Effect of functional training on floor exercise performance of female gymnasts

Abstract

The study was conducted to test the effect of functional training on the floor exercise, 15 sub – elite and elite female gymnasts were randomly selected as subjects for the study. In replacement of their regular conditioning exercises the subjects were asked to perform functional training exercises prepared by the researcher for a period of 16 weeks, 5 days a week, during the evening sessions for 60 to 90 minutes. A pre and post - tests were conducted to measure the performance of the female gymnasts on floor exercise using the standard evaluations prescribed by the federation international gymnastics. The data of the pre and post-tests were statistically analysed using the paired‘t’ test, which stated that there is a significant difference in performance of gymnasts on floor exercise due to functional training. It can thus be concluded that functional training improves the performance of female gymnasts on floor exercise. Its applications can also be extended to improve the performance of gymnasts on other apparatus and can have enhanced applications to training sportsmen for other sports and games as well.