Kinesiology, Vol. 45. No. 1., 2013.
Original scientific paper
Effects of a maintenance resistance training program on muscular strength in schoolchildren
Jesús Viciana
orcid.org/0000-0002-5424-118X
; Department of Physical Education and Sport, University of Granada, Spain
Daniel Mayorga-Vega
; Department of Physical Education and Sport, University of Granada, Spain
Armando Cocca
; Department of Physical Education and Sport, University of Granada, Spain
Abstract
Physical education (PE) teachers carry out resistance training programs at the beginning of a school year so that children can do other tasks safely during the whole course. However, after a few weeks of detraining, children revert back to their initial strength level. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a maintenance resistance training program on muscular strength in children in a PE setting. Seventy-five children, 10-12 years of age, from four different 6th grade PE classes were cluster-randomized into either an experimental group (EG=38) or a control group (CG=37). After an eight-week development program and a four-week detraining period, the EG completed a four-week maintenance program once a week. The program included two circuits of eight stations of 15/45 to 35/25 seconds of work/rest. Abdominal and arms muscular endurance and legs explosive strength were measured before and after the development program and after the maintenance program. After the development and maintenance programs abdominal and arms muscular endurance were higher in EG (p<.05), while they did not change in CG (p>.05). No significant differences were found between groups in the legs’ explosive strength (p>.05). The present results showed that a resistance program carried out once a week can maintain muscular endurance of schoolchildren. These results could help PE teachers design programs that permit students to maintain fit strength levels.
Keywords
strength training; intermittent reinforcement; muscular endurance; primary school; children; physical education setting
Hrčak ID:
104586
URI
Publication date:
30.6.2013.
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