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Kinesiology, Vol. 35. No. 2., 2003.

Original scientific paper

Physical fitness of professional firemen

Albrecht L. Claessens ; Department of Sport and Movement Sciences, Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy, Leuven, Belgium
Leen Van Langendonck ; Department of Sport and Movement Sciences, Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy, Leuven, Belgium
Dries Moons ; Department of Sport and Movement Sciences, Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy, Leuven, Belgium
Filip Vandewiele ; Department of Sport and Movement Sciences, Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy, Leuven, Belgium

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Abstract

The purpose of this study is twofold: (1) screening the physical fitness of a professional fire-brigade and (2) testing the influence of a training program on the physical fitness of professional firemen. The sample consisted of 95 professional firemen (42.0 ± 9.1 years) of a professional fire-brigade in Belgium. Stature and body mass were measured. Body composition was estimated by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Physical condition was determined using the EUROFIT test battery. During 4 months the subjects performed an exercise program twice a week. High values for body mass index (BMI) (27.1±3.3kg/m2) and percentage of body fat (26.0±4.9%), and a low score for endurance capacity were observed. Correlation analyses demonstrate that motor capacity decreases with ageing. Analysing the differences (Test session 2 - Test session 1) indicates that there were no significant changes in physical fitness over the 4-month training period. Comparing the two groups with the different number of training sessions attended did not reveal any significant differences between the two groups. It can be concluded that (1) the firemen of the fire-brigade under study were rather old, had a high BMI and a high percentage of body fat; (2) the performance at the endurance shuttle run did not reach the anticipated standard; (3) the training program did not gain the desired results.

Keywords

body composition; motor performance; exercise program

Hrčak ID:

226455

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/226455

Publication date:

28.10.2003.

Article data in other languages: german croatian

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