Numerical Performance as a Function of Prior Exercise and Aerobic Capacity for Elementary School Boys

Abstract Thirty male subjects, ages 9 to 11, were separated into three aerobic capacity (AC) groups according to performance on a submaximal bicycle ergometer test. Each subject then took a 3-min. test of combined addition and subtraction on five separate days, preceded each day by one of five varied intensities of exertion. Scores were recorded for speed and accuracy for each minute and for the total 3 min. Heart rates (HR), numerical speed data, and numerical accuracy data were analyzed in separate three-way analyses of variance. HR increased linearly with increasing levels of work and the highest AC group had significantly lower HR than the low AC group at the highest workload. Numerical speed was significantly lower during minute three than during minute one. Prior physical exertion and aerobic capacity were not significantly related to numerical accuracy or speed.