A Comparative Study of the Physical Fitness of Basketball Players and Football Players of the Mangalore

It is self-evident that the fit citizens are a nations best assets and weak ones its liabilities. It is therefore the responsibility of every country to promote physical fitness of its citizens because physical fitness is the basic requirement for most of the tasks to be undertaken by an individual in his daily life. If a person‘s body is under-developed or inactive and if he fails to develop physical prowess, he is undermining his capacity for thought and for work, which are of vital importance to one‘s own life and society in a welfare state. The American Alliance for Health, Physical Education and Recreation emphasizes the necessity for individualized instruction, aimed at assisting students to find themselves physically. Physical fitness is the capacity to carry out reasonably well various forms of physical activities without being excessively tired and includes qualities importance to the individual‘s health and wellbeing. Regular participation in vigorous exercise increases physical fitness. A high level of physical fitness is desirable for a full, productive life. Sedentary living habits and poor physical fitness have a negative impact on both health and daily living. In the process of sustenance and development, man was required to employ various types of fitness, out of which fitness variables like speed, agility, strength, endurance was of paramount importance. A desirable level of fitness was accepted at entry level for couple of jobs and professional training. Football and Basketball players was one such field of endeavor. One of the very important factors responsible for the performance in competitive sports is fitness. Good fitness helps to quick improve in the performance of Football and Basketball players. They require more fitness compare to other sports. Good physical fitness helps to achieve better performance and attain goal with in minimum time.

In this study, fifteen basketball and fifteen football players from Mangalore was taken as subjects for this study. All the subjects selected for the present study were state level players of Mangalore. AAPHER Youth Physical Fitness Test Battery (1976) was used to measure Physical Fitness Status of the subjects. The test battery consists these six test items: Pull-up, Sit-up, Shuttle Run, Standing Broad Jump, 50-yard Dash and 600 Yard Run/Walk. To compare the mean differences between the Basketball Players and Football Players T test was applied using Statistical Product and Service Solution

The data collected by adopting above procedure were statistically analyzed. The results are presented in the following tables. For testing the significance in Pull-up, Sit-up, Shuttle Run, Standing Broad Jump, 50-yard Dash and 600 Yard Run/Walk, the level of significance chosen was .05. The comparison between the Basketball Players and Football Players for the selected physical fitness variables: Pull-up, Sit-up, Shuttle Run, Standing Broad Jump, 50 yard Dash and 600 Yard Run/Walk were statistically analyzed using test. The data pertaining to the same is presented in Table 1.

Above table 1 shows that Mean value of pull-ups of football players is 10.31 and basketball players is 11.00. So basketball players have lintel more strength compare to and football players. This score is applied on the standard norms of AAHPER youth fitness test basketball have a 75 percentage and football players have 74 percentage of Shoulder strength. Above table 1 shows that Mean value of sit-ups of football players is 37.88 and basketball players is 43.81. So basketball players have a more abdomen strength compare to and football players. This average score is applied on the standard norms of AAHPER youth fitness test basketball have a 75and Above table 1 shows that Mean value of Shuttle-run of football players is 11.04 seconds and basketball players are 9.13 seconds. So basketball players have good agility [power] compare to football players. This average time is applied on the standard norms of AAHPER youth fitness test football players have the 20 percentage and basketball players have the 30 percentage of agility power. This agility power of basketball players is better than the football players. Above table 1 shows that Mean value of standing board jump of football players is 1.74 meters and basketball players is 2.10 meters. So basketball players have good explosive power compare to football players. This average score is applied on the standard norms of AAHPER youth fitness test football players have a 65 percentage and basketball players have a 85 percentage of explosive power. Above table 1 shows that Mean value of 50-yard dash of football players is 7.06 seconds and basketball players is 6.90 seconds. So basketball players have good speed ability compare to football players. This average score is applied on the standard norms of AAHPER youth fitness test football players have a 65 percentage and basketball players have a 70 percentage of speed ability. Above table 1 shows that Mean value of 600 yard run/walk of football players is 1.57 minutes and basketball players are 1.63 minutes. So football players have good endurance ability compare to basketball players. This average time is applied on the standard norms of AAHPER youth fitness test football players have the 75 percentage and basketball players have the 70 percentage of endurance ability This endurance ability of football players is better than the basketball player.

The data analysis of AAHPER youth fitness shows that Basketball players have a good explosive power, strength and agility compare to Football players have a good endurance compare to basketball players.

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Research Scholar, University College of Physical Education, Bangalore University, Bangalore