Motor skills among high school adolescents. Effect of the exercise program

Purpose: To assess the basic motor skills and the effects of physical training improvement program in a group of adolescents. Material and methods: The study group comprised 133 students (92 women and 41 men) aged 17 to 19 years. First, the subjects’ motor skills were tested using the Eurofit Fitness Testing Battery. Second, the general improving program of physical training was implemented during the same school year. Third, the Eurofit test was repeated at one year after the initial one. The SPSS 15.0 software was used to analyse the data. Results: At the first measurement, only 2/133 students performed all the Eurofit tests on satisfactory (above the national sample 50%) level. In four of nine domains the results were below representative national sample. A year later, after completion of the training program, 37/133 students (27.1%) performed all Eurofit domains above the 50th percentile (P<0.001), the improvements were registered in previously deficit Eurofit Test constituencies. Conclusions: A low level of physical fitness has been observed in majority of adolescents. A general program of physical training leads to improvement of motor skills in a significant number of adolescents and the performance in the Eurofit test domains.