Conditioning Training towards the Development of Physical Fitness among Junior High School Athletes

Abstract

The achievement of student-athletes in various sports is often linked to the rigor of training that prepares them for competitions and enhances their physical fitness. Thus, this study determined the relationship between the engagement in conditioning training of a random sample of 76 junior high school student-athletes to the development of their physical fitness along health-related and skill-related physical fitness components. The researcher employed a descriptive correlational study through the administration of a researcher-made questionnaire and a Revised Physical Fitness Test by the Department of Education. Collected data were gathered, tabulated, interpreted, and treated using frequency count, mean, standard deviation, and Pearson r. The study revealed that the student-athletes were mostly of normal Body Mass Index (BMI), engaged in team sports, had been athletes for 4 to 5 years, and participated in competitions within the division level. They were highly engaged in conditioning training which enhanced the development of their physical fitness as affirmed by the computed r-values when these variables were paired for correlation. This study calls for revitalized conditioning training through innovations and engagement in co-curricular and extra-curricular focusing on health-related and skill-related physical fitness. This revitalization can be incorporated into the athletic program to ensure continuous sports achievements and enhancement of the physical fitness of student-athletes. Keywords – conditioning training, physical fitness, sports, student-athletes.