PhD, Associate Professor O.A. Golubina¹
PhD, Associate Professor I.N. Gernet²
PhD, Associate Professor M.N. Repitskaya^3
1Northern (Arctic) Federal University n.a. M.V. Lomonosov, Arkhangelsk
²Peoples' Friendship University of Russia, Moscow
³Northern State Medical University, Arkhangelsk

 

Keywords: motor activity, figure skating, preschoolers, physical fitness, physical skills.

 

Introduction. The existing health disorders in preschoolers cannot be corrected simply through physical education practices under the preschool curriculum; the inclusion of additional forms of physical activity has a positive effect on children’s physical development and health status [1]. The 3-6 year-old children’s physical development process may be described as the musculoskeletal system growth associated with an expressed muscular mass growth (that of the lower limbs in particular) by the age of 7 years. It is common for the 5-7 year-olds to be good in differentiation of muscular sensations and master some technically difficult skills (like rolls, jumps etc.) which are quite accessible for them. At preschool age, special attention should be paid to the development of dexterity, speed, eye estimation accuracy, flexibility, balancing ability, not to speak of strength and endurance [4]. The load intensity during the ice skating and figure skating practices is easy to doze, which enables to use them as a means of physical training of physically weak people, preschoolers and junior schoolchildren [2].

Objective of the study was to analyze the effects of special figure skating practices on physical fitness of preschoolers.

Methods and structure of the study. Subject to the study were preschoolers divided into 2 groups: Experimental Group (EG) (n=25) – children trained under the regular M.A. Vasilyeva’s Preschool Physical Education Program (three times a week) plus going in for figure skating practices (20 boys and 5 girls, mean age – 5.45±0.18 years); Reference Group (RG) (n=25) – children trained only under the regular M.A. Vasilyeva’s Preschool Physical Education Program (three times a week) (20 boys and 5 girls, mean age – 5.40±0.21 years).

The assessment of the dynamics of changes in the children’s physical fitness indices was carried out in September (before the figure skating practices) and in May using the physical qualities tests: 10m run, standing long jump, 200g medicine ball throws with the right and left hands, "Goldfish" exercise and flexibility tests - maximum side splits ("Splits"), maximum forward bend from the sitting position ("Sitting Toe Touches"), preparatory position – lying on the belly and reaching back with the hands to hold the lower legs, maximum lumbar flexion ("Bow Pose"). The results of each test were compared with the physical fitness indices in preschoolers of the European North [3]. To make an objective evaluation of the test result, we used a point scale: 0 points - if the result obtained was below the average, 1 point - if the result obtained was within the average values, 2 points - if the result obtained was above the average.

Results and discussion. The analysis of the preschoolers’ physical fitness indices revealed that its level in the Experimental Group children was initially significantly higher than that in the Reference Group children. During the study, the most pronounced dynamics of this indicator in terms of flexibility was observed in the EG subjects as opposed to the RG ones: the "Splits" test results improved by 50% (p<0.05) in the EG but remained unchanged in the RG; the "Sitting Toe Touches" test results improved by 64% (p<0.05) and 56% (p<0.05), respectively; the "Bow Pose" test results improved by 142% (p<0.001), while in the RG this indicator did not change (see Figure).

The speed-strength indices improved in both groups, though in the Experimental Group the dynamics was more pronounced: the time to cover the 10m distance decreases by 10% (p<0.05) in the EG, and by 9% (p< 0.05) in the RG, the standing long jump test results increased by 5% in both groups, the results of ball throws with the left hand improved by 4.9% and 3.4%, respectively, with the right hand - by 4% and 3%, respectively (see Figure ).

Figure 1. Dynamics of physical fitness indices in preschoolers

(points, * – р<0.05, ** – p<0.01, ***  – p<0.001)

 

The most pronounced dynamics in both groups was observed in the muscular endurance tests: the "Push-up" test results improved by 84.7% (p<0.001) in the Experimental Group and by 58% (p<0.05) in the Reference one, the "Goldfish" test results improved by 96.9% (p<0.001) and 74% (p<0.05), respectively (see Figure 1).

The analysis of the changes in the general physical fitness indices revealed a significant increase of the results: by 38.3% in the Experimental Group (from 5.31±0.05 to 8.60±0.08 points, p<0.05) and by 25% in the Reference Group (from 3.20±0.07 to 4.28±0.09, p<0.001). Initially, the general physical fitness level in the Experimental Group was 66% higher than in the Reference one, and at the end of the study the difference between the groups equaled 100% (twofold), which indicates a more effective formation of physical qualities in junior figure skaters.

Conclusion. Therefore, the inclusion of the figure skating practices in the motor activity of preschoolers attending physical education classes in nursery schools contributes to the most pronounced development of their flexibility, muscular endurance and speed-strength qualities.

 

References

1. Gernet N., Pushkina V. N., Olyashev N. V. Vliyanie zanyatiy fizicheskoy kulturoy na zdorove detey doshkolnogo vozrasta [Influence of physical training on health of preschoolers]. [Proc. XVII nat. symposium 'Ecological and physiological problems of adaptation']. Ryazan, May 23-26, 2017. Moscow: PFUR publ., 2017, pp. 50-51.

2. Lantseva N.A. Puti povysheniya effektivnosti protsessa obucheniya osnovam figurnogo kataniya na konkakh mladshikh shkolnikov v usloviyakh massovykh form zanyatiy. Avtoref. dis. kand. ped. nauk [Ways to increase efficiency of teaching basics of figure skating to primary pupils within mass forms of occupation. PhD diss. abstract]. St. Petersburg, 2013, 24 p.

3. Solodyankina V.I., Gagarina I.D., Lapitsky F.G. Otsenka fizicheskoy podgotovlennosti detey doshkolnogo vozrasta na Evropeyskom Severe. Inform. materialy [Evaluation of physical fitness of preschoolers in the North of Europe. Inform. material]. Arkhangelsk, 1986, 12 p.

4. Kuramshin Y.F. Teoriya i metodika fizicheskoy kultury [Theory and methods of physical education]. University Textbook. 4th ed., rev.. Moscow: Sovetskiy Sport publ., 2010. 463 p.

 

Corresponding author: korela2010@yandex.ru

 

Abstract

The 3-6 year-old children’s physical development process may be described as the musculoskeletal system growth associated with an expressed muscular mass growth by the age of 7 years. It is common for the 5-7 year-olds to be good in differentiation of muscular sensations and master some technically difficult skills (like rolls, jumps etc.) which are quite accessible for them. The study analyzes benefits of special figure skating practices for physical trainings of physically weak people, preschoolers and junior schoolchildren. 

The study analyzed physical progress of the Experimental Group (EG) trained under the regular M.A. Vasilyeva’s Preschool Physical Education Program (three times a week) plus going in for figure skating practices; versus the Reference Group (RG) trained only under the regular M.A. Vasilyeva’s Preschool Physical Education Program. The study data showed benefits of the figure skating practices as verified by the EG versus RG progress in a variety of physicality test rates including flexibility, muscular endurance and speed strength test rates.