Cardiovascular Fitness Lab Report
This experiment, Cardiovascular Fitness, produced the results of the fitness and fitness index of an athlete versus a non- athlete. To do so both the athlete and non-athlete had to preform the step test in which they stepped up and down the stairs at the same pace for the same duration of time. The hypothesis made by my group was that the athlete would have a lower heart-rate and better fitness index then the non-athlete. We guessed this base on the fact that many youth in America who aren’t athletes don’t get the proper amount of exercise to maintain a healthy lifestyle. In fact, “Nationwide, only 54% of youth ages 6–19 years achieve the amount of moderate- and vigorous-intensity physical activity recommended in the Physical Activity Guidelines
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for Americans” (Clark, 2015), which is a troubling statistic.
To begin the experiment, the heart- rate of the athlete and non-athlete being taken which was used as a control throughout the experiment. We know that the resting heart-rate of an athlete is lower than that of a non-athlete because they are physically in better shape due to constant exercise. Next, the participants were to step up and down a step for intervals of one, two, and three minutes with there pulse taken in between each interval. The results of their pulse were used to calculate the rate in beats per minute and were then used to calculate their fitness index.
There fitness index was calculated by taking the time of the test in seconds and dividing it by the three trials added together and then multiplying that sum by one hundred. This process was repeated three times. The independent variable in this experiment was the athlete and non-athlete while the dependent variable was the heart-rate produced and the fitness index. The control variables were the stair height, pace, time, number of stairs, and gender which was female.
Based on the results of the experiment, and the information collected cardiovascular fitness can be calculated. Cardiovascular Fitness is defined the ability to provide oxygen-rich blood to the organ systems in the body. A low fitness index could mean risk of heart problems which can cause disease. We know that “Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) remain the leading cause of death worldwide” (Bilal, 2016). The risk factors can vary from “behavioral traits as smoking, unhealthy diets, lack of physical activity” (Bilal, 2016). In this experiment we are examining lack of physical activity as the possible cause of this.
Materials and Methods:
To begin the experiment a topic was chosen to test cardiovascular health and students were selected from each group to be the independent variables.
The topic of the difference between non-athletes and athletes was picked. One student who was an athlete and was who wasn’t an athlete were selected in each group. Some of the groups were made up of all males, all females, or a mixture of both.
Once the groups were chosen the experiment began. The groups went to a staircase and the first step was to measure and record the height of the staircase in inches. The height of the stair was fourteen inches. The athlete and non-athlete went to a stop on the stairs with the other members of the group who were the timer and data recorder. In order to accurately measure time a stopwatch was used to calculate time throughout the whole experiment.
Before the participants began the trials they recorded their resting heart rate in beats per minute and the data was recorded. This data was collected by having the student count their pulse rate for 30 seconds and multiplying the number counted by two. Once their resting heart rate was known trial one began. Both students participated in trial one in which they stepped up and down a fourteen-inch step for one minute at the same pace of thirty steps per minute. Once they had done this for one minute they recorded their pulse for thirty seconds, and it was calculated into beats per minute by multiplying the number of beats counted in the thirty seconds by two. Next, the data was written in the
table.
The trial then was done for two minutes, and their pulse was calculated at the end of the two minutes of stepping at the same pace. The pulse was again calculated by counting their pulse for thirty seconds and multiplying that number by two so it was to be measured in beats per minute. The Step test was then repeated again for a three minute duration and following the three minutes completion the participants pulse was recorded in beats per minute. After trial one was completed the fitness index was calculated using the formula FI= Duration of test (seconds)/(T1+ T2+ T3) x100. This whole process was completed two more times for trials two and three and
for Americans” (Clark, 2015), which is a troubling statistic.
To begin the experiment, the heart- rate of the athlete and non-athlete being taken which was used as a control throughout the experiment. We know that the resting heart-rate of an athlete is lower than that of a non-athlete because they are physically in better shape due to constant exercise. Next, the participants were to step up and down a step for intervals of one, two, and three minutes with there pulse taken in between each interval. The results of their pulse were used to calculate the rate in beats per minute and were then used to calculate their fitness index.
There fitness index was calculated by taking the time of the test in seconds and dividing it by the three trials added together and then multiplying that sum by one hundred. This process was repeated three times. The independent variable in this experiment was the athlete and non-athlete while the dependent variable was the heart-rate produced and the fitness index. The control variables were the stair height, pace, time, number of stairs, and gender which was female.
Based on the results of the experiment, and the information collected cardiovascular fitness can be calculated. Cardiovascular Fitness is defined the ability to provide oxygen-rich blood to the organ systems in the body. A low fitness index could mean risk of heart problems which can cause disease. We know that “Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) remain the leading cause of death worldwide” (Bilal, 2016). The risk factors can vary from “behavioral traits as smoking, unhealthy diets, lack of physical activity” (Bilal, 2016). In this experiment we are examining lack of physical activity as the possible cause of this.
Materials and Methods:
To begin the experiment a topic was chosen to test cardiovascular health and students were selected from each group to be the independent variables.
The topic of the difference between non-athletes and athletes was picked. One student who was an athlete and was who wasn’t an athlete were selected in each group. Some of the groups were made up of all males, all females, or a mixture of both.
Once the groups were chosen the experiment began. The groups went to a staircase and the first step was to measure and record the height of the staircase in inches. The height of the stair was fourteen inches. The athlete and non-athlete went to a stop on the stairs with the other members of the group who were the timer and data recorder. In order to accurately measure time a stopwatch was used to calculate time throughout the whole experiment.
Before the participants began the trials they recorded their resting heart rate in beats per minute and the data was recorded. This data was collected by having the student count their pulse rate for 30 seconds and multiplying the number counted by two. Once their resting heart rate was known trial one began. Both students participated in trial one in which they stepped up and down a fourteen-inch step for one minute at the same pace of thirty steps per minute. Once they had done this for one minute they recorded their pulse for thirty seconds, and it was calculated into beats per minute by multiplying the number of beats counted in the thirty seconds by two. Next, the data was written in the
table.
The trial then was done for two minutes, and their pulse was calculated at the end of the two minutes of stepping at the same pace. The pulse was again calculated by counting their pulse for thirty seconds and multiplying that number by two so it was to be measured in beats per minute. The Step test was then repeated again for a three minute duration and following the three minutes completion the participants pulse was recorded in beats per minute. After trial one was completed the fitness index was calculated using the formula FI= Duration of test (seconds)/(T1+ T2+ T3) x100. This whole process was completed two more times for trials two and three and