Dr.Hab., Professor L.I. Lubysheva¹
Dr.Hab., Professor L.D. Nazarenko^2
1Russian State University of Physical Education, Sport, Youth and Tourism (SCOLIPE), Moscow
²Ulyanovsk State Pedagogical University named after I.N. Ulyanov, Ulyanovsk

Keywords: ontokinesiology, integrated knowledge field, physical activity, sports-driven physical education and sports, adaptation to physical trainings.

Background. Modern challenges we face in the XXI century with the growing dynamism, progress imbalances, new information cultures, environmental disasters, pandemics and social adversities when a special priority is necessarily given to "preserving a human being as a biosocial entity" (as provided by V.S. Stepin with reference to not only the social and professional competencies but also the ability to maintain an optimal lifestyle safe for the natural environment), physical activity will play a growing role as an individual psychophysical and socio-cultural resource building tool.

Today we once again, on the eve of the V.K. Bal’sevich’s birthday, appreciate his contribution to the human ontokinesiology theory and practice. In the ontokinesiological terms, physical activity is interpreted as driven by a methodically structured scientific physical-education-and-sports-related knowledge with a special attention to the age-specific kinesiological resource variation logics that make it possible to find new functionality control methods for every progress stage [6]. The fruitful ideas of V.K. Bal’sevich on the individual kinesiological resource control and mobilization by physical activity tools based on the theory of adaptation to training loads and the modern physical activity sportization concept – give the means to increase the active creative, intellectual and physical longevity [1].

With natural age-specific regresses, people are more and more exposed to physical inactivity and gradually give up their running, jumping, weightlifting and other health trainings. As a result, the physical fitness and health tests find regresses in muscle strength, speed, endurance, dexterity and many other physical qualities, with inevitable damages to the healthy lifestyle and health standards. It should be noted that V.K. Bal’sevich emphasizes the individual lifestyle related aspects of physical activity as well as its social implications including the personality physical activity and self-perfection values, motivations and priorities – i.e. ranks healthy physical activity among the key socio-biological phenomena.

Pursuant to the N.A. Bernstein’s ideas on the logics of bodily responses to external physical stresses and the relevant research thrusts, V.K. Bal’sevich makes provisions for the theory of adaptation to training loads as a foundation for healthy physical activity with a special attention to adaptive changes in the physiological organs and systems under focused physical efforts viewed as the key training benefits securing mechanism, with the relevant functional and morphological progresses at the cellular level [12].

Objective of the study was to offer theoretical and practical provisions for and test benefits of a new physical activity model for seniors based on the V.K. Bal’sevich’s ontokinesiological theory.

Methods and structure of the study. As provided by the V.K. Bal’sevich theory, physical practices shall be designed on an age-specific basis i.e. the physical activity tools need to be sensitive to the natural variations in the human physicality, psychophysical status, emotionality and adaptability [1, 3]. We run an experiment to test a new V.K. Bal’sevich theory based physical activity model for seniors on a sample of 55-59 years old women (n=24) trained in health groups, with the sample split up into Experimental and Reference Groups (EG, RG) of 12 people each. The RG trainings were dominated by 90-minute fitness aerobics (Pilates and rhythmic gymnastics) twice a week; and the EG trainings were complemented by our new physical activity model with the hereunder described versatile physical practices and training tools.

Results and discussion. Practical benefits of the training systems for seniors may be largely determined by special theoretical knowledge of the ontogenesis-stage-specific physical fitness basics. This was the reason for the EG trainings to be complemented by theoretical sessions to help learn the physiological mechanisms of the physical activity and its benefits for the metabolic processes, cardiovascular, respiratory and other systems and intellectual and physical performance with age.

Furthermore, the EG trainings made a special emphasis on the trainees’ psycho-emotional health. Emotionality is known to facilitate and control performance by a sort of feedback effects, and this is why the EG trainings included a variety of cooperation and mutual support elements like putting hands on the shoulders to harmonize the joint exercises; or holding hands while making swinging exercises in circles – to improve mood and inspire, support and facilitate the group practices. The EG practices also included games and competitive elements, e.g. the best posture contests in the traditional fitness practices; best squatting routines with ideal static/ dynamic postural controls, etc. [4, 5]. On the whole, the EG trainings may be classified into the following physical activity components:

Component I: morning gymnastics with a special priority to respiration and postural control practices with weights, expanders, benches and other equipment.

Component II: unassisted daily strength-building physical practices including: suspensions on the bar with progress rated by weekly time tests; recumbent straight legs raising practices with the following goals: reach the right angle in a week; sitting right angle keeping by the end of week 1; slow plank-to-prone position with hand resistance to make fall-free progress in strength building by the end of week 2; and at least one prone push-up by the end of week 2 in the plank position, etc.

Component III: standard 90-minute health group practices twice a week, with a special priority to health aspects, with the first four weeks including: mid-pace walking practices for at least 50 minutes; faster walking with the emphasized feet controls; fast walking with the emphasized leg controls; cross-step right/ left-side alternative walking; semi-squatted walking; postural control emphasizing walking practices with varied hand positions and left/ right trunk twists; and the slow relaxed walking practices with breathing exercises.

