Relation of College Students' Self-Perceived and Measured Health-Related Physical Fitness

Abstract

This study examined the relation of college students' self-perceived and measured physical fitness. Students (30 men, 30 women; M age = 20.1 yr., SD = 1.4) completed the Physical Self-description Questionnaire and four fitness tests: air displacement plethysmography, submaximal treadmill test, curl-up test, and sit-and-reach test. Significant correlations were obtained for self-perceived physical fitness with measured body composition, cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular endurance, and flexibility (r = .33-.62). Significant correlations were also found between self-perceived overall fitness and actual body composition, cardiorespiratory endurance, and muscular endurance (|r| = .26-.55). These findings suggest that college students can gauge their own fitness in terms of four distinct health-related components with some accuracy.