The Level of Strength and Endurance-Strength Abilities of the Female Early Education Teachers as Examined by the Medicine Ball Forward Throw and the 3 Min. Burpee Test: A Comparative Analysis

Abstract

Abstract Aim: The aim of the study is to assess strength and endurance-strength abilities of selected female early education teachers (EET) against classification norms, and subsequently compare the level of these abilities to that of pre-school and early school children and female university students. Methods: The research comprised: 700 pre-school children, 1306 early school children, 303 female university students and 217 EET. In order to determine the research participants’ level of motor abilities, two motor tests, i.e. the medicine ball forward throw and the 3-min. Burpee Test were applied. Results: Based on the classification norms, the EET obtained an average level of strength and endurance-strength abilities. Moreover, in the medicine ball (2 and 4kg) forward throw trial, the EET achieved significantly worse results than the 1st year female university students (p = 0.0000), yet significantly better results than the examined pre-school and early school children (p = 0.0000). On the other hand, in the 3 min. Burpee Test, the EET gained significantly worse results than the 2nd (p = 0.0000) and 3rd (p = 0.0000) year girls and boys and the 1st year female university students (p = 0.0000), but significantly better results than the pre-school children (girls: p = 0.0000, boys: p = 0.0166) and the 1st year boys (p = 0.0000). Conclusions: Since motor fitness is important in EET’s everyday work, it is worrisome that the teachers under study attained an average level of strength and endurance – strength abilities. There were also many teachers who were exempted from any form of physical exercise for health reasons, which may be a consequence of their poor eating habits or/and an insufficient amount of daily physical activity. It seems to be reasonable, thus, to design and implement new enrollment criteria for admission to early education studies including fitness tests, and to expand the curriculum of early education studies by increasing the number of practical P.E. classes.