The Effect of Aerobic Exercise on Physical Fitness in Adolescents At the Qoryatul Qur’an Islamic Boarding School

Abstract

Fitness is an important aspect of supporting personal health and well-being, especially for adolescents who are still growing and developing. Given the busy and structured daily activities at Islamic boarding schools, improving physical fitness becomes even more important. The general public views aerobic exercise and functional training as effective methods for optimizing muscle strength, balance, flexibility, and cardiorespiratory capacity, as well as for improving cognitive function and mental health through enhanced blood flow to the brain and emotional stability. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of aerobic exercise on physical fitness among adolescents in Islamic boarding schools. The research method used was a true quantitative experimental study with a simple random sampling technique, involving a sample size of 40 adolescents divided into two groups: the experimental group (n=20) and the control group (n=20). The experimental group was given aerobic exercise as the intervention during the study period, while the control group continued their usual activities. Physical fitness was measured using the Indonesian Physical Fitness Test (TKJI), administered before the intervention (pretest) and after the intervention (posttest). Data analysis involved tests for normality, homogeneity, and hypothesis testing using a paired t-test with a significance level of 5%. Based on the results of data analysis, descriptions, statistical tests, and discussion, it can be concluded that there was an improvement in physical fitness among adolescents at the Qoryatul Quran Islamic boarding school who performed regular aerobic exercise, with a p-value <0.05, as well as an increase in the mean score between the pretest and posttest in the experimental group. Based on the results of the hypothesis testing using statistical analysis, a t-value of -6.127 was obtained with a significance level of <0.001, indicating a significant difference in the improvement in physical fitness between the experimental group and the control group. Thus, structured aerobic exercise training can have a significant effect on improving physical fitness in adolescents.