A.L. Starovoytov
A.N. Kisly, professor, Ph.D.
K.S. Smaznov, Ph.D.
Military institute of physical culture, St. Petersburg

Key words: physical training, physical qualities, technique, flexibility, joint mobility, pedagogical conditions, morning exercises, independent physical training.

Relevance. According to the analyzed literature sources, the problem of physical training of officers of senior age groups has been unjustly neglected in the recent years. And effectiveness of military educational institutions is largely determined by professional longevity and high physical working capacity of this category of servicemen, as they form the basis of scientific and teaching staff [1, 5].

Spinal flexibility and joint mobility are of great importance for maintaining the high level of physical working capacity and health promotion of officers of senior age groups [4].

The analysis of research carried out by many authors suggests that the underdeveloped joint flexibility and mobility prevent from due implementation of the full motor potential of officers of senior age groups [1, 3, 5]. In the absence of the required reserve of joint mobility it is difficult to effectively use some professional techniques and regulations. And this provokes the need to maintain the high level of flexibility of officers in this group.

Meanwhile, currently there is practically no research addressing the issue of development of flexibility of officers. Most effective means and methods of flexibility maintenance in this age group of scientific and teaching staff have not been identified yet.

Thus, our research is related to the solution of this important and pressing problem and suggests justification of means and methods of flexibility maintenance of officers of senior age groups of military educational institutions to improve their performance and implement the motor potential in their professional and sports activities most effectively.

The purpose of the research was to develop and substantiate the technique of phased maintenance of flexibility of officers of senior age groups of military educational institutions during physical training classes.

Research methods included: theoretical analysis and synthesis, questionnaire, teacher observation, test of the level of flexibility development using control tests, educational experiment, mathematical and statistical data processing.

Research organization. The research was conducted during 2010-2012 on the premises of Military institute of physical culture and other military educational institutions of St. Petersburg. The entire scope of the pedagogical research was aimed at theoretical justification and experimental verification of the technique of phased maintenance of flexibility of officers of senior age groups.

Results and discussion. The study of scientific and educational literature showed that in the theory and methodology of physical education flexibility is interpreted as an ability to perform motor actions with the maximum amplitude. Flexibility indicators are measured by the maximum amplitude of performed exercises. The term “flexibility” is used for the integral estimation of mobility of body parts. The term “joint mobility” is used to estimate the amplitude of movements in individual joints [2].

There are two forms of flexibility: active, characterized by the amplitude of movements during independent physical training due to one’s muscle force and passive, characterized by the maximum value of the amplitude of movements achieved under the action of external forces [3].

Joint mobility can be significantly increased and changed under the influence of stretching exercises by improving the elasticity of muscles and ligaments. The elasticity of the thin and dense connective tissues of muscles is considerably hard to improve, this process is very slow and not the same way for everyone. The structure of joints allows movements of greater amplitude, but usually due to insufficient elasticity of the muscular-ligamentous apparatus this mobility cannot be fully taken advantage of.

Further research involved the study of opinions of specialists in physical training on the methodological and organizational guidelines of the training process in order to maintain the flexibility of officers of senior age groups.

Eighty-four specialists in physical training from various military educational institutions were surveyed. Analysis of the survey data showed that in order to maintain the flexibility of officers of senior age groups it is advisable to have daily workouts of 30-40 minutes in the form of morning exercises performed independently, and use the time for independent physical training within the duty time - 5 hours per week, one hour a day.

A significant percentage of the surveyed teachers (90%) approve the methodology of complex application of means for the development of strength abilities and flexibility exercises. In addition, many experts stressed the need to combine stretching exercises with muscular relaxation exercises.

The results of theoretical and experimental research served as a basis for the development of the technique of maintenance of flexibility in officers of senior age groups that contains three interrelated stages [3].

Stage I – “Joint exercises”. The objective of this stage is raising the overall level of active and passive joint mobility, strengthening joints, improving strength and elastic property of muscles and ligaments.

Stage II – “Keeping active joint mobility”. The objective of this stage is to develop the maximum amplitude in active movements.

Stage III – “Maintenance of passive joint mobility”. The objective of this stage is to achieve a high level of passive joint mobility and to increase the strength of muscles and ligaments.

