Effect of Zumba dance and yoga practices on selected physical variables of school level Kho-Kho players

The purpose of the study was to examine the effect of Zumba dance and Yoga practices on selected physical variables among school-level Kho-Kho players. Forty-five players aged 14-17 years from Thiruvanathapuram district Kerala were selected as subjects. They were randomly divided into three groups of fifteen each: Zumba dance group, Yoga practices group, and control group. The experimental groups underwent their respective training programs for a period of twelve weeks, while the control group did not receive any special training. The selected physical variables were speed and flexibility. The collected data were analyzed using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA), and when significant differences were found, Scheffé’s post-hoc test was applied to determine the paired mean differences. The results revealed that both the Zumba dance group and the Yoga practices group showed significant improvement in speed and flexibility when compared to the control group. The findings further indicated that the Yoga practices group showed slightly better improvement in speed, while the Zumba dance group demonstrated greater improvement in flexibility. It was concluded that both Zumba dance and Yoga practices are effective training methods for improving selected physical variables among school-level Kho-Kho players.