Effect of a Skating Unit on Fitness in Fifth-Grade Students

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of a skating unit on cardiovascular fitness, eyes-closed static balance, explosive power, and agility in fifth graders. During a 6-week skating unit (12 lessons), 71students (Mage = 10.34 years, range: 10–12 years) participated during regularly scheduled physical education classes. Three classes were involved, one serving as the control group and the other two as experimental groups (roller skating and in-line skating). The control group had no access to roller or in-line skates during class time, rather the curriculum consisted of soccer, dance, and softball. The experimental groups participated in a specifically designed skating curriculum adapted with permission from Skatetime and Skate in School. Results showed that the roller skating group had longer static balance times than the in-line skating group. Even though other factors reported nonsignificance, difference scores illustrated gains after intervention, suggesting that a skating unit could induce improvements. Further research examining significance between roller skating and in-line skating is warranted.