One of the main requirements of the technique of phased maintenance of flexibility of officers is a combination of strength and joint mobility exercises in the training process. At the same time, to avoid the negative effect of strength exercises on maintaining flexibility the following methodological techniques were used in the course of training:

- consistent use of exercises in various combinations: strength - flexibility or flexibility - strength;

- alternate use of exercises: strength - flexibility - strength or flexibility - strength - flexibility;

- combining strength and flexibility training in the process of strength exercises performance.

In the course of further research based on the questionnaire survey of 87 teachers of military educational institutions pedagogical conditions that must be observed in the process of phased maintenance of flexibility in officers of senior age groups were identified being as follows:

- while doing flexibility exercises age, individual fitness level, sports specialization of officers and exercise tolerance should be taken into account - 20.1% (rank value);

- joint mobility exercises should be done by the officers only when muscles are well warmed-up - 18.7%;

- the body should be stable during flexibility exercises, ensuring good blood flow to all muscle groups involved in the movement – 17,5%;

- movements should be supple, smooth and controllable – 14,2%;

- special attention during flexibility exercises should be paid to the direction and coordination of movements - 10,8%;

- pain and sourness in the muscles should be avoided during flexibility exercises – 7,5%;

- joints workout should be done from bottom up, starting with ankle joints to neck joints - 6,3%;

- muscles should not be overloaded, and maximum relaxation of antagonist muscles should be watched out for – 4,9%;

The efficiency of the experimental program was checked during the primary pedagogical experiment that was organized on the premises of Military institute of physical culture during 2000 - 2012. Fifty-eight officers of the 4^th, 5^th and 6^th age groups were engaged in the research and made an experimental (EG) and control group (CG).

Analysis of the initial level of flexibility of the testees before the start of the educational experiment in the tests “Total joint mobility”, “Body bents”, “Dislocate”, “Split” has not revealed any significant differences in these indicators of the officers of EG and CG.

Physical training in the CG was organized in accordance with the requirements of the Instruction on physical training-2009.

In the EG physical training was carried out in accordance with the program of phased maintenance of flexibility in officers in the following ways:

- morning exercises done by the officers independently for 30-40 minutes, except days off;

- independent physical training was organized within the framework of the duty time 5 times a week for one our, lasted 50 minutes (alone or with a partner) and had the training exercise structure.

The main methods of flexibility development of officers of senior age groups were the following (Figure):

- repeated dynamic stretching technique (muscles and ligaments being stretched within 50-80% of the maximum level, 8-10 active and passive exercises repeated 8-16 times each are included into the complex);

- repeated static stretching technique (5-6 different static positions with a period of fixation at the maximum straining of not more than 6-10 seconds are included into the complex);

- integrated technique that involves rationally combined active and passive static and dynamic exercises and is used at the stage of ”maintenance of passive joint mobility”.

During the educational experiment the EG testees showed a significant increase in the joint flexibility and mobility compared with the officers of the CG. In addition to the tests “Body bents”, “Dislocate”, “Split”, significant changes occurred in the integral test of the total active joint mobility (р<0.05).

Fig. Methods of development of flexibility of officers of senior age groups

Conclusion. Thus, it can be concluded that the developed program of phased maintenance of flexibility of officers of senior age groups with the rationally distributed physical load, in view of age peculiarities, combined with strength and general endurance exercises facilitated an improvement of the flexibility indices and provided better physical working capacity of officers of the experimental group.

References

1. Kuznetsov, A.V. Physical training of officers of senior age groups: teaching aid. - Yaroslavl: Publ. h-se of YarZRI, 2003. – 187 P. (In Russian)
2. The fundamentals of the theory and methodology of conducting gymnastics and sports training sessions: study guide / R.M. Baymukhametov; N.E. Gukov; O.S. Zaytsev et al; ed. by A.N. Kisly, G.A. Pavlov. – St. Petersburg: MIPC, 2013. – 177 P. – (ill). (In Russian)
3. Smaznov K.S. Means and methods of maintaining flexibility in officers of senior age groups of military educational institutions / V.I. Silin, A.L. Starovoytov // Aktual’nye problemy fizicheskoy i spetsial’noy podgotovki silovykh struktur (Part 2). – St. Petersburg: MIPC, 2012. – № 2 (15). – P. 271–276. (In Russian)
4. Smaznov K.S. Means and methods of developing flexibility of servicemen: teaching aid / N.E. Gukov. – St. Petersburg: MIPC, 2013, – 31 (In Russian).
5. Khitrik, N.V. Physical improvement of officers: teaching aid. - Khabarovsk, 2009. – 197 P. (In Russian)

Corresponding author: astarovoitov@bk.ru