The Relationship Between Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Heart Rate Among Physical Education Students

Abstract

Objectives. This study was conducted to examine the relationship between heart rate and cardiorespiratory fitness among second-year students of the College of Physical Education and Sports Sciences. Heart rate and cardiorespiratory fitness are important indicators of the functional condition of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, and both reflect the body’s physiological adaptation to physical activity. This study was considered necessary because empirical data related to these variables in the academic setting were still limited. Therefore, the research aimed to identify the pattern of association between resting heart rate, post-exercise heart rate, and cardiorespiratory fitness.

Materials and Methods. The study employed a descriptive correlational design. The population consisted of 84 second-year students, from which 40 students were selected randomly, representing 47.62% of the total population. Cardiorespiratory fitness was measured using the Cooper 12-minute run test. Heart rate was measured twice, namely before running and immediately after running, using a heart rate monitoring device. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, including arithmetic mean, standard deviation, Pearson correlation coefficient, and t-test at a significance level of 0.05.

Results. The findings showed that the students achieved an average running distance of 2550 meters in the Cooper test. The mean resting heart rate was 68 beats per minute, while the mean heart rate after running reached 171 beats per minute. Statistical analysis revealed a strong negative correlation between heart rate and cardiorespiratory fitness. The correlation coefficient between resting heart rate and cardiorespiratory fitness was r = -0.71, while the correlation between post-exercise heart rate and cardiorespiratory fitness was r = -0.63. These findings indicate that students with better cardiorespiratory fitness tended to have lower heart rates, both at rest and after physical exertion.

Conclusions. The study concludes that heart rate has a significant inverse relationship with cardiorespiratory fitness. In other words, lower heart rates are associated with higher levels of cardiorespiratory fitness. This pattern reflects physiological adaptations that occur as a result of regular physical activity and better cardiovascular efficiency. Based on these findings, heart rate can be used as a simple and practical physiological indicator for estimating cardiorespiratory fitness. It is recommended that heart rate monitoring be included in periodic student fitness evaluations and that training programs be designed to further improve cardiorespiratory fitness. Future studies are also encouraged to investigate other physiological variables related to cardiac efficiency, such as heart rate recovery and heart rate variability (HRV).