A Calculation of Motor Fitness Components of Inter-University cricket and Football Players

Santosh Kumar Gaur¹* and Deepali Nigam²

¹J.N.M.P.G.College, Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh, India.

²Mahila Mahavidyalaya P. G. College, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India.

ABSTRACT:

Motor fitness is gauged by performance and this performance is based on a composite of many factors. The most commonly motor fitness factors are Speed, Muscular Strength, Muscular Endurance, Muscular Power, Circulatory Respiratory Endurance, Flexibility and Agility. The purpose of the study was calculating the motor fitness components of inter-university cricket and football players. The subjects for this study were cricket and football interuniversity players of Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya Awadh University, Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh. Seven tests were administered to assess the motor fitness level i.e. 50 yards run (Speed), Pull-ups (Muscular Strength), Bent knee sit-ups (Muscular Endurance), Standing broad jump (Muscular Power), 600 yards run/walk (Circulatory Respiratory Endurance), Sit and Reach test (Flexibility) and Shuttle run (Agility). . The data was statistically analyzed using the ‘t’ test. It was found that there was significant difference between cricket and football players in 50 yards run, bent knee sit-ups, 600 yards run walk, sit and reach test and shuttle run test. There was no significant difference between cricket and football players in pull-ups and standing broad jump test performance. The football players was superior than cricketer in 50 yards run, bent knee sit-ups, 600 yards run walk sit and reach test. The cricket players were better than footballer in shuttle run test.

Motor fitness, Speed, Muscular Strength, Muscular Endurance, Muscular Power, Circulatory Respiratory Endurance, Flexibility and Agility

INTRODUCTION:

Man is built for movement; for physical activity. The last century and particularly the more recent decades, have witnessed a revolution in the lives of millions of people, were by mechanical elements have taken over tasks earlier performed by human power. Man has created a new world, with a different environment and different living conditions from those of his ancestors.

Sports participation and appreciation have become integral part of lives. The exercise and participation in sports is beneficial was recognized as long ago as 380 B.C. when Plato, the great Greek Philosopher wrote, “Lack of activity destroys the good condition of every human being while movement and methodical exercise save and preserve it.” Sports by their very nature are challenging, enjoyable, all-absorbing and require certain amount of skill and physical conditioning. Primitive man received most of the exercise through the ordinary daily pursuit that were necessary for him to earn a livelihood. They engaged in activities of a war like nature, and in time of peace practiced, these skills as a recreational past time.

He has to excel to make himself eligible for a higher level of competition. Circumstances and chances play a major role in the present day system for an athlete to come up to the highest level of competition. More over due to a sheer chance an individual has participated in an event and has won the competition he or she is likely to specialize in that event without any further guidance or instruction. This may be applicable to most of sports events.

Motor fitness is gauged by performance and this performance is based on a composite of many factors. The most commonly mentioned fitness factors are strength, endurance, power, speed, co-ordinative ability, balance, flexibility. Some of these factors evidently are more dominant than others and thus have a higher relationship with motor fitness. Motor fitness is made up of factors that seem more dynamic such as strength and endurance. Minimum standards of motor fitness may be achieved over a short period of time. By the same token, fitness is lost unless it becomes a product of day to day living.4

Motor fitness is a complex concept. A number of factor enter into efficient performance whether it is mainly of strength, speed, endurance, or skill. There is not one thing alone, but a combination of factors such as body type or structure, kinesthetic sense, flexibility and organic functioning which comprise motor fitness.

Although all the motor fitness component are essential for the optimum performance in the game of cricket and football but the main prerequisite for the Cricket is balance and coordination and in Football is speed because the nature of movements involved in both the game is quick alternating fast movements repeatedly and performing football with high acceleration or speed. The motor components which are dominantly involved in the game are speed endurance, Aerobic Fitness, Strength and Power, agility, body fat and balance. Speed Endurance is the ability of the organism to resist against fatigue in the case of endurance loads of sub-maximum intensity of stimulus and mainly anaerobic gaining of exercise and maximum less of oxygen.

Brian Murgatroyd noted that ICC High Performance Manager Richard Done has stressed that it really is vital that all players with aspirations to play in the ICC Cricket World Cup increase their base levels of fitness because that will allow them to realize their potential. It will allow them to maintain their level of performance for longer, increasing their concentration and endurance, and that is something each player will have to do if they want to do themselves justice on the world's biggest cricketing stage.

However, motor fitness components is recognized as potential factor that are essential to exploit the advantage of cricketer and footballer. Thus, it seems to be worthwhile calculating the contribution of selected motor fitness components to success in athletic performance.

MATERIAL AND METHOD:

The purpose of the study was the calculation of motor fitness components of inter-university cricket and football players. For this purpose, the students of Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya Awadh University, Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh, who has been selected for North-zone interuniversity cricket and football tournaments (session-2010-2011) were taken. The final sample consisted of 15 men university cricket players and 15 university football players making total of 30 players. The age range of samples was between 18 to 25 years.

