Abdosaleh Zar

Aim: Walking and consumption of natural supplements such as green tea can help improve general health and prevent chronic diseases, but its effect on sports performance is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effect of 8 weeks of walking and green tea consumption on the physical performance of inactive male students. Method: 60 male students of Persian Gulf University, aged 18 to 23 years, were randomly divided into four groups: control, supplement, exercise, and exercise + supplement. The exercise program consisted of 30 minutes of moderate-intensity walking three sessions per week for 8 weeks. Green tea supplement was taken in the form of tablets containing 500 mg of tea extract, three times a week in exercise + supplement and supplement groups. Physical fitness tests of 35-meter sprint, Sargent jump, and medicine ball throw were evaluated before and after the training period. Results: Changes in the Sargent jump test were not significant in any of the groups. The performance of the medicine ball throwing test improved in the exercise + supplement group compared to the control group (p=0.01, f=6.23) and in the supplement group compared to the pre-test (p=0.02). The performance of the sprint test improved in the exercise group compared to the control group (p=0.04, f=4.37), but was not significant in the other groups and compared to the pre-test. Conclusion: Walking training with green tea supplementation improved performance in the medicine ball throwing test and sprint test, but no significant changes were observed in the Sargent jump test.