LEWISBURG, PA--(Marketwire - Mar 19, 2013) - Playworld Systems, a leading manufacturer of imaginative playground and fitness equipment, today announced the findings from a fitness study that reaffirms the effectiveness of the company's ENERGI Jr. outdoor fitness system.
ENERGI Jr. provides a gym-like, personal training experience with seven stations and 84 exercises. The study was conducted with 31 students from the Donald H. Eichhorn Middle School in Lewisburg. Study participants, who used the ENERGI Jr. equipment twice a week for three weeks for 30 minutes from September through October 2012, showed marked improvements in key areas and overall fitness levels.
"With growing obesity rates plaguing pre-teens and teens throughout the country, we are proud to offer a fitness product for middle school students that can get them outdoors and active, improving their overall health," said Ian Proud, research manager for Playworld Systems. "This study demonstrates the importance of equipment developed for this age group. Within a timeframe much shorter than most fitness studies, middle school students reaped the benefits afforded by ENERGI Jr."
Study Results
The study participants, which included 16 female students and 15 male students, improved their:
- Upper body strength on average by 51 percent. Upper body strength was determined by push-ups and horizontal pull-ups, plus their ability to hold their chin at a bar to complete the static hang challenge.
- Lower body strength by an average of 44 percent across three tests
- Dynamic agility by an average of 19 percent, as measured by a Hexagon Test*
- Abdominal strength by an average of 12 percent, as measured by a sit-up test
- Flexibility by an average of 19 percent, as measured by a sit-and-reach test, with the average user increasing their flexibility by an inch over the course of the study
Fitness testing occurred among the participants immediately before and after the usage period. The pre- and post-testing took place in an indoor environment while monitored by adults.
*Hexagon Test: Using athletic tape, a hexagon is marked on the floor. The subject starts with both feet together in the middle of the hexagon facing the front line. The subject jumps ahead across the line, then back over the same line into the middle of the hexagon. Then, continuing to face forward with feet together, jump over the next side and back into the hexagon. Continue this pattern for three full revolutions. Perform the test both clockwise and counterclockwise. The athlete's score is the time taken to complete three full revolutions. The best score from two trials is recorded.
More about ENERGI Jr.
ENERGI Jr. delivers a guided, fat-burning workout that exercises nearly all 600 of the body's muscles. Each station includes easy-to-understand instructional signs featuring 2D Codes that can be scanned by a teacher's smart phone or tablet PC to allow viewing of instructional videos. The equipment and free programming guide provide enough activity for a workout regimen of up to 45 minutes per day.
ENERGI Jr. offers free programming, including:
- Detailed lesson plans for middle schools
- Curriculum that allows for up to 28 students to use the system together
- After school fitness program
- Athletic program for coaches
- Instructional videos for all 84 exercises
- Activity log to track progress
- Supportive materials and more
About Playworld Systems, Inc.
For more than 40 years, Playworld Systems has delighted in igniting joy in people of every age and ability through play and fitness. Based on the belief that The World Needs Play®, Playworld Systems turns dreams into reality with its imaginative, customized commercial playground and fitness equipment. Our innovative product lines -- PlayDesigns®, PlaySimple®, Playworld®, Origins™, NEOS®, ENERGI®, and LifeTrail®, to name just a few -- are designed to unleash the transformational power of play, and imaginations soar and bodies strengthen along the way. An industry leader, we are first and foremost a family-owned company that cares about our customers as if they were family. Our customers benefit from unparalleled personalized attention from our network of local distributors and our value-added services. We invest significant resources to measurably reduce our impact on the environment. Our aggressive action to eliminate polyvinyl chloride (PVC) helped Playworld Systems become the first and only playground manufacturer to have its products Cradle to Cradle CertifiedCM Silver. We are deeply committed to evolving the world of play by moving beyond accessibility to create truly inclusive play spaces. That's why we developed the Inclusive Play Design Guide™, a free comprehensive resource that enables the creation of landmark inclusive play spaces.
Come out and play with us. For more information about Playworld Systems, visit www.PlayworldSystems.com.