THE EFFECT OF AEROBIC EXERCISE PROGRAM ON THE CARDIORESPIRATORY FITNESS AND BODY COMPOSITION OF FEMALE COLLEGE STUDENTS

The research included 50 female students aged from 22 to 25, 25 of whom made up the experimental group, and 25 participants who made up the control group. We studied the effects of an aerobic exercise model on cardiorespiratory fitness and body composition. The exercise model was realized three times a week, with an overall number of 36 training sessions. Each individual training session lasted 60 minutes, consisting of a warm-up (10 minutes), the aerobic part (35 minutes), strength increasing exercise (5-10 minutes) and the cool-down (10 minutes). To evaluate cardiorespiratory fitness, systolic and diastolic blood pressure were measured, along with resting heart rate and heart rate under strain, and VO2max. Body composition was measured using the following parameters: BMI, ∑ skinfolds, Body Fat %, Muscle Mass % and Lean Body Mass %. The basic statistical parameters were calculated, and to determine the differences between the initial and final measuring we used the Cohen effect size (ЕС). The effects of the realized program were determined using a univariate analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). The evaluation of the data was performed using Statistica 6.0. Between the initial and final measuring, a statistically significant difference was determined among the applied variables for the evaluation of cardiorespiratory fitness and body composition among the participants of the experimental group, while in the case of the control group no statistically significant difference was found. The implemented model of aerobic exercise had positive effects on cardiorespiratory fitness and body composition of the participants of the experimental group. This research has confirmed that the existing conclusions about the positive effects of aerobic exercise, if it is realized with the appropriate intensity, time and duration.