The effects of water polo training on aerobic power and pulmonary function in 11 and 12 years old boys

The investigations of the effects of training on aerobic power in children in the prepuberty years have yielded contradictory results. The study aim was to establish the effects of water polo training on aerobic power in 11- and 12-year old boys. The experimental group was com posed of 54 boys engaged in water polo for at least 2 years through an organized system of training and competition. The control group was com posed of 61 boys of the same age who were not actively engaged in any athletic activity. The investigation included anthropometric measurements and functional assessments. Aerobic power via maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) was assessed by Astrand test on cycle ergometer. Pulmonary function: forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume at one second (FEV1) were measured with computerized spirometer. There were no statistically significant differences with regards to age between the two groups. Body weight and height were statistically significantly higher in the experimental group subjects. The results demonstrated statistically significant differences in VO2max values expressed both in the absolute and in the relative values. There are significant differences between the groups regarding the FVC and FEV1 values. Our investigation showed that water polo training leads to a significant improvement in aerobic power in boys during prepuberty. These findings point to the importance of systematic training process as early as this developmental stage since that is the way of acquiring significant functional advantages.