I.E. Koval', associate professor, Ph.D.
L.V. Yarchikovskaya, associate professor, Ph.D.
O.V. Oshina, associate professor, Ph.D.
St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg

Keywords: health program, competitive environment, motivation of students, combined approach, adaptive body properties, Nordic walking, shaping.

Introduction. One of priorities in physical education of students is their wide-scale involvement in the systematic physical culture and sports classes with regard to health status, functional, physical and motor readiness.

It should be noted that the problem of health of the younger generation in Russia is currently ranked as global. Advances in science and technology have led to a sharp decline in the role of rough labour that requires great muscle tension, and a significant increase in stress load, which caused cardiovascular diseases and various kinds of pathologies.

In compliance with the data of the Institute of developmental physiology of the Russian Academy of Education, 90% of pupils have physical and mental health issues. For example, Russian Research Institute of Children’s Orthopedy provides statistical reports, according to which 40-80% of schoolchildren have impaired posture. Up to 50% of schoolchildren suffer from various forms of neuroses; the number of children suffering from gastrointestinal diseases doubles by the time they finish school, and the number of short-sighted children increases 5 times [1].

A rather alarming situation in the evaluation of physical condition and state of health is with the educational process in higher schools. According to physical education experts the number of students assigned to special medical groups ranges from 12.9 to 23.2%. Hence, special attention is given to work with this group of students at physical education classes in higher schools.

However, in the context of new, changing approaches and requirements for university curricula motor activity classes are the ones being a part of the competitive environment. Quite a wide selection of sports activities is currently being offered to students of St. Petersburg universities.

The presence of the competitive environment should be recognized even though there is seemingly mandatory attendance of physical education classes by university students. As a result, a new approach is required in the process of designing and implementing health programs of the “new generation” in universities, which in addition to scientific substantiation and the existing regulatory framework will be focused on engagement and motivation of young people by classes using university sports facilities within the study time provided.      

A survey of students of the leading universities of St. Petersburg showed that students with different kinds of pathologies or poor health are attracted to health-improving classes not only by the health-improving effect but also by psychoemotional release and the possibility of choosing by oneself the type of classes within the framework of approved curricula during the learning period.

Materials and methods. A new project of creating a complex of health programs was implemented in St. Petersburg State University, in the universitywide Department of Physical Culture and Sport. The complex of health programs included yoga, shaping, therapeutic swimming, Nordic walking, terrain cure, water fitness. All the programs were based on the unified scientific approach and years of working experience with students of special medical groups, which helped create a single design algorithm that included a common goal, objectives, multidirectional ways of implementing the program, generalized criteria of the health-improving effect, main types of exercises, implementation curricula and time-frame of the programs. Using a variety of health programs designed in accordance with a single algorithm we managed to apply the combined approach that significantly enhanced the competitiveness of health-improving classes and their attractiveness, motivation of students to attend motor activity classes using the university sports facilities without violating university requirements for the organization of the learning process.

The essence of the combined approach was that students of special medical groups, after they had a primary physical training, could choose a particular health program they like and are interest in during their studies [4]. The possibility of such a choice was based on the fact that the complex of health programs was created using the same algorithm with unified requirements and criteria for evaluating the health-improving effect.  

 As an experiment, the combined approach was tested in a health complex using two health programs – “Shaping” and “Nordic walking”.

The main objective of the experimental work was to confirm the working hypothesis on the possibility of increasing the interest and motivation of students of a special medical group with regards to university health-improving classes by using the combined approach.

The main objectives of the experimental work were to create the health complex that includes two health programs (shaping and Nordic walking) aimed at increasing motivation and personal interest of students in classes using the SPbU sports facilities and to improve the effectiveness of the health programs. 

 Health programs included sets of exercises designed to improve adaptive body properties and functional reserves of the body, strengthen core muscles, nervous and cardiovascular systems, improve endurance and coordinate posture correction.

The research methods used in the experiment were as follows: educational experiment, questionnaire and mathematical methods of data processing.

The essence of the educational experiment was as follows. In preparation for the experiment control and experimental groups of 12 people each were set up. The experiment lasted two months. The control group was training by only one of the chosen programs throughout the experiment. The experimental group trained by the health program “Nordic walking” during the first month and by the health program “Shaping” during the second month.

The working hypothesis of the experiment was as follows: the combined approach used while implementing health programs increases the effectiveness of classes and the motivation of students in terms of their participation in the programs by means of reducing the monotony, mastering more physical exercises, active involvement of psychophysiological mechanisms of positive emotions and the possibility of choosing the activity type on one’s own.  

The experiment was conducted using the SPbU sports facilities. All the planned load was performed at a constant average energy output (HR fluctuations were from 120 to 160 bpm).

A sports stadium with a natural grass surface was the venue for the first part of the health complex (“Nordic walking” health program). Sports equipment included Nordic walking sticks with the optimum length for healthy walking (height in centimeters * 0.68). Walking speed was 7-7.5 km/h. The activity was aimed mainly to enhance adaptive body properties [5].

The second part of the health complex (“Shaping” health program) was held in a gym.  

The shaping system comprises sets of catabolic and anabolic exercises. Catabolic exercises are characterized by an easy pace, medium intensity, large amplitude and considerable repetitiveness. The exercises were performed in various positions (standing, sitting, lying, in a knee lean, etc.), positions were changed after a set of movements. Each exercise in the aerobic mode lasted 4 minutes.  

Fitness machines, various weights, dumbbells and body bars were used for the anabolic classes [6]. The classes using fitness machines were focused mainly on the improvement of body endurance, increase of muscle strength, enhancement of movement coordination, improvement of joint mobility and proper posture formation. The exercise mode in the program was from 40 to 90 seconds in the anaerobic mode for small and medium muscle groups and from 90 to 150 seconds for large ones. The number of repetitions for small muscles was 7-12 times; for medium muscles – 12-15 times; for large muscles – 15-25 times.   

Continuous health monitoring by means of measuring heart rate and gathering of health data for each testee was organized during the classes. The survey was conducted using the technique of B.J. Kretti [2].

Upon completion of the two-month experiment all the collected data were processed and analyzed.

Results and discussion. The main results of the experiment.

1. Attendance of the classes was 78% of the total number of students in the control group and 96% in the experimental one. The combined approach used helped considerably increase the students’ interest in the classes.

2. The conducted survey showed that 92% of the experimental group students preferred health-improving classes in the university over other types of health-improving technologies (fitness centers, commercial fitness complexes). In the control group only 76% preferred classed within a single program. The findings confirm the assumption on the combined approach being more appealing when using health programs and making them more competitive.

3.  When assessing the emotional component using the scaling technique [3], the maximum score of emotional satisfaction was chosen by 82% of students in the control group and 91% in the experimental one.

Conclusion. The findings have shown a clear advantage and efficiency of using the combined approach in the design and implementation of health programs for students of special medical groups. The advantage of this approach in terms of psychoemotional load was clarified. The carried out experiment suggested using the combined approach for a set of programs that are included in the health complex.

References

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Corresponding author: ludayarchi9913@mail.ru