In order to ensure the full cooperation from the subjects, the researcher had a meeting with them in presence of their coach/managers. The purpose of this study was made clear by giving a detailed explanation in order to ascertain that there was no ambiguity among the subjects regarding the efforts, which they had to put in the successful completion of the investigation. All subjects voluntarily agreed to extend full cooperation.

For this study the following motor fitness components were used to collect relevant data on the selected variables:

STATISTICAL PROCEDURE

To find out the significant difference (if any) between the cricket football players on each of the selected components the test of significance (‘t’ test) was employed. Further the level of significance was set at 0.05 level of comfidence.

TABLE-01TEST SELECTION

Variables	Test Items	Unit of Measurement	Scoring
Speed	50 yards run	in 1/10^th of sec.	Crossing the finish line
Muscular Strength	Pull-ups	in number	The maximum number of completed pull-ups
Muscular Endurance	Bent knee sit-ups	in number	number of correctly performed sit-ups in one minute
Muscular Power	Standing broad jump	In meters	Three trials-best was recorded
Circulatory Respiratory Endurance	600 yards run/walk	in seconds	The time taken to run 600 yards
Flexibility	Sit and Reach test	in inches	Three trials-best was recorded
Agility	Shuttle run	in 1/10^th of a sec	Two trials-better was recorded

RESULT AND DISCUSSION:

Table – 2 SIGNIFICANCE OF DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CRICKET AND FOOTBALL PLAYERS ON MOTOR FITNESS COMPONENTS

Motor Fitness Components	Players	Mean	Mean difference	SD	‘t’-ratio	Tab.’t’
Speed (50 yards run)	Cricket	7.60	1.00	0.370	7.45*	2.048
	Football	6.60
Muscular Strength(Pull-ups)	Cricket	10.50	2.30	3.37	1.90	2.048
	Football	8.20
Muscular Endurance(Bent knee Sit-ups)	Cricket	19.9	5.0	6.21	2.18*	2.048
	Football	24.9
Muscular Power(Standing Broad Jump)	Cricket	1.73	0.06	0.504	0.337	2.048
	Football	1.67
Circulatory Respiratory Endurance(600yards run/walk)	Cricket	121	11	10.4	2.79*	2.048
	Football	111
Flexibility (Sit and Reach)	Cricket	4.73	3.07	2.18	3.85*	2.048
	Football	7.80
Agility (Shuttle run)	Cricket	12.6	2.0	1.35	3.96*	2.048
	Football	14.6

*Significant at 0.05 level.

Average values for both the groups are presented in table No.2. The mean values of 7.60 and 6.60 in 50 yards run test was found for cricket and football players respectively. Football players were found to be better by 1.00 seconds and the ‘t’ value of 7.45 was statically significant.

The mean value of 10.5 and 8.20 in pull-ups for cricket and football players respectively showed a difference of 2.30. When the ‘t’ test was applied the mean difference of 2.30 was not found significant. The obtained ‘t’ values was 1.90.

The muscular endurance was assessed through bent knee sit-ups test. The mean value difference of 5.0, when statistically analysed was found to be significant as the obtained ’t’ values was 2.18. It indicates a dominance of football players.

Standing broad jump test was used to assess the Muscular Power. ‘t’ values of 0.337 was not found significant.

The mean value of 121 and 111 was found in Circulatory Respiratory Endurance (600yards run/walk) for cricket and football players respectively. The mean difference of 10 seconds with obtained ‘t’ value of 2.79 was found to be statistically significant.

The mean values of 4.73 and 7.80 in sit and reach test was found for cricket and football players respectively. Football players were found to be better by 3.07 inches and the ‘t’ value of 3.85 was statically significant.

The agility was assessed through shuttle run. The mean value difference of 2.0, when statistically analyzed was found to be significant as the obtained ’t’ values was 3.96. It indicates a dominance of cricket players.

CONCLUSION

Ø There was no significant difference between cricket and football players in pull-ups and standing broad jump test performance.

Ø There was significant difference between cricket and football players in 50 yards run, bent knee sit-ups, 600 yards run walk, sit and reach test and shuttle run test.

Ø Football players were superior than cricketer in 50 yards run, bent knee sit-ups, 600 yards run walk sit and reach test.

Ø Cricket players were better than footballer in shuttle run test. It may be due to the reason that in cricket running between the wickets is very important factor.

REFERENCES:

1. Barrow and Mcgee. A Practical approach to measurement in Physical Education. Lea and Febiger, Philadelphia. 1979. 119-120.

2. Brian Murgatroyd. Associate fitness must be top priority says ICC High Performance Manager: An article. Available from: URL: http://icc-cricket.yahoo.net/newsdetails.php?newsId=5841_1132156800.

3. Seaton DC. Basic Book of Sports. Englewood Cliffs, N.J., Prentice-Hall. 1956; 1-3.

4. Singh S, Singh J, and Singh H. Comparison of physical fitness between senior and junior group of hockey girls. Journal of sports and sports sciences. Vol. 26(1), Patiala. 2003; 46-47.

5. Sodhi HS. and Sidhu LS. Physique and Selection of Sportsman. Punjab Publishing House, Patiala. 1984; 8.

Received on 21.08.2011

Accepted on 11.09.2011