Association among fitness components, anxiety, and confidence following aerobic training in aquarunning

The relationship of actual and perceived physiological and physical changes, i.e., VO2max, percent body fat, body weight, and perceived fitness change, to changes in anxiety and confidence were investigated. 15 adults volunteered to participate in an 8-wk. exercise program and 15 adults volunteered to be in a nonexercising control group. Physiological and physical measures (VO2max, percent body fat, body weight) were taken at Week 1 (pretest week) and Week 10 (posttest week) of the program. Each subject completed the Competitive Sport Anxiety Inventory-II prior to and just after the 8-wk. training program. Cognitive and somatic anxiety scores significantly decreased for both groups over the 8-wk. period. Confidence scores did not change for either group. The physiological variable and the physical measures were significantly related to cognitive anxiety, somatic anxiety, or confidence. It appears that both the aquarunning exercise and quiet rest sessions can be associated with anxiety within 8 wk.