Postgraduate D.V. Chayun^1
1Tyumen State University, Tyumen

Keywords: sport aerobics, elite athletes, competition program model, model physical fitness and technical skills characteristics.

Background. Elite athletic training process may be described as a complexly designed, multifactor, dynamic and not always predictable project designed to build up due physical, technical, mental and integral skills components. Modern developments in sport aerobics including changes in the rules of competitions and rapidly growing competitiveness require the training process being supported by dependable and relevant individual progress rating toolkits [2, 3].

Sport aerobics or aerobic gymnastics is a relatively new sport discipline despite the fact that is has been formally acknowledged more than 20 years ago by the International Gymnastics Federation and has many supporters in at least 80 countries. In the last decade a special emphasis in sport science was made on sport aerobics on the whole and beginner (children’s) training systems in particular [4], with valuable contributions from a few national researchers including N.G. Bezmaternykh, A.A. Martynov, T.I. Ryabukhina and L.K. Rudenko. It may be noted that one of the first studies of elite sport aerobics was published by K.B. Andreasyan whose study performed in the period of 1989 to 1992 was designed to offer an efficient annual training cycle model [1]. We should also mention a valuable contribution made by A.A. Somkin who classified aerobic exercises in his doctoral thesis and analysed the key components of the training process in modern aerobics [6].

Modern sport aerobics has made a large progress for the last few years with the relevant changes in the rules of competitions that have classified and rated the costs of elements in competitive routines and regulated their execution time. These modern developments require from the Russian national aerobics team to take persistent efforts to upgrade the training process on due theoretical and practical grounds to keep abreast with the European and world sport leaders.

It should be noted that modern complex-coordination sport disciplines including aerobics widely apply model (ideal reference) rates to guide the training process so as to prudently distribute training loads over each season and help the coach focus on still deficient individual qualities of his trainees to attain the model rates (L.P. Matveyev, 1998; V.M. Zatsiorskiy, I.G. Suchilin, 2004; V.A. Shtof, V.N. Seluyanov, V.M. Smolevskiy, Y.K. Gaverdovskiy, 1999; Z.K. Kholodov, V.S. Kuznetsov, 2001). It was problematic for our study that for stochastic modelling of an annual training cycle in elite aerobics one needs to take into account both model competitive performance rates and a variety of individual skills rates.

Objective of the study was to model competitive performance and precompetitive training processes in the modern sport aerobics.

Methods and structure of the study. For the study purposes, we applied the following methods: analysis of study reports on the subject; expert assessments; modelling; and educational tests. Subject to the study were elite athletes from the Russian national team including 10 female and 11 male athletes qualified World Class Masters of Sport (n=9) and Masters of Sport (n=12). The test array applied in the study included Harvard step test; 30-second sit-ups test; standing long jump test; and straight-leg stretch exercises [5]. The athletes’ technical skills were tested by one of the following elements classified by four difficulty levels: explosive a-frame ½ turn to Wenson; clear straddle support / straddle V-support 2/1 turn; straddle jump ½ turn; free illusion to vertical split. The choice of elements was largely dictated by the qualification tests now applied for the Russian national team prospects’ qualification process plus the fact that these elements are presently the most popular in the competitive team routines. Experts including 2 referees with international certificates and 1 referee with Russian certificate rated the element execution.

Study results and discussion. We have analysed protocols of competitions to develop a competitive process model with the performance scoring components, with only the Russian national, regional and territorial competitions in the period of 2010-2012 sampled for the analyses. The regional versus territorial competitions were found different in every component of the model that may be indicative of the content of the competitive routines being different: see Table 1.

Table 1. Competitive performance scores in the regional versus territorial championships

Changes in the competitive routines in the regional versus territorial championships must be geared to ensure progress in all scores, albeit actual differences of the competitive routines in the territorial versus national championship were significant only in the difficulty score: see Table 2.

Table 2. Competitive performance scores in the territorial versus Russian championships

The analytical data shows that the competitors may expect winning a prize in the territorial championship only in case of all high competitive performance scores. Based on the average rates required for success in the analysed regional to national competitions, we developed and offered the following theoretical competitive performance model: see Table 3.

Table 3. Theoretical performance model for modern sport aerobics

The theoretical competitive performance model for an elite couple of competitors shows what components of the competitive routine need to be upgraded for success in the higher-ranking championship. In practical application of this performance model, specific fitness elements of the elite athletes shall be improved so as to freely vary the competitive routine content. This was the reason for us to rate and analyse, at the next stage of the study, the actual gender-specific physical fitness levels and technical skills of the national sport aerobics team members: see Table 4.

