Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Semester of Degree Completion

1981

Thesis Director

William F. Buckellew

Abstract

The main purpose of this study is to explore the basic elements of physical fitness, which can serve as a source for the construction of a physical fitness test for Chinese students. The subjects of this study are 100 male seventh grade students of junior high school in Kaohsiung City, Republic of China.

A physical fitness test consisting of 29 subtests was devised and used as the basis for the investigation. Data collected from tests were analyzed by means of factor analysis and resulting in the following:

I. Seven basic elements that account for physical fitness were found. They were speed-explosive strength, the size of the body, endurance, coordination, strength of body muscle, flexibility, and dynamic flexibility-dynamic strength. These seven factors accounted for 70% of the total variance of physical fitness.

II. Items in the physical fitness test which correspond to factors were given below:

1. Speed-explosive strength factor - 100, 40, 80, 60, and 50 meter dashes, standing long jump, shuttle run and vertical jump.

2. The size of the body factor - weight, height, grip strength, chest girth, softball throw for accuracy, handball throw for distance.

3. Endurance factor - 1000, 1200 and 800 meter run.

4. Coordination factor - standing triple jump, softball throw for distance.

5. Strength of body muscle factor - sit-ups for 1 minute, sit-ups for 30 seconds.

6. Flexibility factor - side-steps, trunk extension backward, zig-zag run.

7. Dynamic flexibility-dynamic strength factor - trunk extension forward, push-ups, pull-ups.

According to the investigation described above, each of the seven basic elements of physical fitness was virtually independent. When high scores on certain fitness measures are found but are not found on other measures, we, therefore, cannot assume there is a "general physical fitness" criteria.

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