Physical fitness women over 60 years of age participating in the activities of the University of the Third Age

Abstract Introduction: Morphological and functional changes in cells, tissues and organs causing characteristic for old age reduction of the efficiency of all organs, and therefore decrease in the level of physical fitness. To determine its level, to find areas of weakness and select optimal physical activity programs that will improve the quality of life and health of older people it is necessary to multi-dimensional assess the level of physical fitness. The aim of this study is to evaluate the fitness level of students of the University of the Third Age in Warsaw Almamer with Fullerton Functional Fitness Test in relation to American standards. Material and methods: The study was conducted on a 40-person group of students of the University of Third Age Almamer in Warsaw, at the age of 60-70 years. Mobility assessment was based on a comparison of results obtained by the Fullerton Functional Fitness Test with standards developed by the authors test for the U.S. population. Results: In all trials conducted with Fullerton Test women got positive results after normalization to the mean and standard deviation of the U.S. population peers. The greatest variation among the test subjects compared to American standards test result was observed in flexion of the forearm. Conclusions: The tested listeners of UTW characterized a good level of physical fitness Fullerton The test evaluated in relation to American standards. According to the authors, developing standards for the test used in Polish conditions would contribute to a more reliable assessment of people over 60 years old.

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Functional fitness of people over 65 participating in physical activities organized by the Universities of the Third Age and Seniors’ Clubs in South-Eastern Poland

Anthropological Review ◽

10.2478/anre-2020-0030 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 83 (4) ◽

pp. 363-376

Author(s):

Katarzyna Szeremeta ◽

Renata Grzywacz ◽

Wojciech Czarny

Keyword(s):

Muscle Strength ◽

Physical Fitness ◽

Dynamic Balance ◽

Physical Activities ◽

The Body ◽

Upper Body ◽

Functional Fitness ◽

Third Age ◽

Fitness Test ◽

The Third

AbstractThe subject of the research was to assess the level of functional physical fitness of people aged 65 and over, taking into account the sex of the respondents, and to estimate the direction of changes in the functional physical fitness of the respondents as a result of participation in programmed physical activities of a University of the Third Age. The research on the level of functional physical fitness was carried out both among men and women aged 65 and over (104 men – 29% of the respondents and 251 women – 71% of the respondents), in total 355 people who are members of the Universities of the Third Age in Rzeszów, Mielec, Jasło, Zamość, and Seniors’ Clubs in Rzeszów, Stalowa Wola, Przemyśl, Krosno and Lubaczów. The Functional Senior Fitness Test by Rikli and Jones (1999) was used to objectively analyse the level of functional physical fitness in the study group. The individual tests of the Functional Senior Fitness Test give the opportunity to assess the muscle strength of the lower and upper body, flexibility in the upper and lower body areas, agility and dynamic balance as well as the aerobic endurance of the senior citizen.The research procedure assumed two studies to assess the level of functional physical fitness of people over 65 using the Functional Senior Fitness Test among seniors who are members of Universities of the Third Age participating in physical activities. Study 2 was conducted 6 months after study 1. In order to obtain reliable and credible results of individual tests and to maintain similar conditions for all participants, study 1 was conducted at the University of the Third Age at the beginning of the winter semester, and study 2 at the end of the first half of the academic year. The number of respondents was n = 86.Men showed statistically significantly higher results in muscle strength in upper and lower parts of the body and aerobic endurance, women in flexibility of upper and lower parts of the body. Regular participation in physical activities among people over 65 has a significant statistical impact on the achievement of higher results in individual motor skills.Sex significantly differentiates the level of functional physical fitness in selected age groups. A significantly higher level of functional physical fitness was presented by men in the test of muscle strength in in upper and lower parts of the body, agility and dynamic balance, and aerobic endurance, while women showed higher results in flexibility of upper and lower parts of the body.The analysis of the results of the preliminary (study 1) and repeated (study 2) functional fitness level allows us to find significant differences in the results of the Functional Senior Fitness Test. It is worth noting that the regular participation in programmed physical activities organized at U3A contributed to an improvement in individual motor skills, such as the strength of the lower and upper body and aerobic endurance.

