A Study of Extreme Physical Activity Groups of Young Men

Abstract

Abstract Fifty highly active junior and senior high school boys were compared to 50 physically inactive boys in the same schools and grades. A total of 101 variables was used; the data were collected through questionnaires concerning the subjects' physical activities, a motor performance test, fat measurements, a step test, the High School Personality Questionnaire, school records, and a parental interview. Statistically significant differences were found on 31 of the variables. In each case the highly active group was either numerically higher or superior. A summary of the 31 variables follows: anthropometric (8), physical fitness (9), academic and personality (6), number of highly active older brothers, degree of physical activity in early childhood, attitude toward the importance of physical activity, self estimate of physical fitness, attitude toward the school physical education program, last school grade completed by the mothers, current degree of physical activity of the fathers, and degrees of par...