EFFECT OF EXERCISE ON BREATHING RATE IN YOUNG MALE ADULTS

The primary aim of this study was to determine the effects of exercise on breathing rate. 20subjects were involved in this study comprising of 10 experimental and 10 control subjects. The subjects were drawn from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology undergraduates, within the age range of 18-25 years. These subjects were randomly selected, none of them smokes cigarette and none consumes caffeine. None of these subjects suffers any cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. The mean and standard deviation of the age (yrs), weight (kg) and height (m) of the experimental subjects were 20.9+4.04,61.60+10.46,1.69+0.09 while that of the control were 21.20+2.94,66.90+10.37,1.76+0.09 respectively. Upon the arrival of the subjects in the laboratory, they were made to seat down for 10minutes so that their heart rate, blood pressure and breathe rate can come back to resting level. Age, weight and height were determined. Heart rate, blood pressure, breathing rate and lung function test using flow meter were determined. At the end of the pretest, the experimental subjects were made to undergo an exercise training program of about 8 weeks, three times a week at a sufficient intensity of 60% Max VO2 while the control subjects did not exercise at all. The result of the test was used to compare both experimental and control subjects in all the variables measured to know whether there will be a significant difference between the experimental and control. The study revealed that exercise decreases breathing rate and increases the respiratory efficiency in the experimental subjects compared with the control. More research is needed in this area of study using greater number of subjects, exercising at an intensity of about 60-70% Max VO2, 3 times a week for duration of about 6 months in order to allow generalization of results.