The impact of outdoor physical education classes, gender and place of residence on physical capacity and fitness of primary school children

The search for new methods of increasing the efficiency of physical education school lessons is of great importance. The reason for it frequently confirmed in the literature, is a lack of increase of pupils’ skills, both in physiological and mental area. Thus, we should highlight the need of pedagogical intervention on all stages of school education. The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of selected individual and environmental conditions, e.g. gender, area of exercises and places of residence on physical endurance and fitness of children in school age. The research method was a natural experiment, the main assumption of which was to organize  physical education lessons mostly outdoor during the period of two years of experiment duration. Research included 203 primary school children – 102 boys and 101 girls. The experimental group that conducted approximately 65% of lessons outdoor, included 86 pupils. The control group included 117 pupils who exercised the same number of lessons usually indoor (in school rooms). 113 pupils came from urban areas and 90 – from rural areas. To test physical abilities of children International Test of Physical Fitness and Cooper’s test were used. We also determined Fitness Index and Index of Restitution Efficiency. Lessons conducted outdoor positively influenced speed, jumping ability and endurance of children. The results of Index of Restitution Efficiency were improved and the increase of oxygen consumption was observed. Boys demonstrated better endurance and to lower extent better physical fitness as compared with girls. Place of residence was the factor of the lowest significance. We confirmed the need of organizing physical education classes outdoor. Contact with nature has been shown to be an advisable form of human activity, especially in period of persistent ecological threads of health.