Effects of recreational tennis practice on information technology industry employees’ fitness – a pilot study

Introduction. This pilot research studies the effects of practicing organized recreational tennis on the fitness values emphasized by the Eurofit for Adults test battery. Objectives. Our goal was studying the evolution of the physical fitness of Information Technology (IT) workers in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, before and after implementing a recreational tennis program by administering the Eurofit test battery. A secondary objective was testing the measurement instruments we used. Method. Firstly, questionnaires were applied in order to find a number of IT workers willing to involve themselves in the pilot study. Further, 24 subjects (n=24) were measured, using the Eurofit for Adults test battery, repeating the measurements after a six week period in which 20 of the subjects participied in organised tennis lessons, while the rest of 4 carried on their daily activities without being involved in extra physical workout programs. Results were then statistically analysed using SPSS software. Results. A total number of 55 IT workers (n=55) of which 26 men and 29 women answered the initial questionnaire saying that they exercise once each two days (Mmen = 3.58 days a week and Mwomen= 3.72 days a week). Regarding their tennis skill level, most of them declared themselves as novices (M=2.14 out of 10). Regarding the Eurofit test battery results, some improvements were visible in the experimental group after calculating the difference between the initial and final test results means although not all tests showed this. Conclusions. These results can stand as a starting point for a more complex research on a larger group of subjects and for a longer time period. Regarding the instruments used, we realised we need to improve their quality, mainly in the case of the hand dynamometers and callipers. Due to some weather condition differences between the measurements days, we plan on replacing the outdoor measurements with the alternative tests offered by the Eurofit manual. REZUMAT. Efectele practicării tenisului de câmp recreațional asupra indicilor formei fizice (fitness) a angajaților din industria tehnologiei informației- un studiu pilot. Introducere. Acest studiu pilot cercetează efectele practicării în mod organizat a tenisului de câmp recreațional asupra indicilor fitness-ului propuși de bateria de teste Eurofit pentru Adulți. Obiective. Țelul nostru a fost să studiem evoluția fitness-ului fizic al angajaților din domeniul industriei tehnologiei informației din Cluj-Nap