AGILIDADE GERAL E AGILIDADE DE MEMBROS SUPERIORES EM MULHERES DE TERCEIRA IDADE TREINADAS E NÃO TREINADAS

The objectives of this study were to verify the influence of training through generalized and supervised physical activities, on general agility (GA) and on upper limbs agility (UMA) in third-aged women; as well as to verify whether there’s a relationship between these types of agility. Sixty women (59,7 ±5,9 years) were divided into two groups: a) trained group (TG) – participants from a supervised program of generalized physical activities, for at least one year, three weekly sessions, one hour for session; b) an untrained group (UG) – with no practice of regular and supervised physical activities, besides every-day life activities. For GA evaluation, the agility an dynamic balance test designated by AAHPERD were applied and, for UMA, the plate tapping test designed by EUROFIT. TG showed for AAHPERD test as mean values 19,9 ± 2,7 seconds, and a score of 149 ± 23,2 points for EUROFIT Test, while UG showed 21,7 ± 3,4 seconds, for AAHPERD test, and a score of 157 ± 24 points for EUROFIT test. Was found significant statistical difference between TG an UG for the GA test, but the same didn’t occur for the UMA test. The correlation between GA and UMA results was r=0.51. It is concluded that for third-aged women: a) regular practice of general physical activities under supervision improves the general agility level, but not the upper limbs agility; b) scores of general agility are not good for predicting the upper-limbs agility.