THE EFFECT OF BRISK WALKING EXERCISE ON IMPROVING CARDIORESPIRATORY ENDURANCE IN PHYSIOTHERAPY STUDENTS

Abstract

Cardiorespiratory endurance is a vital component of physical fitness, especially for physiotherapy students
who will be engaged in physically demanding activities and healthcare services. Brisk walking is a simple,
low-cost, and effective aerobic exercise to improve cardiorespiratory endurance. This community service
activity aimed to educate and engage physiotherapy students in brisk walking exercises to enhance their
physical fitness. The program included fitness education sessions, initial VO₂ max assessments, multiple
brisk walking training sessions, and final evaluations. The results indicated an improvement in students'
cardiorespiratory capacity following the exercise program. This initiative is expected to inspire students to
adopt an active and healthy lifestyle in the long term.