Czechoslovak physical fitness standards in 1976 compared to recent sporting and non-sporting population
Abstract
Background: Results of national physical fitness survey of Czechoslovak population were published in 1976. The survey was part of International Biological Program IBP.
The results are used as standards for evaluating fitness level and cardio-respiratory capacity of subjects till now. Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess to what level the fitness date of recent non-sporting population differ from those, adopted like standards for Czechoslovak population 40 years ago.
Methods: Data base of all examinations performed in the period 1994 to 2015 was used for this study. Data were collected from 2777 protocols (2015 men and 762 women).
Besides the group of non-sporting subjects (who didn 't perform athletic activity in the competitions) the other subjects were divided into three groups according to their prevalent athletic discipline: endurance - game sports - others. Following data were evaluated: maximal oxygen uptake VO2max and VO2max/kg, working capacity W170 and W 170/kg and maximal performance on cyclo-ergometer Wmax and Wmax/kg.
Results: The values reached in individual groups of athletes and non-sporting subjects were compared to IBP standards. The results reached in the group of "non-sporting subjects" don 't differ significantly from these standards, however, in all sporting groups they were significantly higher.
Compared to their development during advanced age, decline of fitness characteristics related to age is stronger in unsporting subjects then in athletes. Regular training activity in athletes helps them to maintain their fitness parameters (VO2max, W170 and Wmax) on considerably higher level even in advanced age.
Conclusions: Fitness characteristics of our "non-sporting population" don 't differ considerably from the standards given in IBP study for healthy untrained population in respective age groups. However, similar fitness characteristics of "sporting" groups document that regular physical activity (athletic training) has expressively positive impact on their functional capacity.
Their level of cardio-respiratory capacity is comparable to several decades younger unsporting subjects. It could be presumed that such a high level of physical fitness plays important role as a preventive factor of morbidity of many so called civilization diseases.