ABSTRACT
This quasi-experimental study determined the effect of a four-week belly dancing workout on college female students’ health related fitness in terms of body mass index (BMI), flexibility, and cardiovascular endurance (CVE). One section of Team Sports students in one of the universities in Iloilo City was purposely selected as participants. Twenty-six (26) were assigned for the experimental group and another 26 for the control group. Match pairing was observed so the two groups will be comparable based on the gathered pre-experiment data. The ratio index was used to determine the BMI by measuring the height and weight of the participants, Sit and Reach was employed to measure the flexibility, and Three-Minute Step Test of the American Alliance for Health PE and Recreation (AAHPER) was utilized to find out the CVE. The Statistical tools used were mean for descriptive statistics and t-test for inferential statistics. Significance level was set at .05 alpha. Results showed that the pre- and post-experiment BMI of the participants of the two groups were healthy and normal, and their pre- and post-experiment flexibility and CVE were excellent. No significant differences were noted between the experimental group and control group’s pre-experiment BMI, flexibility and CVE. Likewise, no significant differences were noted in the post-experiment BMI and flexibility of the experimental group and the control group. However, significant difference existed between their CVE. Significant difference was noted between the pre- and post-experiment BMI, flexibility and CVE of the experimental group. The results further showed significant differences in the pre-and post-experiment flexibility and CVE of the participants in the control group, however, no significant difference was noted in their BMI. There is a significant mean loss in the pre- and post-experiment BMI, and CVE of the participants. The post-experiment status of both groups did not vary in terms of BMI and flexibility, this shows that the exercise program employed made an improvement in terms of the health-related fitness component. But, in terms of CVE, the belly dancing program employs exercises in the mid-section of the body that the regular aerobic exercise program may not have emphasized. Only BMI and CVE showed a heathy result. This can be attributed to the nature of the two forms of exercises which are both cardiovascular fitness in nature. The nature of cardiovascular fitness exercises leads to weight loss due to the proper distribution of oxygen that may push the fat cells deposited to be eliminated. In terms of flexibility, significant mean gain may not have been achieved due to the nature of the two exercise programs. Though all parts of the body were in motion during the exercise, belly dancing targets mid-section only. Since the Sit Reach and Fitness Test for flexibility involves the whole body not the mid-section only it comes out that the flexibility was affected. The repetition and intensity of the flexibility exercises employed might be in a manner that some areas or parts of the human body may not have been exercised to achieve improvement.
Keywords: Belly Dancing, Exercise, Fitness, Quasi-experiment, Philippines
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