The Relationship between Physical Fitness Level and Pulse Rate, and Blood Pressure in 8th Grade Students of MTS Nurul Ulum Welahan

Abstract

This study analyzed the relationship between physical fitness (VO₂max) with pulse rate and blood pressure in 58 eighth-grade students of MTs Nurul Ulum Welahan Jepara, by measuring VO₂max through a beep test as well as pulse rate and blood pressure before and after physical activity. The majority of students were classified as moderate fitness category (3) with (VO₂max 31-46 ml/kg/minute) with an average pulse rate of 95 bpm, an average systolic blood pressure of 129.38 mmHg (range 94-204 mmHg), and diastolic 77.48 mmHg (range 53-104 mmHg), including several cases of high systolic blood pressure. Pearson correlation analysis showed a significant weak negative relationship between physical fitness and heart rate (r = -0.287; p = 0.030), as well as a significant positive relationship with moderate to strong strength between physical fitness and diastolic (r = 0.576; p = 0.000) and systolic (r = 0.682; p = 0.000) blood pressure. These positive findings differ from the general literature and are thought to be influenced by post-intense physical activity measurements and the characteristics of adolescents during their developmental period. This study emphasizes the importance of physical activity in maintaining adolescent cardiovascular health and the need for contextual interpretation of physiological measurement results, particularly blood pressure, as a basis for developing physical fitness improvement programs in schools.