The effect of pilates exercises on physical fitness in HİGH school students

In this study, 'the effect of pilates exercises on physical fitness in high school students' was examined. Students aged 13-17 living in a dormitory and living a sedentary life were included in the study. Ethics committee, institutional permissions and voluntary consent forms were obtained before the study. Participating students were randomly selected from a total of 61 women, 25 in the exercise group (UG) and 36 in the control group (KG). In the study, mean age of UG was 14.76±1.32 years, height 159.52±4.87 cm, body weight 56.43±12.62 kg; KG mean age was 15.58±1.43 years, height 160.97±4.46 cm, body weight 58.10±10.03 kg. In the research, the pretest-posttest model, which is one of the experimental research types, was used. Body composition measurements, body fat ratios (BMI), body mass indexes (BMI) and waist-hip ratios, flexibility, muscle strength, muscle endurance and posture analysis measurements were taken from both groups before and after the study. During the research process, while UG was given mat pilates exercises for 1 hour, 2 days a week for 8 weeks, KG continued their daily routine. In the analysis of the data, the repeated measure ANOVA test was used to determine the difference. The significance level was taken as p<0.05. As a result of the research, no significant difference was observed between the KG and UG pretests (p>0.05). There was a significant difference in UG leg strength, back strength, sit-up, push-up measurements and posture analysis values compared to KG (p<0.01). In the pre-post test measurements of the UG, significant differences were observed in the leg strength, back strength, sit-ups, push-ups and body posture analysis values (p<0.01). Although no significant difference was observed in the flexibility measurement (p=0.05), it was observed that the mean value increased. As a result, it has been observed that pilates exercises are effective on strength, endurance and body posture, which are physical fitness elements. For this reason, we recommend that pilates exercises be used for some physical fitness elements and the development of body posture.