Comparison of physical performance throughout Ramadan among varsity students / Nor Amira Amalina Che Ibrahim

Ramadan is a divine month that appointed all Muslims in the world to refrain from food, drink and conjugal relationship from sunrise to sunset. Physical fitness is a very important element in our life in order for us to do or complete our daily routine without using fasting as an excuse to not perform to the fullest. The aims of this study are to compare the physical performance among varsity students throughout Ramadan and to compare the physical performance throughout Ramadan between genders. The cross sectioned study recruited sixty-nine students from UiTM Pahang which involved twenty-five males and forty-four female. Each student performed five physical fitness tests that consist of Body Mass Index, cardiovascular endurance, power, muscular endurance and flexibility. The data collected for four-consecutive times; a week before Ramadan, 1st week of Ramadan, 3rd week of Ramadan and a week after Ramadan. From parametric Repeated Measure Anova revealed that in overall, body composition, cardiovascular endurance, power and flexibility showed significant changes but not on muscular endurance. On the other hand, male group only had significant difference on cardiovascular endurance, power and muscular endurance except for body composition and flexibility. Meanwhile, for female group, significant difference was shown on body composition, cardiovascular endurance, power and flexibility but not on muscular endurance. In conclusion, most of the physical performance did have changes throughout Ramadan.