EFFECT OF RESISTANCE TRAINING FOLLOWED BY YOGIC PRACTICES ON MUSCULAR STRENGTH ENDURANCE AND BLOOD PRESSURE

The aim of the study was to find out whether resistance training followed by yogic practices enhancing the muscular strength, strength endurance and reducing blood pressure of college level male football players. Thirty college aged male football players in 18 and 25 years of age group studying in various colleges around Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala were selected as subjects. They were divided into two equal groups, each group consisted of fifteen football players, in which group - I underwent resistance training followed by yogic practices and group - II acted as control which did not participate any training apart from their regular curricular activities. The period of training for the present study was three days (alternative days, such as, Monday, Wednesday and Friday) in a week for twelve weeks. Prior to and after the training period the subjects were tested on muscular strength, strength endurance and blood pressure (systolic and diastolic). The muscular strength was measured by administering push-ups test, strength endurance was measured by administering bent knee sit-ups test and blood pressure (both systolic and diastolic) was measured by using sphygmomanometer. The analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was applied as statistical tool to find out any significant difference between the experimental and control groups. It was concluded from the result of the study that resistance training followed by yogic practices group have improved (P < 0.05) all the criterion variables, such as, muscular strength, strength endurance and decreased the blood pressure (both systolic and diastolic).