As required by the V.K. Bal’sevich theory of adaptation to physical trainings, the training loads were stepped up every four weeks with the difficulty levels of the exercises increased as follows: (1) Mid-pace walking practices were followed by a few running strides, and then fast walking followed by the mid-pace walking; (2) Semi-squatted walking was gradually complicated by the deeper-squatting elements with the amplitudes increased on a weekly basis; (3) Chair sitting push-offs with the counts stepped on a weekly basis; (4) Circular movements in the shoulder girdle with bent elbows and fingers touching the shoulder, increased on a weekly basis; etc.

The EG trainings in the next four weeks were complicated by the growing numbers of the running strides and complemented by the legs alternating left-to-right and vice versa jumps, with progress goals set on a weekly basis. Health of the trainees was controlled by the heart rate and blood pressure pre- and post-training tests.

Pre-experimental tests of the sample were as follows: 2000m non-competitive (no time fixed) race; prone push-ups (counts); pull-ups on a 90-cm-high bar (counts); recumbent to sitting (counts); and standing front leans on a gymnastics bench (cm) tests; plus functionality tests.

The pre- versus post-experimental tests showed significantly lower progresses in the RG, with the only exception for the flexibility test; albeit the RG was still tested with progress on the wellbeing test scale. The EG was tested with progresses in the non-competitive 2000m race, walking/ running pace control, prone push-ups and recumbent-to-sitting tests. The EG adaptation to the physical loads for two experimental months was facilitated by the unassisted morning exercises at home plus other practices recommended by the instructor. The EG was tested with the higher physical activity motivations as verified by the lower absenteeism statistics, plus significant progress in the physical fitness and functionality tests.

Conclusion. The new physical activity model for seniors makes a special emphasis on natural locomotion with an accentuated execution facilitated by favorable psycho-emotional background, motivational, mental and volitional resource mobilizing aspects for physical progress. The progress tests showed great potential benefits of the V.K. Balsevich’s scientific heritage based physical education and sports / health systems sensitive to the ontogenesis-specific variations in the human motor resource. Age-specific physical activity models need to be well designed, motivated and encouraged in most efficient forms, as verified, among other things, by our challenging self-isolation experience during the Covid-19 pandemic.

References

1. Bal’sevich V.K. Ontokinesiology. M.: Teoriya i praktika fizicheskoy kultury i sporta publ., 2000.
2. Bernshtein N.A. Essays on movement and activity physiology. M.: Meditsina publ.. 1966. 166 p.
3. Vygotskiy L.S. Mind, consciousness, unconscious. Col. Works. V. 1. M.: Nauka publ., 1982. 324 p.
4. Lubysheva L.I. Sport and socialization: from sport-centered methods to innovative socio-cultural projects. Fizicheskaya kultura: vospitanie, obrazovanie, trenirovka, 2017, no. 1, pp. 2-4.
5. Nazarenko L.D., Anisimova E.A. Education in sports. Moscow: Teoriya i praktika fizicheskoy kultury i sporta publ., 2015. 80 p.
6. Peredelskiy A.A., Shlyakhtov A.A., Ipatyeva O.Z. Ontokinesiological approach as priority progress avenue for modern sport science. Teoriya i praktika fiz. kultury. 2019. No. 9. pp. 3-

Corresponding author: fizkult@teoriya.ru

Abstract

Objective of the study was to offer theoretical and practical provisions for and test benefits of a new physical activity model for seniors based on the V.K. Bal’sevich’s ontokinesiological theory.

Methods and structure of the study. As provided by the V.K. Bal’sevich theory, physical practices shall be designed on an age-specific basis i.e. the physical activity tools need to be sensitive to the natural variations in the human physicality, psychophysical status, emotionality and adaptability [1, 3]. We run an experiment to test a new V.K. Bal’sevich theory based physical activity model for seniors on a sample of 55-59 years old women (n=24) trained in health groups, with the sample split up into Experimental and Reference Groups (EG, RG) of 12 people each. The RG trainings were dominated by 90-minute fitness aerobics (Pilates and rhythmic gymnastics) twice a week; and the EG trainings were complemented by our new physical activity model with the hereunder described versatile physical practices and training tools.

Results and conclusions. Practical benefits of the training systems for seniors may be largely determined by special theoretical knowledge of the ontogenesis-stage-specific physical fitness basics. The new physical activity model for seniors makes a special emphasis on natural locomotion with an accentuated execution facilitated by favorable psycho-emotional background, motivational, mental and volitional resource mobilizing aspects for physical progress. The progress tests showed great potential benefits of the V.K. Balsevich’s scientific heritage based physical education and sports / health systems sensitive to the ontogenesis-specific variations in the human motor resource. Age-specific physical activity models need to be well designed, motivated and encouraged in most efficient forms, as verified, among other things, by our challenging self-isolation experience during the Covid-19 pandemic.