The purposes of this study were to investigate the effects of forest or ground walking exercise on the health-related fitness and functional movements of middle-aged women. For those purposes, the subjects were divided into two groups: the forest walk...
The purposes of this study were to investigate the effects of forest or ground walking exercise on the health-related fitness and functional movements of middle-aged women. For those purposes, the subjects were divided into two groups: the forest walking group(n=7) and the ground walking group(n=7), both of which participated in an 80-minute exercise session three times per week for ten weeks. Variables were measured before and after the ten-week exercise program. Collected data were treated with the SPSS PC version 18.0 statistical program for Windows by obtaining the mean(M) and standard deviation(SD) of each variable and conducting a paired t-test. The findings were as follows. First, Forest walking exercise had more positive effects on cardiovascular endurance, extensor strength of the right knee joint and the flexor strength of the left knee joint, extensor endurance of the right and left knee joint, flexibility, fat mass than ground walking exercise. Second, however, there were no difference between two groups on extensor strength of the left knee joint and the flexor strength of the right knee joint, flexor endurance of the right and left knee joint, %fat. Third, Forest walking exercise had more positive effects on inline lunge and rotary stability in functional movement screen. Fourth, however, there were no difference between two groups on Deep Squat, Huddle Step, Shoulder Mobility, Straight Leg Raise, Push-up in functional movement screen. Those findings suggest that forest walking exercise may be a more effective exercise plan for the health-related fitness and functional movements of middle-aged women.