Comparing Physical Fitness Between Male and Female-Implementing the Investigation

Press ups

Equipment

• Floor mat
• Stopwatch

Method

1. Hands and toes touching the floor
2. The body and legs are in a straight line
3. Feet should be slightly apart
4. The arms should be at shoulder width apart, extended and at right angles to the body
5. The stopwatch is started
6. Keeping the back and knees straight, the subject lowers the body until the elbows are bent at a 90-degree angle, with the upper arms parallel to the floor
7. The push-ups are repeated at one every three seconds.
8. After sixty seconds the subject stops
9. And the number of press ups performed are recorded

Titration for carbon dioxide levels

Equipment

• Balloon x 8
• Test tube x 8
• 150cm3 beaker x 8
• 40cm3 Measuring cylinder x 8
• Drinking straw x 8
• White tile
• 50cm3 Burette
• Conical flask
• Methyl blue
• Sodium hydroxide
• Clamp

Method

1. Place a test tube in 8 separate 150cm3 beakers.
2. Measure 40cm3 of methyl blue using a measuring cylinder and pour this amount into each of test tubes.
3. Once each male and female have completed the step test, they should directly blow into a balloon until they can no longer blow into the balloon in order to collect the carbon dioxide.
4. The balloon must be held tight to prevent loss of Carbon dioxide.
5. Place one end of a straw into the test tube
6. hold the balloon tightly around the other end in the test tube filled with methyl blue
7. Slowly release the air into the test tube so that the carbon dioxide can react with the reagent.  A colour change should occur i.e. from blue to orange (signifying the existence of carbon dioxide).  This should be done until the balloon is empty.
8. Secure a 50cm3 burette on a clamp
9. Place a conical flask on a white tile, directly under the burette
10. Pour sodium hydroxide into the burette, until it reaches the 0.00cm3 mark
11. Pour the content of the test tube into the 250cm3 conical flask
12. Slowly release the tap on the burette, while stirring the conical flask at the same time. Close the tap on the burette as soon as the solution turns blue.
13. Record the reading on the burette amount
14. Repeat this titration thrice for each participant

Risk assessment

For the methods stated above, it is important to create a risk assessment stating the hazards involved, any precautions to be taken and what to do in case of an emergency.

Final Results

Below is the final results obtained; however one of the male participants was absent; therefore was replaced by another male, Mohammed.

Par-Q Forms

The par-q forms were given to the participants to understand the outcome of the results.

Natasha, Brian and Nilesh have no reason to have improper results apart from not regularly exercising. On the other hand, Elizabeth, Sundus, Suhail and Mohammed are less likely to achieve high results as they all suffer from asthma. Furthermore Elizabeth, Samiya and Mohammed all suffered from chest pains; therefore restricting their fitness levels.

Calculations & Graphs

The calculations include the fitness index of all participants, the body mass index of all participants, the averages for the titration, sit and reach, sit ups and press ups.

Fitness Index

(100 x time of test in seconds) divided by (2 x total of heart beats in the recovery periods)

1. 100 x (5 x 60) = 30000
2. 1-1.30 + 2-2.30 + 3-3.30 = ?
3. 2 x step 2
4. 30000 ÷ step 3

Natasha

1. 30000
2. 57 + 53 + 47 = 157
3. 2 x 157 = 314
4. 30000 ÷ 314 = 95.5

Elizabeth

1. 30000
2. 50 + 46 + 39 = 135
3. 2 x 135 = 270
4. 30000 ÷ 270 = 111.1

Sundus

1. 30000
2. 50 + 45 + 49 = 144
3. 2 x 144 = 288
4. 30000 ÷ 288 = 104.2

Samiya

1. 30000
2. 51 + 45 + 49 = 145
3. 2 x 145 = 290
4. 30000 ÷ 290 = 103.4

Average fitness index in female: (95.5 + 111.1 + 104.2 + 103.4) ÷4 = 104

Mohammed

1. 30000
2. 70 + 60 + 55 = 185
3. 2 x 185 = 370
4. 30000 ÷ 370 = 81

Brian

1. 30000
2. 56 + 51 + 46 = 153
3. 2 x 153 = 306
4. 30000 ÷ 306 = 98

Nilesh

1. 30000
2. 60 + 55 + 45 = 160
3. 2 x 160 = 320
4. 30000 ÷ 320 = 94

Suhail

1. 30000
2. 59 + 53 + 49 = 161
3. 2 x 161 = 322
4. 30000 ÷ 93.2

Average fitness index of males: (81 + 98 + 94 + 93.2) ÷ 4 = 92

“I predict that males will have a higher fitness index as they should have greater lung capacity than females”

Overall, the females have a greater fitness index than of the males; therefore my hypothesis was incorrect.

