Health benefits of short Taichi Qigong exercise (STQE) to University Students' core strength, lower limb explosive force, cardiopulmonary endurance, and anxiety: A Quasi experiment research

• Main Authors: Wang, Feng, Ali, Syed Kamaruzaman Syed
• Format: Article
• Published: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins 2024
• Subjects: L Education (General); LB Theory and practice of education
• Online Access: http://eprints.um.edu.my/45401/; https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000037566
• Institution: Universiti Malaya

Background:College students' physical fitness has declined over the past decades. Taichi Qigong exercise offers numerous health benefits and could serve as a suitable option for them. Traditional programs, however, are time-consuming and necessitate long-term commitments. Therefore, a more cost-effective intervention is needed.Methods:The study enrolled a total of 31 students who actively participated in a 5-week STQE program, consisting of three 60-minute sessions per week. Physical and mental health assessments included the Plank test, vital capacity measurement, 1000/800 m run test, standing jump, and the Zung Self-Rating Scale. Data analysis was performed using SPSS.Results:Following the STQE intervention, participants showed improvement in core strength (28.1 seconds in the Plank test, P = .025) and lower limb explosive force (6.52 cm in the standing jump test, P = .011), accompanied by a decrease in anxiety levels (a reduction of 3.41 in the Zung Self-Rating Scale, P = .039). However, no significant improvements were observed in cardiopulmonary endurance, as evidenced by a non-significant increase of 237.84 mL in vital capacity (P = .134) and a non-significant reduction of 1.6 seconds in the 1000/800 m run test (P = .764).Conclusion:The study suggests that the STQE program effectively improves core strength, lower limb explosive force, and reduces anxiety levels among university students.