Empowerment of Elementary School Students through Physical Activity Gymnastics Program in Medan City
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53905/joska.v2i03.43Keywords:
community empowerment, elementary school students, gymnastics, physical activity, Medan CityAbstract
Objectives: Physical inactivity among elementary school students has become a growing concern in urban areas, including Medan City. The lack of structured physical activity programs in schools contributes to declining fitness levels and increases the risk of childhood obesity. This community service program addresses the urgent need to promote physical activity through gymnastics exercises among elementary school students. This program aimed to empower elementary school students by implementing a structured gymnastics-based physical activity program, improving students' knowledge about the importance of physical fitness, and enhancing their motor skills through systematic exercise routines.
Methods: The program was conducted at three elementary schools in Medan City, involving 150 students aged 9-12 years. The implementation included socialization sessions, gymnastics training workshops for teachers, practical demonstrations, and regular practice sessions over eight weeks. Pre-test and post-test assessments were conducted using fitness tests and questionnaires to evaluate knowledge improvement.
Results: The results showed significant improvement in students' physical fitness levels (78% increase in cardiovascular endurance), knowledge about physical activity benefits (85% improvement), and motor skill proficiency (72% enhancement). Student satisfaction reached 92%, and teacher competency in delivering gymnastics instruction increased by 88%.
Conclusion: This program successfully established sustainable physical activity routines in partner schools, trained 15 teachers as gymnastics instructors, and created a replicable model for other schools in Medan City.
References
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2008). Self-determination theory: A macrotheory of human motivation, development, and health. Canadian Psychology, 49(3), 182-185. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0012801
Donti, O., Bogdanis, G. C., Kritikou, M., Donti, A., & Theodorakou, K. (2019). The effects of baseline levels of flexibility and balance on performance gains in young female gymnasts. Sports Medicine - Open, 5(1), 43. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-019-0218-9
Federation Internationale de Gymnastique. (2021). Gymnastics for all: Age group program manual. FIG.
Gallahue, D. L., Ozmun, J. C., & Goodway, J. D. (2012). Understanding motor development: Infants, children, adolescents, adults (7th ed.). McGraw-Hill.
Guthold, R., Stevens, G. A., Riley, L. M., & Bull, F. C. (2020). Global trends in insufficient physical activity among adolescents: A pooled analysis of 298 population-based surveys with 1.6 million participants. The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, 4(1), 23-35. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2352-4642(19)30323-2
Kriemler, S., Meyer, U., Martin, E., van Sluijs, E. M. F., Andersen, L. B., & Martin, B. W. (2011). Effect of school-based interventions on physical activity and fitness in children and adolescents: A review of reviews and systematic update. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 45(11), 923-930. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2011-090186
McLeroy, K. R., Bibeau, D., Steckler, A., & Glanz, K. (1988). An ecological perspective on health promotion programs. Health Education Quarterly, 15(4), 351-377. https://doi.org/10.1177/109019818801500401
Ministry of Health Republic of Indonesia. (2022). Indonesia health profile 2022. Kementerian Kesehatan RI.
Riskesdas. (2018). Hasil utama Riset Kesehatan Dasar 2018. Badan Penelitian dan Pengembangan Kesehatan, Kementerian Kesehatan RI.
Rudd, J. R., Barnett, L. M., Butson, M. L., Farrow, D., Berry, J., & Polman, R. C. J. (2020). Fundamental movement skills are more than run, throw and catch: The role of stability skills. PLOS ONE, 10(10), e0140224. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0140224
Schmidt, R. A., & Lee, T. D. (2019). Motor learning and performance: From principles to application (6th ed.). Human Kinetics.
Setiawan, A., Mahardika, I. M. S., & Hartoto, S. (2019). The effect of structured exercise program on cardiovascular fitness of elementary school students in Jakarta. Journal of Physical Education and Sports, 8(2), 145-152.
World Health Organization. (2020). WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240015128
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
Categories
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Arvin Suhendra, Yunita, Aries Dc Silaban, Arjuna, Aqila Azura
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
