The effects of regular physical exercise on four measures of self-repo
rted anxiety were examined. Fe male and male undergraduates were rando
mly assigned to a physical training (3-one hour sessions for 12 weeks)
or a waiting list control condition. The two groups were comparable i
n objective measures of physical capacity and skills, cardio-respirato
ry fitness and biochemical parameters at the beginning of the study. T
here was a reduction in three of the four anxiety measures (trait anxi
ety, psychosomatic symptoms and tension) in the training group, in com
parison with the control group. No effects were observed on test anxie
ty.