PhD, Associate Professor M.I. Sentizova¹
A.V. Gurieva¹
A.S. Starostina^1
1North-Eastern Federal University, Yakutsk

Keywords: physical education and sports, ethnic sports, Hapsagay wrestling, mas-wrestling, athlete, elite sports, mass amateur sports, freestyle wrestling.

Background. Ethnic Hapsagay wrestling has been traditional for ages and still remains very popular in the Republic of Sakha. Its name means the ‘agility contest’ in the Yakut language [6] and implies, in its modern version, a technical skill toolkit geared to throw or otherwise force the opponent touch the ground by whatever body part save for the feet for competitive success. The HP techniques are free of painful holds and long power submissions on the ground unlike the other martial arts [1]. Since 1932, the Yakut ethnic Hapsagay wrestling has been listed in the USSR and then Russian sports classifiers.

‘Mas tardyhyy’ is a Yakut equivalent for the ‘stick tug’ or mas-wrestling as it is known in the global sports. "Mas" means a wooden stick in Yakut and wrestling is the commonly understandable English meaning for multiple professional combat sports including Greco-Roman, freestyle wrestling and judo sports [4]. It was in 2003 that mas-wrestling was formally listed with the Russian Sports Register. Since the both ethnic sports are increasingly popular the world over, we feel it could be beneficial to probe attitudes to and awareness of the Hapsagay wrestling and mas-wrestling in the academic elite sport and mass amateur sport communities.

Objective of the study was to find and analyze attitudes to the Hapsagay wrestling and mas-wrestling in the academic elite sport and mass amateur sport communities.

Methods and structure of the study. We sampled for a questionnaire survey the North-Eastern Federal University students (n=200) engaged in the academic elite sport and mass amateur sports.

Results and discussion. The question "Do you think Hapsagay wrestling and mas-wrestling are the same sport?" was responded in a somewhat controversial manner. Thus the elite sport group was found perfectly aware of both of the sports. As for the amateur sports group, 46% differ Hapsagay wrestling from freestyle wrestling saying that hapsagai as a single-touch bout, whilst the freestyle wrestling goal is to press the opponent’s shoulder blades to the carpet; 21% of amateur sports believe that Hapsagay wrestling is a freestyle wrestling version with the only difference that Hapsagay wrestling is a single-touch outdoor martial art in traditional outfits (shorts); 19% feel the difference albeit fail to describe it exactly; 5% believe that Hapsagay wrestling is the Yakut equivalent for freestyle wrestling; and 9% were uncertain on the point. The survey data analysis has found the majority of the sample interested in both ethnic sports and acknowledging the Hapsagay wrestling being highly popular in the Yakut youth communities.

It should be mentioned that the question "Whether or not the Yakut mas tardyhy tradition is fully respected by the modern mas-wrestling?" has been disputed in the Republic since 2015. Thus 38% of the athletes competing in mas-wrestling and ethnic mas tardyyy reported feeling the difference and appreciating at the same time that the modified version of the traditional mas-tardyhyy was listed in the RF Sports Register. We should note that 62% of the sample believes that the authentic name and traditional rules of the Sakha people’s sport should have been better preserved by the formal mas-wrestling. It should be also noted that the mas-wrestling trainees point to the difference in the stick grips – as it should always be parallel in the traditional mas-tardyhyy.

Figure 1. Responses to the question ‘What physical qualities and skills are developed by Hapsagay wrestling and mas-wrestling sports?’

The above Figure visualizes the responses to the question ‘What physical qualities and skills are developed by Hapsagay wrestling and mas-wrestling sports?’ The elite sport group ranked the qualities as follows: speed-strength 48%, strength 16%, agility 14%, speed 13%, and endurance 9%. And the amateur sports group ranked them as follows: speed 46%, agility 33%, and strength 21%. It should be noted that the amateur sports group was found close to the elite sport group in its awareness of the both sports.

The questionnaire survey data analysis showed the efforts of the Yakut sport community and trainers being successful in popularizing the Hapsagay wrestling and mas-wrestling in the schoolchildren and youth cultures. Thus the survey found 54% of the sample having a school Hapsagay wrestling experiences (n=15, including 6 qualified athletes) and mas-wrestling experiences (n=55 including 20 qualified athletes). A republican (Ulus- and cities-specific) Hapsagay wrestling progress analysis showed that for the last 7 years (since 2011) the national junior and adult Hapsagay wrestling population has been fast growing. The Hapsagay wrestling progress in every Ulus (county) and city may be due to the enthusiastic efforts of the local Ulus Hapsagay wrestling federations [3]. A special contribution to the Hapsagay wrestling sport progress in the Republic has been made by the sports coverage by the Republican mass media service, mass sports "Games of Dygyna", "Urk Walan", "Obugeler onnyuular" tournaments and the national Ysyakh Sports Festival with participation of the local sport celebrities, plus the growing international Hapsagay wrestling and mas-wrestling competitions.

Conclusion. Based on the questionnaire survey data and analysis, we have every reason to state that the ethnic Hapsagay wrestling and mas-wrestling sports are increasingly popular in the North-Eastern Federal University student community. Being so popular and accessible for the mass physical education and sports service, the ethnic sports heavily contribute to the progress of mass sports movements in the Republic.

References

1. Androsov G.G. Hapsadaidahan Tustuu. Yakutsk: Yakutskoe knizhnoe izdatelstvo, 1963. 59 p.
2. Bleer A.N. Sports terminology. Explanatory dictionary-glossary. M.: Akademiya publ., 2010. 464 p.
3. Zakharov A.A. Mas-wrestling. Study guide. Yakutsk: YSU publ., 2006. 159 p.
4. Nikiforov N.V. Technical and tactical training of hapsagay wrestlers based on works of D.P. Korkin. Zdorovye – osnova chelovecheskogo potentsiala: problemy i puti ikh resheniya. 2015. v. 10. No. 2. pp. 35-40.
5. Pekarskiy E.K. Dictionary of Yakut language. In 3 V.. St. Petersburg: Nauka publ., 2008. 3321 p.

Corresponding author: sentizova@yandex.ru

Objective of the study was to find and analyze attitudes to the Hapsagay wrestling and mas-wrestling in the academic elite sport and mass amateur sport communities.

Methods and structure of the study. We sampled for a questionnaire survey the North-Eastern Federal University students (n=200) engaged in the academic elite sport and mass amateur sports.

Results and conclusions. The comparative analysis revealed that most respondents were interested in hapsagay and mas-wrestling and agreed that hapsagay was a popular sport among the Yakut young population.
Those engaged in elite sports believed that hapsagay and mas-wrestling primarily contribute to the development of speed-strength, strength, and speed abilities, agility, and endurance. Those engaged in mass sports gave priority to speed, agility, and strength.

The questionnaire survey data analysis showed the efforts of the Yakut sport community and trainers being successful in popularizing the Hapsagay wrestling and mas-wrestling in the schoolchildren and youth cultures.

Based on the questionnaire survey data and analysis, we have every reason to state that the ethnic Hapsagay wrestling and mas-wrestling sports are increasingly popular in the North-Eastern Federal University student community. Being so popular and accessible for the mass physical education and sports service, the ethnic sports heavily contribute to the progress of mass sports movements in the Republic.