Candidate M.A. Korneva
Associate professor, Ph.D., member of Russian Paralympic committee of Russia A.S. Makhov
Shuya Branch of Ivanovo State University, Shuya
Ivanovo State Medical Academy, Ivanovo

Keywords: methodology, athlete with locomotive disabilities, Russian press, training process.

Introduction

According to the statistics of 2013, the number of people with disabilities of different degrees in Russia amounts to 12.8 million people. It is 9.2% of the country's population, which is more than 143 million people. Unfortunately, the percentage of the disabled is rising year after year. Their number is increasing by about 1 million people a year and is expected to come up to 15 million by 2015 [8]. Due to the increase in the number of disabled people, the role of the state, public, social and other institutions, that provide conditions for life of people with disabilities, is constantly growing. Among the most significant factors of social adaptation and integration of the disabled into living environment are adaptive physical culture and sport. European and World championships in different sports, Paralympic Games are held among persons with disabilities.

Nowadays, the achievements of athletes with disabilities are sometimes close to Olympic records [1]. Adaptive physical culture and sport are powerful tools for social adaptation and rehabilitation of the disabled. That is why it is necessary to search for the new means and methods of improvement of their training process.

Russian press, which is now gathering pace in the country in general and in the Ivanovo Region in particular, has become one of the new ways to involve disabled people into physical training and sport, improve their social adaptation and sports skills.

Russian press is lifting of a barbell of particular weight, in conformity with the established rules, making a maximum number of reps without any "pressing" compression T-shirts [12].

There are several types of competitions in Russian press for people with locomotive disabilities [12]:

- "the devil's dozen" - participants perform by turn 3 qualification sets with the weight of the lifted load they choose themselves. What counts is the result ranging from eight to thirteen reps. With each succeeding set a participant can either keep the previous weight or change it (increase or reduce). The results are drawn up basing on the coefficient of athleticism, which is estimated by dividing the total weight of the lifted load in all the three sets by a participant's sole weight;

- "pressing marathon" - participants perform 3 qualification sets lifting the fixed weight they choose themselves. What counts is the result which is not less than eight reps per each set. The results are drawn up by dividing the total weight of the lifted load in all the three sets by a participant's sole weight. In case the coefficient turns out to be even, the athlete who has lifted heavier weight is a winner.

- "classic Russian press" - each man can choose one of the fixed barbell weights: 35 kg, 55 kg, 75 kg. For women the barbell weights equal 25 kg and 35 kg.

In the case of locomotive disabilities, bench press is potentially effective in malfunction recovery, both as a symmetrical monocyclic motor activity carried out in the horizontal with maximum bearing area and as a strength sport. Thanks to the horizontal position and maximum bearing area the effect of gravitational force on the body is minimal, thus reducing spasticity and the load on the spine. Symmetry and monocircularity of this kind of activity eliminate the possibility of fortification of faulty motor connections and habits. Stimulated development of muscle strength leads to the following functional changes: increase in excitability of the neuromuscular apparatus, intra- and intermuscular coordination, and motor coordination [10].

Such sport as Russian press is a type of physical activity which is available for people with locomotive disabilities. However, practically, very little attention is given to bench press during physical training of disabled athletes, and there are no Russian press training techniques. This problem is absolutely common for training of athletes with cerebral palsy, too.

Materials and methods. In order to solve this problem, at the first stage of the study we conducted: analysis of specialized literature, questionnaire survey among 28 teachers who work within the system of adaptive physical education, interviewing and examination of 34 people with locomotive disabilities aged 25-30 years doing sports in sport clubs for persons with disabilities of the Ivanovo Region [5].

We studied the motives and requirements of athletes with locomotive disabilities to their training process in Russian press. The level of their physical development, functional status and physical fitness were evaluated. The obtained data served as a reference point for elaborating the sports training methodology at the preparatory stage of Russian press training for athletes with locomotive disabilities.

At the second stage, we designed the mentioned training methodology: we selected exercises that would comply with the characteristics of the contingent of the examined athletes, determined the volume and intensity of physical loads, teaching techniques and methods, provided the use of visual material, communication and cooperation of teachers and trainees, developed plan-projects of particular training sessions and macrocycles.

The third stage was dedicated to the educational experiment, the purpose of which was to evaluate the effectiveness of the offered methodology of Russian press training of athletes with locomotive disabilities.

Results and discussion. The findings resulted in:

- the development of the methodology of sports training of athletes with cerebral palsy in the pre-season, basing on voluntary regular physical exercises that promote and protect health, are one of the ways for self-assertion, social adaptation and integration, getting new experience, body correction and leading a healthy lifestyle [3].

- the confirmation that the methodology of Russian press training for athletes with cerebral palsy is more effective on condition that all the requirements of disabled athletes are fulfilled: availability of the necessary infrastructure, financial and material and technical support, of special programs (methodologies) and compulsory use of an individual approach to athletes with due regard to their nosology [2].

