In connection with the more frequent hypokinetic lifestyles and the declining fitness of children, the aim of our research was to assess and compare the fitness of 60 pupils at practical elementary school and 60 pupils at ordinary elementary school aged 14-15. Seven motor tests were used to this end (“deep forward bend”, “standing long jump”, “press-ups”, “repeated sit-ups”, “60 m run”, “1500 m run” (for boys)/“800 m run” (for girls). As we expected, lower fitness levels were proven among pupils at practical elementary school, with the exception of the performance of girls in the “deep forward bend” test and “60 m run”. As far as inter-sex differences are concerned, boys always achieved better results, with the exception of the flexibility test in both sets of children and the “60 m run” among pupils at practical elementary school. The biggest difference between boys’ and girls’ performance was found in the “standing long jump” in both sets of children. A not entirely obvious but to some extent alarming approximation of performances in selected motor tests can be observed – we attribute this not to the improving fitness of pupils at practical elementary school but rather to the declining fitness of pupils at ordinary elementary school. This is particularly evident among girls. When the two sets of children are compared overall, the children’s performances were most similar in the flexibility test, while there were big differences in the dynamic endurance and strength tests. We see the main reason for the slow convergence in the fitness of practical elementary school children and ordinary elementary school children in their low degree of participation in regular organised exercise.

Department of Pedagogy Psychology and Didactics of Physical Education and Sport Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Charles University Prague

Tělesná zdatnost žáků základní školy praktické a žáků běžné základní školy

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