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Indian Journal of Science and Technology Vol. 4 No. 5 (May 2011) ISSN: 0974- 6846

Comparison of physical fitness variables between individual games and team games athletes

Vishaw Gaurav, Amandeep Singh and Sukhdev Singh

Department of Physical Education (Teaching), Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar-143005, Punjab, India
[email protected]

Abstract

The aim of the study was to investigate the significant differences of selected physical fitness variables between
individual games and team games athletes. A group of 30 sportspersons A (Individual games athletes: N=15) and B
(Team games athletes=15) of age group 18-25 years were selected from department of physical education (T), Guru
Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab, India. It was hypothesized that there may be significant differences with
regard to selected physical fitness variables among individual and team games athletes. The between-group
differences were assessed by using an independent samples t-test. The level of p≤0.01 was considered significant. An
independent samples t-test revealed that individual games athletes had significantly higher muscular strength, agility,
power, speed and cardiovascular endurance (p<0.01) than team games athletes. Further investigations are needed on
the above studied variables along with physiological variables to assess relationships among them and with
performances in team games and individual games athletes.

Keywords: Physical fitness, individual games, team games, athletes.

Introduction the ability to change the direction of body or its parts
Physical fitness is a state of well-being that comprises rapidly which is dependent on strength, reaction time,
skill and health-related components. Fitness is a speed of movement and muscular coordination. Quick
condition in which an individual has sufficient energy to start and stops and quick changes in direction are
avoid fatigue and enjoy life. It is necessary for elderly fundamental for good performance in athletics. Running
people to maintain and improve their physical fitness in speed is not only an athletic event itself, but it is an
order to satisfy healthy, high quality of daily life (Tanaka important factor in almost all court and field games it can
et al., 2004). Skill-related physical fitness refers to an result the difference in whether a performer is able to gain
individual’s athletic ability in sports such as tennis and an advantage over his/her opponent. Man’s existence
encompasses skill-related attributes like dynamic and effectiveness depends upon his physical fitness.
balance, power, speed and agility; the health-related Even now, physical fitness really implies more than the
aspect is a measure of cardiovascular endurance, muscle ability to do a work without much efforts. Physical fitness
strength, endurance and flexibility and body composition affects ones life’s activities not only the physical well
(Hopkins & Walker, 1988). Physical fitness is measured being and mental effectiveness but also the personal and
by functional tests that are specific and usually social adjustment. (Singh 1986) reported that sport is
normative-based, rather than criterion-based, thereby competitive in nature and every sportsman strives to
leaving unanswered as to how much of a specific fitness better the previous records and records are broken more
factor (e.g. muscular endurance) is required for a good rapidly nowadays. “Sports” he states, “is an ideal
quality of life (Chia et al., 2007). There are numerous character building school for youth. The very nature of
factors which are responsible for the performance of sport requires certain amount of skill and physical fitness.
sportsmen. The physique and body composition including It has been due to the growing change in the competitive
the size, shape and form are known to play a significant philosophy of sports that a close liaison has developed
role in this regard (Sodhi & Sidhu, 1984). The among sports scientist, team physician, athletic trainers,
performance of a sportsman in any game or event also coaches and athletes to investigate modern scientific
depends on physical fitness. The physical fitness or technique in terms of selection of athletes. The
condition is the sum total of five motor abilities namely performance of a sportsman in any game or event also
muscular strength, agility, power, speed and depends on muscular strength, agility, power, speed and
cardiovascular endurance. Therefore, the sports cardiovascular endurance. Along with these physical
performance in all sports depends to great extent on variables, physiological and psychological components
these abilities. Improvement and maintenance of physical also play an important role in the execution of the
fitness is the most important aim of sports training (Uppal, performance. Best suited activity and new training
1980). Muscular power, often referred to as explosive methods achieve excellence. The aim of the present
power, is a combination of speed and strength which is study was to determine the differences in selected
important in vigorous performance since it determines physical fitness characteristics between the
how hard a person can hit, jump and push etc. Agility is individual game and team game athletes.
Research article “Physical fitness of athletes” V.Gaurav et al
©Indian Society for Education and Environment (iSee) http://www.indjst.org Indian J.Sci.Technol.
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Indian Journal of Science and Technology Vol. 4 No. 5 (May 2011) ISSN: 0974- 6846

