G.N. Ponomarev, professor, Dr.Hab.
O.A. Bogdanov, associate professor, Ph.D.
Russian State Pedagogical University named after A.I. Herzen
L.L. Tsipin, professor, Ph.D.
National State University of Physical Culture, Sport and Health named after P.F. Lesgaft, St. Petersburg

Key words: physical education, physical fitness, female students, body length, body weight, body fat percentage.

Introduction. According to the strategy of modernization of Russian education, universities should be focused on the substantial modernization of educational activities, including enhancement of the role of physical culture in ensuring healthy lifestyle and professional training of university students. A change of emphasis in higher school physical culture in the direction of professional competence, the inclusion of the discipline «Applied physical culture» in the amount of at least 328 academic hours for full-time students in the from of practical training into the Federal State Education Standards for higher education (FSES) and the introduction of the new GTO (Ready for Labour and Defense) complex necessitate the development of physical qualities and generally ensuring an adequate level of physical fitness of students to meet the relevant standards.

However, in recent years many experts have noted that the level of physical fitness of young people enrolling in higher education institutions has dropped dramatically [5, 7, 8]. There are many reasons for this. There is every reason to believe that among everything else manifestation of certain physical qualities of students is influenced by the total body size and composition. There is evidence that success of physical exercise done by women of different age largely depends on these anthropometric characteristics [6]. Determining the factors that affect the physical fitness indices of students would help adjust the content of curricula and programs on physical culture in higher school and contribute to the solution of the problem.

The purpose of the research was to identify the relationship between the level of physical fitness of female students of a pedagogical university and total body size (body length and weight) and body fat.

Materials and methods. 53 first-year female students aged 17-19 years of Russian State Pedagogical University named after A.I. Herzen who were assigned to the main and preparatory medical groups based on their health were involved in the research. All the testees were engaged in physical culture within the “fitness” specialization. The testing of physical fitness and anthropometric measurements were carried out at the beginning of the first semester.

To determine the level of physical fitness 9 common practical tests were employed: 100 and 500 m race; shuttle run 3×10 m; standing long jump; forward bend while standing on a gym bench with lowering of hands below the level of support; dislocate backwards while standing feet apart without bending arms at the elbows with a gymnastic stick horizontally down (the minimum distance between hands at which the exercise can be done was recorded); sit-ups, legs bent, feet still, hands behind one’s head; push-ups; carpal dynamometry of right and left hands. The tests were carried out under standard conditions after a warmup in the form of teams championships. The female students ran the 100 and 500 m races from a high start on a stadium track, the other tests were done in a gym.

Body length and body weight of the testees were measured with a medical stadiometer and scales. Body fat percentage was determined from a nomogram based on measuring with the help of a body fat caliper the thickness of two folds of skin and fat: on the inside of the leg and the outside of the shoulder [10]. This technique is known for its simplicity and accuracy and is widely used in the mandatory testing of students in US schools in accordance with the President's Challenge Program.

The data obtained during the experiment were processed using the statistical package SPSS 15.0.

Research results and discussion. Anthropometric characteristics and test results of the female students are presented in Table 1. During the analysis of the data obtained attention is drawn to the fact that some of the values in the table are substantially different from those obtained during the examination of first-year female students in 1983 [7].

Table 1. Total body size, body fat percentage and test results of female students, M±m (n = 53)

In particular, the average weight decreased by 4.4 %. Significantly worsening was observed in such tests as 100 m race - by 11.2%; 500 m race - by 19.6%; standing long jump - by 7.6%; push-ups - by 46.8%; carpal dynamometry of the right and left hands - by 29.3% and 23.9%, respectively. At the same time, the flexibility tests results improved, although to varying degrees. In forward bend while standing the increase was 49.4%, while in dislocate backwards it was 4.8%.

It can be assumed that the decrease of body weight of female students occurred due to a decrease in muscle mass. This is indirectly indicated, firstly, by an increased percentage of body fat in the testees (the normal rate for young women is 15-26%) and, secondly, by the deterioration of results in strength and speed-strength tests.

Those test results shown in Table 1 that are included into the Physical education program for higher educational institutions [9], correspond to approximately 2 points on a 5-point rating scale. This indicates the lack of physical fitness of the female first-year students.

It should be noted that some test results differ from those obtained in similar research involving students of other European regions and specializations. For example, the spine flexibility test results of female students of the Higher School of Health Sciences (Poland) are worse than those obtained in the present research by 7.5 cm on average, and in carpal dynamometry are better by 6.4 kg, indicating the specificity of the examined contingent of female students [4]. This fact should be taken into account while developing specific physical education programs.

To assess the connection between anthropometric characteristics and test results of the female students correlation coefficients presented in Table 2 were calculated. According to the analysis of these data, body length of female students has almost no effect on the results in the physical fitness test. A weak negative correlation was observed only with such an indicator as push-ups, and positive - with carpal dynamometry of the left hand.

Table 2. Correlation coefficients between the total body size, body fat percentage and test results of the female students (n = 53)

* p≤0.05; ** p≤0.01

The results in 100 m and 500 m races and standing long jump are significantly influenced by the body weight of the testees. Bigger athletes are bad in races and long jump. There is a weak relation between body weight and the results of shuttle run, carpal dynamometry of the left hand and push-ups.

Some researchers obtained opposite results with regard to the effect of body length and body weight on the physical fitness indices of female students. In particular, when examining female students of Adyghe State University aged 17-21, not doing sports and assigned to the main medical group, a clear relation was found between a number of physical fitness indices and body length. Correlation coefficients of the body length and results in 100 m and 500 m races and standing long jump are -0.31, -0.33, 0.34, respectively (p≤0.05). At the same time, no significant association of most indicators of physical fitness to body weight is observed [2]. The mentioned differences in the results obtained are probably due to a wider age range of the testees, especially when we consider that the process of physical development of female students continues till they are 21 years old, and sometimes up to an older age. This confirms the need to define physical education programs by years of studying.

As seen from Table 2, the results in 100 m and 500 m races, shuttle run and standing long jump largely depend on the body fat percentage of the testees. The dependence of the results is less pronounced in case of sit-ups. These tests results become significantly worse with the increase of body fat percentage. While for running tests and standing long jump the discovered connection is quite predictable, it is not so obvious with sit-ups that characterize strength endurance of the abdominal muscles. In general it can be stated that body fat percentage has the same effect on the physical fitness indices of female students as body weight, due to the strong correlation dependence between them    (r=0.78).

Although the experiment was attended only by female students engaged in physical culture within the “fitness” specialization, evidence suggests that the patterns obtained are typical of other specializations too. This is indirectly proved by a study conducted with the students of Russian State University of Physical Culture, Sports and Tourism, that showed, in particular, that the differences in body fat percentage in representatives of cyclic sports compared to those engaged in team and combat sports are insignificant [3].

It is important that overweight results in the deterioration of physical fitness for both girls and boys [1]. Both excess and lack of fat have a negative impact on physical fitness, although the latter is not so important for female students.

Conclusion. The study reveals that total body size and body fat have the following effect on physical fitness of female students of pedagogical university: body length has practically no effect on the results of motor tests and with increasing body weight, which is due to a higher body fat percentage, test results, that characterize speed-strength, general and, to a lesser extent, strength endurance, become significantly worse. The findings should be taken into account when designing physical education programs for female students based on their age. The content of the programs should be aimed at weight loss of the engaged ones.

References

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Corresponding author: g-ponomarev@inbox.ru