PHYSICAL-ACTIVITY, VO2MAX, AND JUMPING HEIGHT IN AN URBAN-POPULATION

We studied the interrelations between, on the one hand, the physical a ctivity (frequency, duration, intensity, and mode) measured by a quest ionnaire and, on the other, VO2max (submaximal bicycle ergometer test) and the explosive muscle strength (vertical jumping height). A random sample of 774 healthy subjects from the city of Turku participated in this study; the subjects were 25, 35, 45, or 55 yr of age. The VO2max of physically active 55-yr-old female subjects was on the same averag e level as of 25-yr-old females, who were physically inactive. Corresp ondingly, the average VO2max of physically active 55-yr-old male subje cts was above the average level of 25-yr-old males, who were physicall y inactive. With the exception of the oldest female study group, the j umping test of physically active subjects gave similar results as thos e of their inactive counterparts who were 10 yr younger. On the basis of the sports events reported by the subjects, we classified the subje cts into five activity mode categories. The mode of activity was signi ficantly associated with VO2max in a three-way ANOVA (P = 0.0027) as w ell as with the jumping test result (P = 0.0001). Mixed training (incl udes varied types of exercise for the neuromuscular system) was the mo st beneficial mode of exercise for developing jumping height. The stud y suggests that the intensity, frequency, and duration of regular phys ical activity habits during leisure are associated with both VO2max an d the jumping height, and that the jumping height results, in particul ar, are increased by mixed training.