Effect of Continuous Running on Selected Cardio Respiratory Endurance of College Men Students

INTRODUCTION

Continuous training is when low- to mid-intensity exercises are performed for more than 20 minutes without resting intervals. Through continuous training methods individuals can develop the physiological capacity for sustained work outs such as long distance running which develops the body to depend on the aerobic energy stores resulting in development of overall fitness. Activities such as continuous running which is basically endurance in nature results in enhanced cardiorespiratory performance, it also helps burning of excess and accumulated body fat, it facilitates muscle and immunity development. Almost any type of exercise can be done in a continuous way. Jogging, cycling, and swimming are often the most common, but the style of exercise is nowhere near as important as the manner in which it is accomplished. The most important part of this type of training is the amount of time spent performing the exercise. The main goal behind continuity training is to condition the heart for long periods of exertion. Athletes typically start at about 60% of their full capacity, which means that they are working, but not burning themselves out. A light jog or an easy bike ride that lasts an hour or more are good examples of what this might look like. Although professional athletes often use continuity techniques to improve their endurance training, but it is by no means limited to those with superior athletic ability. One of the biggest benefits of a continuous exercise plan is the slow but steady improvement most athletes see over time. Someone who may only be able to jog for eight minutes at the start may find, after enough weeks or months have passed, that 12 minutes is achievable. Before long, 20 or even 30 minutes may become normal. Usually at least three or four workouts per week are required to see improvement. Continuous training can also help establish what is called a "fitness base," a foundation of exercise that athletes can depend on for further training. A workouts later on. When the body is conditioned to keep moving for certain durations, it can adapt to filling those periods with different, more strenuous activities.

The purpose of the study was to find out the effect of continuous running on cardio respiratory endurance of college men students. To achieve this purpose of the study, thirty men students in the department of physical education, Annamalai University were selected as subjects at random. The selected subjects were categorized into two equal groups of fifteen each fifteen each for continuous running group and the control group. Group I underwent continuous running for three days per week for twelve weeks, whereas Group II acted as the control group who maintained their daily routine activities and no special training was given to them. Group I was subjected to cardio respiratory endurance which is the criterion variable of the present study. Necessary data for the present study was collected by administering cooper‟s 12 minutes run/walk test both pre and post training period. The collected data were analyzed statistically through analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) to find out the significant differences, if any between the groups. The .05 level of confidence was fixed to test the level of significance.

The analysis of covariance on cardio respiratory endurance of the pre and post test scores of continuous running group and control group have been analyzed and presented in Table I.

The table I showed that the pretest mean values on continuous running group and control group were 1378.33 and 1606.33 respectively. And the obtained „F‟ ratio of 1.55 for pretest which was less than the required table value 4.20 with df 1 and 28 at. 05 level of confidence on cardio respiratory endurance. The obtained „F‟ ratio of 43.29 for posttest which was greater than the required table value 4.20 with df 1 and 28 at .05 level of confidence on cardio respiratory endurance. The adjusted posttest mean values on cardio respiratory endurance for continuous running group and control group were 1595.83 and 1418.49 respectively. The obtained „F‟ ratio of 235.74 for adjusted posttest which was greater than the required table value 4.21 with df 1 and 27 for significance at .05 level of confidence on cardio respiratory endurance. Hence, the results of the study showed that there was significance differences exist between group and control group on cardio respiratory endurance.

The cardio respiratory endurance resulted in the following changes in the continuous running when compared with the control group. The results of the study undertaken states that there was significant difference between continuous running group and control group when their cardio respiratory endurance was analysed. And also there was a significant improvement on cardio respiratory endurance due to continuous running.

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Assistant Professor, Department of Physical Education, Annamalai University