Material and methods and 13.19 respectively. In case of power and speed of
Subjects: Thirty randomly selected male students of individual game and team games athletes mean value
department of physical education (T), Guru Nanak Dev were 2.01 and 6.98 and 1.92 and 6.34 respectively. The
University, Amritsar (Punjab, India) aged 18–25 years mean of cardiovascular endurance was 1.55 and 1.45. In
case of muscular strength (8.87**), agility (6.39**), power
Table 1. Details of selected individual and team games (6.75**), speed (6.99**) and cardiovascular endurance
athletes as subject. ( 3.80**) the value of t–test Significant at p<0.01.Fig.1 show
A Sample B Sample the comparison of mean of selected physical fitness
Athletics 5 Volleyball 5 variables of Individual and team games athletes .It is
Boxing 5 Basketball 5 evident from the data that there was significant difference
Judo 5 Baseball 5 exists between the individual games and team games
N1 = 15; N2 = 15 athletes in the physical fitness variables. The Ho (null
volunteered to participate in the study. A written consent hypothesis) is accepted at p<0.01level of significance.
was obtained from the subjects. The study was approved These results are in conformity with the study conducted
by the local ethical committee. All were doing bachelor by Das, et al. (2007) to compare the physical fitness
degree in physical education. They were highly motivated components of junior footballers and sprinters of Kolkata.
to participate in this study and allowed to quit any time. Results revealed that there exist significant difference in
They were randomly assigned into two groups: A flexed arm hang (arm & shoulder strength), bent knee sit-
(Individual games: N=15) and B (Team games: N=15) ups (muscular strength & endurance), shuttle run (co-
athletes as shown in Table1. ordinative ability), standing broad jump (explosive
strength of legs), 600 yard run/walk (endurance) and sit
Table 2. Details of selected physical fitness variables and and reach test (flexibility) of team and individual game
tests to measure them. players.
Variables Test
Physical fitness variables are very important in
Muscular Strength Sit-ups test
both athletes and form a condition for higher
Agility Shuttle run test
Power Standing Broad jump test
performance. Mal (1982) stated that the components of
Speed 50 yard dash test physical fitness like strength, speed, endurance, flexibility
Cardiovascular Endurance 600 yards run or walk test and the various coordinative abilities are essential for a
high technique and tactical efficiency. Depending upon
Methods: As shown in Table 2 the Sit-ups test (AAPHER, the demand of the game, each factor of physical fitness
1965) was used to assess the muscular strength. The should be optimally developed. In the present study there
score of the test is the number of correctly executed sit- was significant difference observed between the
ups performed by the subjects in 60 seconds. Shuttle Run individual game and team game athletes in all the
test (Jension & Hirst, 1980) was used to monitor the selected physical fitness variables. Results show the
agility of the subjects. The time taken by the subjects muscular strength, agility, power, speed and
between the audible signal ‘start’ and the finishing of the cardiovascular endurance of individual games athletes
run was recorded to be the score. The time was recorded were significantly greater when compared to team games
correct in sec. The standing broad jump (AAPHER, 1965) athletes.
was used to assess explosive power of the legs. A 50 Table 3. Mean, SD and t-value of selected physical fitness
yard dash test (Johnson & Nelson, 1979) was used to variables of individual games & team games athletes.
estimate Speed. The time taken by the subjects to Individual games Team games
complete the test in sec was the net score of the (N=15 ) (N=15)
t-value
subjects. 600 yards Run or Walk test (AAPHER, 1965) Variables Mean SD Mean SD
was used to measure cardiovascular endurance. The Muscular
22.33 1.71 19.4 1.59 8.87**
time taken to run 600 yards recorded in min. strength
Statistical analyses: Values are presented as mean Agility 13.69 0.54 13.19 0.55 6.39**
values and SD. Independent samples t tests were used Power 2.01 0.11 1.92 0.12 6.75**
Speed 6.98 0.55 6.34 0.35 6.99**
to test if population means estimated by 2 independent
Cardiovascular
samples differed significantly. Data was analyzed using endurance
1.55 0.13 1.45 5.87 3.80**
SPSS Version 16.0 (Statistical package for the social Significant at **p<0.01.
sciences, version 16.0, SPSS Inc, Chicago, IL, USA). These results do not agree with the study of Saini (1996).
He undertook a comparative study of psychomotor
Results and discussion components between the athletes of individual and team
Table 3 shows that the mean of muscular sports. Four psychomotor components of kinesthetic
strength of Individual and team games athletes was 22.33 perception, speed of movement, orientation ability and
and 19.4 respectively, whereas the mean of agility of differentiating ability were taken. T-test was applied to
individual games and team games athletes was 13.69 test the hypothesis. No significant difference was found
Research article “Physical fitness of athletes” V.Gaurav et al
©Indian Society for Education and Environment (iSee) http://www.indjst.org Indian J.Sci.Technol.
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Indian Journal of Science and Technology Vol. 4 No. 5 (May 2011) ISSN: 0974- 6846

between athletes of individual and team sports in 4. Jension CR and Hirst CC (1980) Measurement in
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Acknowledgements
Authors would like to thank Department of Physical
Education (T), Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar,
Punjab, India for providing assistance in collecting the
relevant information for undertaking quality research.

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Research article “Physical fitness of athletes” V.Gaurav et al

©Indian Society for Education and Environment (iSee) http://www.indjst.org Indian J.Sci.Technol.