An Evaluation of Health-Related Physical Fitness of Male Students (11-14 Years Old) in Maku City and A Comparison with Provincial and National Norms

The aim of this study was to evaluate the health-related physical fitness of 11-14-yearold male students in Maku city, to make physical fitness norms and to compare them with the provincial and national norms. 528 male students (age: 11-14 years old) from Maku city were randomly selected. Then, muscle endurance (pull-up and sit up), flexibility (sit and reach), explosive power (vertical jump) and cardiorespiratory endurance (20-meter shuttle run) tests were conducted. Descriptive statistics, area below normal curve, Z standard score and t test were used to make the norms and analyze the data. The Maku boys had significantly lower scores in explosive power than the provincial and national means. The endurance of their abdomen muscles was higher compared with the provincial means, but significantly lower than the national means. Their flexibility was higher than the provincial mean, while it was lower than the national mean. Their cardiorespiratory endurance was lower than the provincial mean, while it was higher than the national mean. Furthermore, the endurance of their shoulder girdle muscles was similar to the provincial mean, and it was significantly higher than the national mean. The physical fitness level of students in Maku city was higher than the mean of provincial and country norms in some factors while their explosive power was not favorable.