The relationship between biking activities and VO2 max level in fixie bike Makassar community members

Abstract

Objective

To determine the relationship between the cycling activity with the VO₂ max level on community members fixie bike Makassar.

Method

We identified 31 participants from all the Makassar fixie bike community members who were selected using a purposive sampling technique. Cycling activity data is taken by giving questionnaires, and VO₂ max level data is taken by the 3 Minute Step Test.

Results

Based on the Fisher Test = 0.005 and Phi value = 0.602 showed that there was a strong correlation between activities cycling with VO₂ max levels in these community members. The result showed, based on the age group and VO₂ max, the good criteria are more in early adulthood while the poor criteria are more in adolescents.

Conclusion

It was found that there was a relationship between cycling activity and VO₂ max levels in the Makassar fixie bike community members.

Introduction

In the development of medical science, efforts in the medical field have experienced development. It is not limited to curative efforts but also efforts to promotive, preventive, and rehabilitative services. Sport has its place in the world of health as one of the key factors in disease prevention. Exercise has also been proven to increase the degree of health and physical fitness level of a person.¹ Someone who has excellent physical fitness can perform daily activities optimally and not get tired quickly, and still have energy reserves to do other activities.^2,3

Assessing physical fitness especially at the student level is still lacking, a survey in 2005 on the level of physical fitness of students, showed 10.7% included in the category of very poor, 45.97% entered the category of lack, 37.66% included in the moderate category, and 5.66% are in the good category, while those in the excellent category are 0%.⁴

On a national scale, the level of physical fitness for adulthood is still in the inadequate category, based on the results of the analysis of fitness data collected in the 2006 Sports Development Index shows that 37.40% is in the very poor category, 43.90% is in the less category, for the medium category 13.55%, and those in the good and excellent category only 5.15%. So, in general, both at the age of children to adulthood, the level of physical fitness of Indonesian people is in the moderate category or can be said to be lacking.⁵

The history of a fixie or fixed gear bikes originated in the United States, precisely in the city of New York. In historical records, because the conditions of the city of New York are very congested, delivery posters/newspapers/magazines are often late when delivering their packages. Finally, they chose a fixed gear or fixie bike as an alternative, and the results were very satisfying because of faster delivery. History is developing until now, and many people use fixed gear bikes in Indonesia. Use of fixie now not just for the mailman, newspaper, or magazine as of the first history fixie, or to exercise in the morning during the holidays, but also commonly used to go to school, college, or office, or social functions such as joining a fixie community.⁶

From the results of observations, several fixie bicycle communities in the city of Makassar include Makassar Fixed Gear Activity (MAFIA) Riders, Whitestone, and Makassar fixie bike (FBI). One fixie community in Makassar who is still active and regularly cycling community is fixie bike Makassar. This community formed since May 15, 2011. With the benefits of cycling and public enthusiasm for cycling Makassar increases, researchers interested in studying further the relationship between the activity of cycling with the VO₂ max level on community members fixie bike Makassar.

Method

Study object and location

The study population was all fixie cyclists in the city of Makassar who were registered as members of the Makassar fixie bike community.

This research was carried out in the Indosat Park, the Losari Beach Pier, and the GTC Mall area, Makassar City. This study took place for three months, starting from the preparation process until the processing of research data.

Data collection methods

To determine the research sample, the researcher used the Purposive Non-Random Sampling technique of the population with provisions that met the inclusion criteria and exclusion criteria set by the researcher. The number of samples taken is a minimum of 24 people. The inclusion criteria set are; Makassar fixie bike Community members who have been actively biking for at least the last six months; present to take the VO₂ max test at the specified time; willing to be a respondent, and male sex. While the exclusion criteria set are; in an unhealthy condition during the VO₂ max test, having a history of fracture (broken bones) in the limbs, and have a history of Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (COPD).

This study consisted of 2 variables, namely the independent variable and the dependent variable. The independent variable in this study is cycling activity retrieved by administering questionnaires. The dependent variable in this study is VO₂ max level can be measured using a 3-Minutes Step Test. The value of the pulse of this test will be converted according to VO₂ max levels in men, according to the YMCA (Young Men's Christian Association).

Data analysis methods

The descriptive analysis includes the mean, minimum value, maximum value, and the percentage frequency distribution tables and charts. Another analysis technique is inferential analysis, which is used in this research is Fisher's correlation test to test hypotheses. Because the result of cross-tabulation shows that it is not feasible to be tested with Chi-Square because there are 50% Expected Count values whose values are less than 5. Therefore, the Fisher test was used as an alternative to the Chi-Square test.

The data analysis technique was performed using a computer with a data processing program SPSS 16.0 for Windows.

Results

Descriptive analysis

Distribution of cycling activities according to age group and body mass index classification

Table 1 shows that of the 31 members of the Makassar fixie bike community, the age group that has the most distribution of cycling activities with good criteria is early adulthood with 13 participants (41.93%) and at least with poor criteria, namely adolescents with 2 participants (6.45%).

Table 1.

