Physical activity intervention program through walking routes in sedentary university students

Abstract

Objective: Effect of a physical activity program on body composition and physical condition with university teacher students. Methods: 51 university students from the Faculty of Education and Sport Sciences, University of Vigo (Spain), participated in the study. Students performed a 6-week protocol, using the walking routes designed in the university's own facilities. Two cohorts, experimental group and control group were analysed, before and after the program. The 6-minute walking test, countermovement jump (CMJ), flexibility through active straight leg raise, rate of perceived exhaustion (RPE) and heart rate (HR) were evaluated, and a bioimpedance measurement was used to evaluate the basal and final metabolism. Results: On the 6-minutes walking test, CMJ, and flexibility of the right leg significant differences were found between the experimental and the control group. There were no significant differences in either group for any RPE. In the bioimpedance, there were significant differences in fat and lean mass in the left leg. Conclusion: The analysed data indicates an improvement in aerobic endurance, jumping and flexibility capacities at the end of the program. But for body composition, in general there were no significant variations.