- statement that the training process of athletes with cerebral palsy is more effective if:

a) it has been designed basing on the genetic, anthropological, system, personality-activity, prognostic,  standard-centered approaches;

b) it is based on the general principles of physical culture [4], principles of adaptive physical culture [11], general (universal) and specific principles of management of development of adaptive sport: consistency; optimality and efficiency; scientific validity and adequacy; harmonizing of public and national interests and interests and needs of the disabled people in management; efficient centralization; regulation of management; feedback; humanization; government assistance [7]; management of development of adaptive sport in Russia [6]; methodological principles of development of sport training.    

c) it is realized via individualization of the content, forms, means and methods of obtainment and promotion of somatic and mental health, as well as physical working capacity; it is based on consideration of the peculiarities of the functional status, physical fitness, constitution, level of health (including nosology, degree of pathology and nature of other diseases), intellectual and personality psychological characteristics, as well as the needs and personal habits of the involved [9]. The structural basis of the methodology is formed by the science-based and adequate characteristics of the contingent of trainees, particular physical exercises and topical units of physical exercises with the load and rest parameters typical for them, structuring units of one training session, integral training sessions, macrocycles of Russian press training, and their didactic support.

To illustrate the given provisions let us introduce the example of a week microcycle (Table 1) and disclose the structure and content of one training session in Russian press for athletes with cerebral palsy among men aged 25-30 years (weight category up to 90 kg).

The mentioned training session consists of 4 parts: preparatory one (25 min) including conditioning, warm-up, simulator exercises; main part (75 min) made of 3 blocks of weightlifting exercises with a barbell: 1) barbell weight equals 65% of sole weight, 2 sets, 10 times, 2) barbell weight equals 67% of sole weight, 3 sets, 8 times, 3) barbell weight equals 68% of sole weight, 3 sets, 6 times, 4) cool down including additional press (barbell is not lowered to the chest) with weight equaling 70-80% of maximum one, 3 to 5 reps; final part (20 min) including breathing and stretching exercises. The percentage ratio of the barbell weight and sole weight is chosen by the maximum weight in competition for the given weight category of athletes (75 kg).

Within a week microcycle of training, except for the proposed first day of weight training, another two weight training sessions are conducted. During the second training session the barbell weight is reduced to 45 kg (minimum weight in competition), and the number of exercises is performed to muscular failure. During the third training session - exercises are performed with the barbell weight less than the sole weight in 3 steps with 3 sets and 3 reps. At the first stage the barbell weight equals 70% of the sole weight, at the second one - 72% of the sole weight, at the third stage - 73% of the sole weight.

Table 1. Structure and content of microcycle of Russian press training for athletes with cerebral palsy (men aged 25-30 years, weight category up to 90 kg)

At the end of the educational experiment, aimed at evaluation of the effectiveness of the proposed methodology of sports training in the pre-season, the body mass of the examined athletes increased by 2.61 kg on the average (Р<0,05) owing to the increase in their muscle mass. The trainees also had a significant increase in the physique index, shown in the decrease of waist and chest circumference by 3.6 cm and 2.7 cm respectively (Р<0,05). The lung vital capacity indices of the subjects of the experiment increased by 149 ml (Р<0,01), the resting heart rate indices decreased by 5 bpm (Р>0,05). A significant increase in the results of the functional tests was registered: in Stange's test - by 7.2 sec (Р<0,05), Genche’s test - by 4.8 sec (Р<0,05). The athletes also increased their results in the test exercises used to estimate their physical fitness: push-ups 3.6 number of times (Р<0,05), falling leaf 5.36 number of times per 1 min (Р<0,05), low bar pull-ups 2.86 number of times (Р<0,05), maximum weight barbell deadlift 2.16 number of times (Р<0,05), measurement of wrist strength (dynamometry) 4.3% (Р<0,05).

During the development and approbation of the experimental methodology of training we designed methodical and practical recommendations characterizing the specific nature and determining the effectiveness of training of athletes with cerebral palsy in the pre-season, among which are:

a) the use of high-quality specialized training equipment, sports equipment (special bench), geared towards the specificity of the nosology of disabled athletes;

b) the use of special outfit (overalls, belts);  

c) the use of special training methodology for disabled athletes in the pre-season in the light of individual characteristics of their nosology;

d) the use of individual approach in training of disabled athletes;

e) implementation of the processes of control and self-control over improvement of results, status and level of satisfaction of trainees;

f) creation of particular psychological climate by a trainer, which would enable to increase the motivation of disabled athletes to Russian press training sessions;

g) compulsory correction of errors, revision of particular elements while performing an exercise.

Conclusions. The analysis of the scientific and methodical literature and the data obtained during the in-house study confirm the effectiveness of the methodology of Russian press training for athletes with cerebral palsy and improvement of their physical fitness in the pre-season.

References

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Corresponding author: alexm-77@list.ru