An Investigation into the Measurement Level of Maximum Volume of Oxygen (VO2 Max) Consumption Using Cooper 12-Minutes Run-Test

This study was carried out to investigate the measurement level of maximum volume of oxygen (VO2 max) rate for a continued period of four weeks (one month) amongst randomly selected Bo Commercial Junior Secondary School (JSS I, II and III) pupils in the Bo Municipality, Sierra Leone. The significance of the study is to measure and compare the VO2 max of both boys and girls at the three different strata i.e. JSS I, II & III using cooper-12-minutes-run test. A total of thirty (30) pupils (15 boys and 15 girls) were randomly selected at the three levels (JSS I, II & III), with age ranging from ten to seventeen (10-17) years. The Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) Coefficient, Dependent and Independent t-tests were used to compare the results of the study. The results were tested at (p ? 0.05) level of significance. Analysis of results from weeks one, two, three and four shows both significant and insignificant differences between the measured values of VO2 max rate of boys and that of girls (JSS I, II & III) at the beginning and at the end of the exercise which is recorded as r values [(i.e. r values ranging from r = 0.0000 to r = 0.7442) when compared with the c value (i.e. c value = 0.8783)] as shown in tables I, II, III and IV; and as t values [(i.e. t values ranging from t = 10.249 to t = 3.728) when compared with the dependent and independent c values (c = 2.776 and c-value = 2.306)] as shown in tables V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI and XII. Conclusively therefore, the major findings in this study shows that pupils (boys and girls) were experiencing quick fatigue at the beginning of the exercise which affected the low rate of their VO2 max calculation greatly but they had to overcome the fatigue as the session continued into the subsequent weeks thereby improving their rate. In recommendation, the most effective approach to improving VO2 max rate in pupils is by applying the endurance high intensity interval training (HIIT) during practical session in schools.