PhD, Professor M.G. Kolodeznikova¹
Z.N. Cherkashin¹
T.A. Mikhailova^1
1North-Eastern Federal University named after M.K. Ammosov, Yakutsk

Keywords: personal reflection, adolescent, psychological conditions, martial arts practices, self-exploration.

Background. Many sports psychologists believe that modern sports heavily contribute to the teenage personality formation with the individual resources being efficiently mobilized to form multiple sport-specific individual skills [3, 4]. Lately some analysts have underlined social contradictions in modern sports to emphasize the need for special theoretical, practical and ethical elements reinforcement in sports trainings [2]. These and other considerations urge the sport community to give more attention to the teenage personal reflection studies to find the personal reflection progress factors and facilitation provisions and methods [1].

Objective of the study was to analyze the teenage personal reflection formation logics and offer new personal reflection training model for teenage martial arts.

Methods and structure of the study. The study was run at Children and Youth Sport School in Yakutsk, with its teenage boxing, freestyle wrestling, judo, taekwondo and kickboxing groups sampled (n=80) for the study. The personal reflection of the sample was rated by expert observations, interviews and questionnaire surveys to profile the individual self-analyzing and reflection skills and growth on the intellectual, ethical and physical progress test scales.

Based on the questionnaire survey data, we split up the sample into the following three personal reflection groups. Ranked with the Low personal reflection group were the subjects reporting passive emotions in the conflict situation like “feel offended”, “upset”; and prone to uncompromising stubborn solutions like “will never contact him again”, “no friendship with him any more”; plus inclined to aggressive “tough” solutions with force and pressure and no attempts to realize the roots of the conflict and find constructive ways out: “if I am hit, I’ll hit back much stronger"; or opting for conflict avoiding strategies at sacrifice of own interests: "if they are unhappy with me, will try make them happy."

Ranked with the Moderate personal reflection group were the subjects inclined to one-sided reflexive analysis of the problem with attempted manipulations geared to use or remove the opponent on the way to an individual goal: "If they unfairly reproach or criticize me, I don’t care when the criticism is unfair"; “if I am hit, I’ll pay back later in a different way”; with elements of one-sided constructivism in settling conflicts: “if my best friend forgets inviting me to his birthday, I’ll feel offended but still invite him to my own”.

Ranked with the High personal reflection group were the subjects tested prepared to solve problematic/ conflict situations using personal reflection and exploring options; highly active, responsible and open-minded to consider the counterpart interests and keep up respectful relationships: “if my best friend fails to invite me to his birthday party, he could have some reasons for that, so I’ll visit him with congrats anyway", "if the folks laugh at me, I’ll find reasons to check if they are fair enough". This personal reflection level facilitates a constructive dialogue as the best way to settle disputes/ conflicts, with the communication model equally fair for both sides and encouraging mutual openness, whilst the result may be unknown before the sides jointly settle the conflict [1].

The new personal reflection training model prioritized the following personal reflection skills: (1) Attention focusing skills; (2) Communication skills in contacts with adults and peers; (3) Progress in the stepped-difficulty willpower-intensive tests; and (4). Progress in physical/ mental control and personal reflection skills building. Based on the questionnaire survey data, the personal reflection training model was customized to facilitate progress in the physical trainings and mental conditioning practices in the theoretical and practical training course.

The personal reflection progress was facilitated by group discussions; mini-lectures; physical teamwork developing games; couple/ triplet exercises; and motor skills excellence training elements. Special attention was paid to the individual physical sensations and conscious self-controls to develop adequate practical self-rating and analyzing skills in every personal reflection aspect.

Results and discussion. The expert observations found the subjects being quite active and interested in the questionnaire process, open-minded and eager to explore and analyze themselves. In classes the sample was somewhat restrained, with occasional emotions or lapses in concentration. With progress in their sport disciplines, the subjects were tested with growth in self-confidence, self-control, purposefulness, respect to the coach and friendliness to the teammates; plus improvements in the postural controls, movement coordination and satisfaction with their own body shape and appearance.

Our analyses found progress on every test scale including physical qualities; body shaping agendas; endurance, patience, determination; intellect, ingenuity; mental performance; attention focusing and observation qualities; purposefulness; self-management; self-reliant training skills when required; and teamwork skills with mutual help and sensitivity.

With progress in their martial arts, the subjects were tested with improvements in the following: self-control on the visual, tactile, physical and vestibular/ perceptive control test scales; memorizing, thinking capacities, mental self-control; and practical solution finding and decision-making abilities. On the whole, the teenage sample showed progress in the self-control, introspection and self-rating domains. Given in Figure 1 hereunder are the pre- versus post-experimental test data.

Figure 1. Pre- versus post-experimental personal reflection test data

The new personal reflection training model was tested beneficial as verified by the progress test data. Many subjects reported improvements in the character, confidence, self-control, determination and concentration; albeit there are reasons to believe that some subjects are highly determined only within their fields of interests. Therefore, the study demonstrated that teenage martial arts encourage progress in the personal reflection and willpower building.

Conclusion. The new personal reflection training model for teenage martial artists was proved beneficial, with most of the sample tested with progress on the personal reflection rating scales. The sports were found to facilitate their physical progress, body shaping, self-control and willpower building agendas. Well-designed and purposeful personal reflection training service with the relevant progress encouragement psychological provisions may be recommended for special physical and mental conditioning practices in youth sports.

References

1. Kolodeznikova M.G. Professional self-determination of future physical education and sports specialists at university study stage. Teoriya i praktika fiz. kultury. 2012. no. 10. pp. 14-17.
2. Lubysheva L.I. Modern sport: problems and solutions. Vestnik YuUrGU. 2014. no.1. pp.  12-13.
3. Nakhodkin V.V., Kolodeznikova M.G., Semenov A.N. Ideomotor trainings for competitive success in wrestling. Teoriya i praktika fiz. Kultury, 2019. No. 10. pp. 27-28.
4. Platonov D.N., Platonova Z.N. Junior female athletes' competitive fitness analysis. Teoriya i praktika fiz. kultury. 2019. No. 10. p. 20-21.

Corresponding author: mgkolod@inbox.ru

Abstract

Objective of the study was to analyze the teenage personal reflection formation logics and offer new personal reflection training model for teenage martial arts.

Methods and structure of the study. The study was run at Children and Youth Sport School in Yakutsk, with its teenage boxing, freestyle wrestling, judo, taekwondo and kickboxing groups sampled (n=80) for the study. The following methods were applied to analyze the adolescent combat athletes’ personal reflection: observation, interview, and questionnaire survey. The personal reflection of the sample was rated by expert observations, interviews and questionnaire surveys to profile the individual self-analyzing and reflection skills and growth on the intellectual, ethical and physical progress test scales.

Based on the questionnaire survey results, we elaborated a personal reflection development program that was implemented in a system of body-oriented psychotherapy and physical exercises during the training sessions. As part of the experiment, we conducted group discussions, mini-lectures, games accompanied with a lot of physical activity, organized work in pairs and triples, formed the trainees’ motor skills. Particular attention was paid to the formation of awareness of individual physical sensations, conscious self-control to develop reasonable self-esteem using the practical skills of body self-regulation and self-control, as well as awareness of different components of personal reflection.

Results and conclusions. The new personal reflection training model for teenage martial artists was proved beneficial, with most of the sample tested with progress on the personal reflection rating scales. The sports were found to facilitate their physical progress, body shaping, self-control and willpower building agendas. Well-designed and purposeful personal reflection training service with the relevant progress encouragement psychological provisions may be recommended for special physical and mental conditioning practices in youth sports.