Table 4. Physical fitness and technical skills rates of the sample

The males’ physical fitness rating tests found 82% of the group rated ‘excellent’ in every test exercise, with two athletes (18% of the group) rated ‘excellent’ only in the Harvard step test. In the males’ technical skills rating tests, the group was rated ‘excellent’ in every test. The females’ physical fitness rating tests found 40% and 60% of the group rated ‘excellent’ in every test and only in the Harvard test, respectively. The females’ technical skills rating tests found 6 athletes being unable to execute the explosive a-frame ½ turn to Wenson test; and these female athletes were recommended focusing on the speed-strength practices in their training.

Conclusion. The theoretical model of an elite competitive routine gives the means to manage the training process for competitive success.

The study data and tests found most of the male group being in excellent sport form albeit 18% of the group were recommended focusing on overall endurance; and the female athletes were recommended giving a higher priority to the general physical and technical training components, with 40% of the female group recommended focusing on aerobic endurance and 60% on speed-strength practices.

The actual competitive fitness data will help us specify the model rates applicable as reference points for the training process design and upgrade. In view of the fact that model competitive performance specifications for sport aerobics have not been published yet, the relevant findings will be highly important as they may give an impetus for further theoretically grounded precompetitive training systems being developed for success in competitions of different levels.

References

1. Andreasyan K.B. Modelirovanie godichnogo tsikla podgotovki v sportivnoy aerobike. Dis. kand. ped. nauk [Annual training cycle design for sport aerobics. PhD diss.]. Moscow, 1996, 180 p.
2. Zagvyazinskiy V.I., Manzheley I.V. Obshchaya panorama pedagogicheskogo issledovaniya po problemam fizicheskoy kultury i sporta [Pedagogical research in physical education and sport: Overview]. Teoriya i praktika fiz. kultury, 2016, no. 3, pp. 3-5.
3. Kolunin E.T. Fizicheskaya podgotovka sportivnogo rezerva v komandnykh igrovykh vidakh sporta na osnove konvergirovaniya sredstv gimnastiki [Sport reserve physical training in team game sports based on converted gymnastic practices]. Teoriya i praktika fiz. kultury, 2016, no. 12, pp. 62-64.
4. Kletsov K.G., Chayun D.V. Modelnye kharakteristiki soderzhaniya sorevnovatelnykh programm u vysokokvalifitsirovannykh sportsmenov v sportivnoy aerobike [Model characteristics of competition programs in elite sports aerobics]. Fizkulturnoe obrazovanie Sibiri: scient.-theor. zhurnal: SSUPC publ., Omsk, 2015, no. 2 (34), pp. 30-33.
5. Ob utverzhdenii federalnogo standarta sportivnoy podgotovki po vidu sporta sportivnaya aerobika: Prikaz Minsporta Rossii ot 30.12.2016 no. 1364 Zaregistrirovano v Minyuste Rossii 30.01.2017 no. 45472 [On approval of the federal standard of athletic training in sport aerobics: Order of the Ministry of Sport of Russia dated 30.12.2016 no. 1364 Registered by the Ministry of Justice Russia on 01/30/2017 no. 45472].
6. Somkin A.A. Klassifikatsiya uprazhneniy i osnovnye komponenty podgotovki vysokokvalifitsirovannykh gimnastov v sportivnoy aerobike. Dis. dokt. ped. Nauk [Classification of exercises and key components of training for elite aerobic gymnasts. Doctoral diss. Hab.)].  St. Petersburg, 2002, pp. 5-7.

Corresponding author: chayun2009@mail.ru

Abstract

The study was designed to analyse the available literature on the precompetitive training in modern sport aerobics; and develop a theoretical precompetitive training model for the ‘mixed pair’ nomination with a special emphasis on artistic, execution and difficulty levels of the routines. It was found that for success in the Russian Championships special priority shall be given to the difficulty scores of the routines with fairly good (on the traditional regional championship scale) artistic and execution scores. The author has developed, in compliance with the valid Federal Athletic Training Standards for Sport Aerobics, a set of tests to identify model characteristics of elite competitors and apply them for training process models and competitive success forecasts.

The study data and tests found most of the male athletes being in perfect sport form albeit some female athletes were recommended focusing on aerobic endurance; and some – on the speed-strength practices.