Frequency distribution activities cycling by age group and body mass index classification fixie bike Makassar community member.

	Cycling activity criteria
	Good		Poor
	n	%	n	%
Body mass index (BMI)
Severe underweight	4	12.9	1	3.23
Underweight	5	16.13	–	–
Normal weight	14	45.16	6	19.35
Overweight	1	3.23	–	–
Obese	–	–	–	–
Total	24	77.42	7	22.58
Age group
Adolescent (18–20 years old)	11	35.48	2	6.45
Early adulthood (21–30 years old)	13	41.93	5	16.13
Total	24	77.42	7	22.58

While the frequency of body mass index based on cycling activity, the average body mass index of members for good cycling activity is 19.8 (normal) with a minimum body mass index of 14.7 (less weight level) and body mass index 26.7 maximum (more mild).

Distribution of VO₂ max levels according to age group and body mass index classification

Results in Table 2 indicate that of the 31 members of the Makassar fixie bike community, those who had good cycling activities with VO₂ max levels were classified as good as 23 people (74.19%) and those who had VO₂ max levels with poor criteria of 1 person (3.23%). Poor for cycling activity, which has a good level of VO₂ max criteria as much as 3 (9.68%) and which has a poor level of VO₂ max includes as many as four people (12.9%). So the total number of members classified as good for the VO₂ max level is 26 people (83.87%) and poor as many as five people (16.13%).

Table 2.

Distribution frequency rate of VO₂ max according to activities cycling fixie bike Makassar community member.

Cycling activity	VO2 max level criteria
	Good		Poor
	N	%	N	%
Good	23	74.19	1	3.23
Poor	3	9.68	4	12.9
Total	26	83.87	5	16.13

Of the 31 members, by looking at the frequency of VO₂ max levels based on cycling activities, the average VO₂ max level of members who are cycling well is 94.3 (good) with a minimum VO₂ max level of 82 (good) and a maximum VO₂ max level of 112 (poor). The average VO₂ max level of members who are cycling poorly is 108, with a minimum VO₂ max level of 102 (good) and a maximum VO₂ max level of 116 (poor).

Distribution of VO₂ max levels according to cycling activity and inferential analysis

Results in Table 3 indicate that of the 31 members of the Makassar fixie bike community, those who had good cycling activities with VO₂ max levels were classified as good as 23 people (74.19%) and those who had VO₂ max levels with poor criteria of 1 person (3.23%). Poor for cycling activity, which has a good level of VO₂ max criteria as much as 3 (9.68%) and which has a poor level of VO₂ max, include as many as four people (12.9%).

Table 3.

Distribution frequency rate of VO₂ max and relationship between cycling activities based on VO₂ max in Makassar fixie bike community members.

Cycling activity	VO2 max level criteria				p
	Good		Poor
	N	%	N	%
Good	23	74.19	1	3.23	0.005
Poor	3	9.68	4	12.9	0.005
Total	26	83.87	5	16.13

Fisher test.

Fisher test results on the table show the value of p = 0.005 or p < 0.05 at 95% validity level. This shows that the hypothesis in this study proved with the result that there is a relationship between the activity of cycling with the VO₂ max level on community members fixie bike Makassar.

Discussion

The activity of cycling, a person will have an ideal body weight due to the benefits that will be obtained when doing regular cycling exercise, one of which is to reduce the level of obesity.⁶

Based on the age group, the level of VO₂ max adolescent age group (18–20 years) with the early adulthood group (21–30 years) did not experience a significant difference, this is because aerobic power (VO₂ max) reached its peak at the age of 18–20 years, coincides with the age of peak muscle mass.⁷ While those who have poor VO₂ max are 5 participants. This is because these five members have smoking habits that will directly affect cardiovascular endurance. This occurs because the inhaled cigarette smoke contains carbon dioxide (CO). In the blood, there is a Hb that plays a role in transporting oxygen to be circulated throughout the body, if there is CO, O₂ transport will be disrupted because CO has a greater level of affinity than O₂.⁸

Based on the results of statistical analysis, the hypothesis in this study proved with the result that there is a relationship between the activity of cycling with the VO₂ max level on community members fixie bike Makassar. Physical exercise or sport can improve VO₂ max. It is associated with an increased cardiovascular system working in the form of an increase in cardiac output, stroke volume, and blood volume, followed by a decrease in resting heart rate. A lower heart rate value VO₂ max resulted in people trained to be higher. Heart rate can be decreased after physical exercise regularly and for a specific time. This is the body's compensation for physical exercise.⁹

Conclusion

Most participants with good cycling activities who have a good VO₂ max level category, and most participants with poor cycling activities who have a poor VO₂ max level category. There is a strong relationship between cycling activity and VO₂ max level. But to maintain this, routine cycling activities are recommended regularly 3–5 times per week, a minimum duration of 30 min or a minimum distance of 13.5 km so that the benefits of cycling can be obtained.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Acknowledgements

Authors of this paper appreciate for the cooperation of Physical Therapy faculty of Nursing, Hasanuddin University.