Effects of Plyometrics and Calisthenics on Executive Function in School Going Children

What this Trial Is About

This research investigates how different exercise types affect executive functions in male school-going children aged 8 to 12 years. It compares calisthenics (bodyweight exercises) and plyometric (jump training) exercises to see which may have a better impact on cognitive skills like selective attention, working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility. The study is conducted by Riphah International University and aims to provide insights that could benefit children's cognitive development and physical education. Participants are randomly assigned to one of three groups: a calisthenics exercise group, a plyometric exercise group, or a control group with no exercise intervention. Both exercise groups will have supervised sessions three times weekly for eight weeks, including warm-up, exercise periods, and cool-down. The calisthenics group performs exercises such as bunny jumps, bear crawls, crab walk, and mad cat, while the plyometric group performs medicine ball squats, pushups, jumps, and hops. Throughout the study, children will undergo baseline assessments and follow-up tests at four and eight weeks using standardized tools to measure various executive functions. These include the Children's Trail Making Test for selective attention, Forward and Backward Digit Span Tests for working memory, and the Stroop Test for inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility. The study tracks changes in these cognitive skills over time to evaluate the effects of the exercise programs.

Comparison Between Plyometrics and Calisthenics on Executive Function in School Going Children