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Evaluation of functional fitness’ participants of the Universities of the Third Age University of Physical Education in Warsaw

Advances in Rehabilitation ◽

10.2478/rehab-2013-0017 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 25 (4) ◽

pp. 27-33

Author(s):

Izabela Rutkowska ◽

Jolanta Marszałek ◽

Joanna Piotrowska ◽

Natalia Morgulec-Adamowicz ◽

Waldemar Skowroński ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Education ◽

Older People ◽

Body Mass ◽

Physical Activities ◽

Functional Fitness ◽

Nordic Walking ◽

Anthropometric Parameters ◽

Third Age ◽

Fitness Test ◽

The Third

Abstract Introduction: The assessment of functional fitness of older people, who took part in different forms of activities e.g. in programs which are offered by UTW, together with the information about the fitness level, can have a great importance in optimization of motor activation of older people. The aim of this study is to evaluate the changes in the level of functional fitness and basic parameters of the anthropometric parameters of older women after 16-weeks activity program offered by University of the Third Age (UTW) at the Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education in Warsaw. Material and methods: Ten women at the age of 72,0±5,40 who attended UTW 1,7±0,48 years took part in the study. Women participated in the activities 2-3 a week, and the major activities were Nordic Walking and gymnastics. Moreover they had a chance to attend Tai Chi, swimming and dancing classes. The Fullerton Functional Fitness Test was used to assess women’s functional fitness. Test was done twice - during the second week and at the end of first semester. Results were evaluated with the usage of norms described for particular test trials and age groups (Jones and Rikli 2002). Measurements and evaluation of basic anthropometric parameters were done as well as Body Mass Index was calculated. Results: At the end of the cycle of activities, it turned out that women achieved better results during the fitness tests than they had after the first test. During evaluation with the usage of norms of Fullerton Fitness Test good level of aerobic endurance, strength and coordination of tested women was noted, however the flexibility test results gave evidence of negligence in this area. It was also discovered that participation in the cycle of physical activities might have been one of the elements that caused positive, considering health, changes in anthropometric parameters of tested women. Reducing of the body mass and the percentage of the fat tissue and regular physical activity had an influence on lean body mass increase. onclusions: Physical activities done by UTW participants during the program, where the major activities were Nordic Walking and gymnastics, had the influence on improvement of their fitness and positive changes in their anthropometric parameters.

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Physical Characteristics, Physical Fitness, and Lifestyles of Senior Olympic Athletes and Independently Living Cohorts

Journal of Aging and Physical Activity ◽

10.1123/japa.4.1.1 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

pp. 1-13 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Dahn Shaulis ◽

Lawrence A. Golding ◽

Richard D. Tandy

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Physical Fitness ◽

Functional Fitness ◽

Screening Questionnaire ◽

Healthy Older Adults ◽

Fitness Level ◽

Fitness Test ◽

Olympic Athletes ◽

Fitness Tests ◽

Positive Rate

The primary purpose of this paper, one of the first physiological studies of Senior Olympic athletes, was to determine the physical fitness level of Senior Olympic participants 50 to 86 years of age. It was hypothesized that Senior Olympic athletes would be more physically fit than healthy older adults not classified as Senior Olympic athletes. The athletes’ screening questionnaire (PAR-Q) results showed a 43% positive rate, making maximal testing and underwater testing impractical and possibly unsafe. However, all subjects were allowed to perform the AAHPERD functional fitness test battery. Senior Olympic athletes did not perform better (p < .05) on any of the AAHPERD functional fitness tests than a group of nonathletes who lived independently. Furthermore, questionnaire results suggested that some athletes were competing with little or no training. These results indicated that researchers and events managers should not assume that all Senior Olympic athletes are exceptionally healthy or physically fit.

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