 68.6% reported that the nature of their work made them to have some sort of physical activity. About three in four women had no or low physical activity participation (73.7 %), and they showed acceptable level of household physical activity (80.5%) which may be caused by active participation in daily chores like fetching water from the communal tap, washing clothes with hands etc. Attitude, age, total physical activity and support were correlated. The correlated variables have shown a significant positive relationship (r=.141) between social support and level of physical activity among women residing in Imizamo Yethu at P-value < =.05. Eight variables were analysed using Chi-square, only two variables were found with significantly relationship with level of physical activity, namely age (p = .03) and employment status (p=.01). The participants who were employed have higher proportion of acceptable level of physical activity (61.7%) than the unemployed group (44.4%). This has indicated that the employment status and nature of work influences women to have some sort of physical activity. Conclusion: The findings indicate that participants in this study had acceptable levels of physical activity. Although the study shows that about three in four women had no or low physical activity participation, the findings showed acceptable level of household physical activity which may be caused by active participation in daily chores like fetching water from the communal tap, washing clothes with hands etc.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of British Columbia, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of British Columbia, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 202-216). Also available online (PDF file) by a subscription to the set or by purchasing the individual file.

Title: COMPETENCY PROFILE OF FITNESS INSTRUCTOR Objectives: The aim of this work is to find out competencies of fitness instructor and make a competency profile, containing competencies, which are important for excellent fitness instructor. Methods: I applied the method of interview and the method of research in my thesis. The interview was used to make a list of competencies of fitness instructor. The research was applied in the final part of making competency profile, for an attestation of explorative competency profile of fitness instructor. Results: The result of the thesis is competency profile, respectively a list of competencies, which distinguishes an excellent fitness instructor from an ordinary one. Keywords: competence, instructor, fitness, fitness centre

Thesis (M. Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 80-86).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--UCLA, 2008. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 264-280).