Urbanization status and level of speed and strength abilities in polish boys aged 17-19

The material comprised of 362 randomly selected boys from representative towns and villages of “Westpommeranien” region of Poland. Town-country stratification of somatic development (body height and weight) as well as 6 motor tests from ICSPFT were applied. Relatively clear, statistically significant differences in all variables were found in the village-town comparison, especially at the age of 17 years. These differences diminished and were reduced in older groups what was probably the result of developmental retardation of boys from the villages. The differences disappeared in comparison to Polish developmental norms calculated in relative values (age categories). The authors pointed the necessity of relative treatment of physical fitness as a function of body development performed in relation to the whole period of somatic and motor development.