Perspective Physical Exercise of Students' Health and Fitness in Xi'an Physical Education University

Xueyan Hu; Thongchat  Phucharoen

doi:10.60027/ijsasr.2024.4059

Authors

Xueyan Hu Faculty of Sports Science and Technology Bangkokthonburi University, Thailand https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3819-507X
Thongchat Phucharoen Faculty of Sports Science and Technology Bangkokthonburi University, Thailand https://orcid.org/0009-0008-2601-7755

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.60027/ijsasr.2024.4059

Keywords:

Health-related Physical Fitness; , Anxiety; , Physical Fitness Training Method; , Anxiety Training Method; , Related research

Abstract

Background and Aim: The university stage is a crucial period for promoting the healthy development of adolescents, and it also plays a pivotal role in cultivating exercise habits among undergraduate students. However, in the realm of exercise, we have observed a declining trend in proactive engagement, with students lacking access to a systematic exercise program to guide them. To address these issues and enhance the health and well-being of undergraduate students in Xi'an while simultaneously reducing anxiety, our goal was to develop an exercise program that can help students enhance their physical fitness and alleviate anxiety. Our ultimate aim is to foster the healthy growth of undergraduates by improving their physical fitness and reducing anxiety through a well-designed exercise regimen.

Materials and Methods: First review physical fitness of low physical fitness and high anxiety of 1000 students at Xi'an Physical Education University. Survey anxiety of 45 students from university who had high anxiety levels by special sampling method.Result of a physical fitness test and anxiety test.Second semi-structured questionnaire and daft exercise program by experts’ deep interview. Next, we conduct an experimental exercise program. Finally, we can confirm the exercise program by survey.

Result: Through the exercise programs we designed, we successfully increased students' fitness levels and reduced anxiety levels. After the students continued to exercise through this exercise program for eight weeks, the results of all physical fitness test items reached the passing level, and 31 students no longer felt anxious, while the number of students who felt mild anxiety dropped to 14. The findings strongly suggest that through targeted exercise programs, students' physical fitness levels can be significantly improved and help reduce anxiety on a psychological level.

Conclusion: There are many students whose physical fitness scores are unsatisfactory, unqualified, and anxious. After eight weeks of physical exercise, the anxiety scores of 31 students were within the normal range, and the anxiety scores of 14 students had been reduced to low anxiety.

References

Brand, S., Colledge, F., Ludyga, S., & et al. (2018). Acute bouts of exercising improved mood, rumination, and social interaction in patients with mental disorders. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 249.

Guo, Y., & Fan, Z. (2022). Exploration of the Current Situation and Development Model of Physical Fitness Testing for University Students under the Background of Big Data. New Sports, 6 (24), 99-101.

Lin, X. (2019). Research on the Relationship between Physical Exercise and Mental Health of University Students. Education Modernization, 6 (40), 86-88.

Perchtold‐Stefan, C. M., Fink, A., Rominger, C., Weiss, E. M., & Papousek, I. (2020). More habitual physical activity is linked to the use of specific, more adaptive cognitive reappraisal strategies in dealing with stressful events. Stress and Health: Journal of the International Society for the Investigation of Stress, 36 (3), 274–286. https://doi.org/10.1002/smi.2929

Sampedro-Piquero, P., & Moreno-Fernández, R.D. (2021). Building resilience with aerobic exercise: role of FKBP5. Current Neuropharmacology, 19 (8), 1156.

Shi, H., Wang, H., Wang, S., etc. (2018). Analysis and research on physical fitness tests of university students based on actual data. Journal of Mount Huangshan University, 20 (3), 110-114.

Stubbs, B., Al K., Hallgren, M., et al. (2017). Physical activity and anxiety: a perspective from the world health survey. Affective Disorders, 208 (15), 545-552.

Sun, L. (2022). The positive effect of university students' sports self-discipline on their physical and mental health. Neijiang Technology, 43 (8), 21-23.

Wu, J., Zhao, J., Gao, M., et al. (2018). Analysis of Physical Fitness Testing and Motor Function Level of University Students: Taking Zhengzhou University as an Example. Contemporary Sports Technology, 8 (17), 146-149.

Xi’an Physical Education University. (2024). Physical fitness and mental health assessment of non-sports major undergraduates. Xi’an Physical Education University.

Ye, J. (2021). The intervention effect of different physical exercise modes on mental health and self-efficacy. Journal of Hubei Second Normal University, 7, 85-89.

Yoshikawa, E., Nishi, D., & Matsuoka, Y.J. (2016). Association between regular physical exercise and depressive symptoms mediated through social support and resilience in Japanese company workers: a cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health, 16 (1), 1-8.

Zhong, P. (2018). Research on the Promoting Effect of University Physical Education Curriculum Reform on Students' Psychological Health. Wuhan Institute of Physical Education.