TITLE:
Evaluating Health Markers Response to Aerobic Exercise among Keep Fit Club Members in Ghana: A Paired Analysis Across Age Categories
AUTHORS:
Nathaniel Atikumi, Daniel Apaak, Charles Domfeh, Christopher Akubah, Dorcas Osei, Abena Adasa Nkrumah
KEYWORDS:
Adult, Aerobic Exercise, Continuous Training Exercise, Health Markers, One-Time Training
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Physical Education,
Vol.15 No.1,
February
8,
2025
ABSTRACT: This study examined the effects of Continuous Training Technique (CTT) and One Time Training (OTT) on systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), heart rate (HR), and body fat percentage (%BF) among youth (20 - 30 years) and adults (31 - 40 years) in a Ghanaian keep-fit club. The 12-week quasi-experimental study included 64 participants divided into CTT (3 times/week) and OTT (once/week) groups. Pre- and post-intervention measurements were analyzed using paired t-tests. Both protocols significantly reduced all health markers in youth and adults, with varying effectiveness. CTT led to greater reductions in DBP and %BF for both age groups. OTT was more effective in reducing SBP for youth, while CTT had a greater impact on adults. HR reductions were similar between protocols for youth, but CTT was more effective for adults. The study concludes that while both CTT and OTT provide health benefits, their effectiveness depends on age and the physiological parameter targeted. These findings support tailoring exercise prescriptions to optimize health outcomes for different age groups. Future research should explore the long-term sustainability of these improvements and underlying age-related differences in response to exercise.