The Impact of Short-Term Physical Education Programs on the Fitness Components of First-Year Students at Thu Dau Mot University

Improving physical fitness among first-year university students plays an important role in the context of increasingly sedentary lifestyles in higher education settings. A 6-week physical education program was implemented to develop components of Physical Fitness through structured physical activities conducted at a frequency of five sessions per week, with each session lasting 50 minutes. The study sample consisted of 110 students, who were assessed before and after the intervention using tests of speed, muscular strength, muscular endurance, cardiorespiratory endurance, and flexibility. The results indicated significant improvements in all physical fitness indicators following the program (p < 0.05), with notable gains in muscular strength and cardiorespiratory endurance. In addition, the proportion of students achieving high academic performance in physical education increased, reflecting the overall effectiveness of the program. These findings suggest that short-term physical education interventions can serve as a practical approach to enhancing physical fitness and improving educational outcomes in university settings.