The reason why males have performed poorly is due to most of them being unwell, asthmatic or a smoker and less active than the female participants. These factors affected their performance a great deal, causing the outcome of the results oppose the scientific research.

However, as shown in the table below, they all achieved excellent physical fitness level scores apart from Mohammed who had a good score. This is due to Mohammed being the only smoker out of all the participants.

 

BMI (Body Mass Index)

To work out the BMI of the participants, weight is divided by height squared:

Natasha

Elizabeth

Sundus

Samiya

Female average BMI: (19.2 + 24.7 + 17.6 + 24) ÷ 4 = 21.4

Mohammed

Brian

Nilesh

Suhail

Male average BMI: (21.2 + 22.9 + 16.7 + 14.8) ÷ 4 = 19        

According to the chart below, Sundus, Niles and Suhail are all underweight; therefore this affects their performance as they do not have sufficient energy to keep them going. Whereas the other participants are more likely to achieve greater results in the experiment as they are all healthy.

However, the BMI is not always correct as it does not consider factors such as gender, muscle mass etc.

Titration

Male

The average titration of the male participants:

(12.5 + 14.6 + 11.5 + 8.5) ÷ 4 = 47.1 ÷ 4 = 11.8 NaOHcm2

Female

The average titration of the female participants:

(4.5 + 4.5 + 7) ÷ 3 = 16 ÷ 3 = 5.33 NaOHcm2

“The males will also produce a higher result of carbon dioxide levels; this is because males should have greater lung capacity levels than females”

As predicted the males have a higher concentration of carbon dioxide in their expired air than females, this is due to males naturally having a larger lung capacity than of females as mentioned in the background information in 8.1.

Brian achieved the highest out of the male participants as he regularly exercises, whereas Suhail has the lowest as he is asthmatic.

Samiya achieved the highest out of the female participants as she is the largest out of them; therefore her body requires more oxygen, hence more carbon dioxide is produced. Sundus was unable to blow the balloon as she is asthmatic; therefore she was not included in the titration calculation.

The titration results oppose the fitness index results, they should be similar as they both measure aerobic fitness, and this may be due to human error during the titration experiment and incorrect pulse readings after the step test. This could be improved by using superior technology and heart rate monitors, unfortunately this could not be done due to not having enough money to fund these facilities.

Sit & Reach (cm)

Male

The average of the sit and reach results of the male participants:

(3+23+27+24) ÷ 4 = 77 ÷ 4 = 19.25cm

Female

The average of the sit and reach results of the female participants:

(30+29+20+28) ÷ 4 = 107 ÷ 4 = 26.75cm

“For this test I hypothesise that the females will achieve a higher result as males have higher muscle mass than females; therefore making males less flexible”

As predicted the female participants on average achieved greater results as they have less muscle mass than of the male participants. However, some males are more flexible than of the females as they stretch frequently.

The following table shows the normative data of the sit and reach test for male and female

Females’ flexibility is normally higher than of males this is due to females usually having a lower muscle mass than of males. This is because males have testosterone which allows them to produce muscle at a high level.

Press ups (1 min)

Male

The average of the press up results of the male participants:

(41+62+40+26) ÷ 4 = 169 ÷ 4 = 42.25 (1 min)

Female

The average of the press up results of the female participants:

(12+2+4+3) ÷ 4 = 21÷ 4 = 5.25 (1 min)

“I predict the males will perform a higher number of sit ups and press ups than females this is due to males normally having a higher muscle mass”

As predicted, the male participants achieved greater results than of females as they naturally have a greater muscle mass.

The following table shows the normative data of push ups for male and female.

The male participants have all achieved average results or greater, whereas the female participants have achieved either fair or poor results as they do not exercise frequently.

Sit ups (1 min)

Male

The average of the press up results of the male participants:

(49+32+32+30) ÷ 4 = 143 ÷ 4 = 35.75 (1 min)

Female

The average of the press up results of the female participants:

(32+31+17+30) ÷ 4 = 110 ÷ 4 = 27.5 (1 min)

“I predict the males will perform a higher number of sit ups and press ups than females this is due to males normally having a higher muscle mass”

As predicted the male participants have performed greater than of females as they have a higher muscular endurance.

The table below shows the normative data of sit ups for male and female.

Bibliography

Book references

• The sit and reach test normative data Davis B. et al; Physical Education and the Study of Sport; 2000
• Push up normative data McArdle W.D. et al; Essential of Exercise Physiology; 2000

Websites

• Harvard step test method
• Push up method
• Sit up method
• Sit and reach method 
• Sit up normative data
• Physical fitness index level

Figure references

• The Harvard step test method 
• The sit and reach method 
• Sit up method 
• Press up method