PhD, Associate Professor T.N. Shutova¹
G.B. Kondrakov¹
Y.O. Averyasova¹
Y.B. Filimonova^1
1Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, Moscow

Keywords: physical education, students, health management, physical education improvement concepts, fitness.

Background. Subject to a questionnaire survey and functionality tests under the study were the G.V. Plekhanov Russian University of Economics students, with 26.5-39.5% of the sample tested with fatigue (in 2016-2018) and threshold heart rate averaging 82.5/ 81.6 beats per min in the female/ male groups, respectively. The cardiovascular system rehabilitation upon physical loads was rated 27.3%, 34% and 38.7% excellent, good and satisfactory, respectively. Our analysis of the available academic health reports of 2016-2018 found vegetative-vascular dystonia, gastrointestinal system diseases and scoliosis in 12.5-15%, 10.4-15% and 15.6-22% of the sample, respectively. The walking activity was estimated at 4.5-6.0 thousand steps per day versus the age-specific physiological norm of at least 10 thousand steps per day, as required by the mobile health test application service. The vital capacity (VC) of the sample was estimated at threshold 3604ml and low 2100ml in the male and female groups, respectively. The cardiac muscle response to physical load was rated at 12.4-14.0 conventional units (Ruffier-Dickson index) indicative of a cardiac function deficiency versus the normal response rate of 7-9 conv. units. In addition, the female group was diagnosed with the low cardiovascular system regulation rate of 106.1-108.6 conv. units versus the average/ under average/ low rates of 81-90, 91-100 and 101 plus conv. units, respectively. These health data showed the need for the initiatives to advance the academic health management, motor activity encouragement, physical fitness improvement, physical progress testing and individualized physical education methods and tools [1-3].

Objective of the study was to advance the academic health management system in the group and individualized trainig formats.

Methods and structure of the study. The multiannual study was performed at Plekhanov Russian University of Economics in the period of 2016-18. Sampled for the study purposes were the 18-21 year-old first-to-third-year students (n=250, including 165 females and 85 males) majoring in Physical Education and Elective Physical Education and Sports.

Background functionality of the sample was tested by the Esteck Test System [8] followed by practical recommendations on how the academic Physical Education should be improved (including aerobic, anaerobic, functional, strength building and fat burning trainings) and the new Physical Education model piloting experiment. The new academic Physical Education model offered the three-times-a-week Physical Education classes for the first-year students and twice-a-week classes for the 2-3-year students, with the trainings dominated by the modern fitness tools making a special emphasis on the group/ individualized training formats.

The group training format was designed to attain the following goals: (1) improve the functionality rates of the key bodily organs and systems; (2) secure progress in endurance, movement coordination, strength, flexibility and speed; (3) step up the sample awareness of the physiologically grounded walking activity per day, energy costs of the motor activity, and the ideal blood pressure/ heart rates (BP/ HR) in the warm-up, core and final periods of every training session; (4) create the progress-facilitating electronic education data logbook [7] to provide the key information on the available sport facilities, mobile health test applications and express test tools to rate the health progress in the trainings; (5) improve the theoretical knowledge by a 14-hour course including workshops; lab works to study energy balance, body responses to physical loads; walking rates, energy costs of the fitness practices etc.); and (6) advance the training process competitiveness by the group/ course/ department/ university competitions to test the physical fitness of the sample.

The individualized training format was designed to attain the following goals: (1) expand the individualized training options to offer special sets of exercises to correct musculoskeletal/ visual/ cardiovascular system disorders plus fat-burning fitness sessions (taking 1/3 time of each training session); (2) encourage interest in the self-training and fitness practices including the focused GIF practices; video-assisted practices; motor activity test systems including mobile Health, Stepz, Nike Training Club applications; rate the food calorific values using My Fitness Pal, Fat Secret,Yazio applications etc; (3) help the trainees master the special exercises to strengthen the key muscular groups with the relevant progress test exercises to cater for the students’ motivations and needs (including plank practices, squats with gymnastic sticks, body-bars and weights; deadlifts with limited weights; squatted jumps etc.); and (4) step up the progress test domain by the relevant test systems like the Esteck Test System, fitness bracelets etc. to keep track of daily energy intake, steps, BP, HR in the training process supported by the relevant video-assisted training tools and electronic logbooks [7].

The group training formats were designed to include special body building practices, water fitness, Pilates, martial arts and traditional body conditioning practices customizable to desired competences, health conditions and gender groups; with the trainees’ progress estimated by special progress tests on an individualized basis with a special attention to the practical individual goals of the training process.

Health was rated in the model piloting experiment by the bioimpedance, pulse wave and HR variability digitalized test systems. In the test process, 2 legs- and 2 hands-fixed electrodes were applied with the test process designed to cross-scan the metered channels, with 1.28V micro-impulses on the electrodes [8].

Table 1. Functionality test rates of the 18-21 year-old students

Note:  mean arithmetic value; σ mean square deviation

Study findings and discussion. The students’ health management model (see Table 1) was found beneficial as verified by the fat mass reduction from 22.3% to 20.7% and 23.4% to 22.3% in the male and female groups, respectively; and the muscular mass growth from 46.7% to 49.5% and 40.4% to 42.7% in the male and female groups, respectively. The progress can be due to the motor activity growth recommendations (and fitness bracelets), with a special priority to the fitness component in the academic physical education process.

The large vessels rigidity indices, peripheral vascular resistance, cardiac output and arterial oxygen saturation rates were tested within the norm throughout the study period, with insignificant variations found (р>0.05). The pre-experimental reflection indices indicative of the minor vessels tone tested at 27.5% and 28.3% in the female and male groups, respectively, were somewhat below the norm versus the post-experimental ones that were within the norm. The pre-experimental ANS activity rate in the female group averaged 1.6 conv. units versus the norm of 0.7-1.7 conv. units with the increased body temperature in some cases – versus the post-experimental average of 1.2 conv. units.

The pre-experimental HR averaged 91.1 and 85.5 beats per min in the female and male groups, versus the post-experimental 82.5 and 81.6 beats per min, respectively, with the variation found insignificant (р>0.05) and the data distribution abnormal.

Furthermore, the sample was tested with the low Ruffier indices indicative of the cardiac muscle response to the physical loads i.e. 12.4-14.0 conv. units typical of a cardiac function deficiency, versus the normal response of 7-9 conv. units. The VC test rates were low enough at 3604-3905ml (р>0.05) (versus the norm of 3500-4800ml) and 2100-2415ml (versus the norm of 2500-3600ml) in the male and female groups, respectively, being indicative of the poor respiratory system functionality and limited respiratory surface of the lungs.

The pre- versus post-experimental integrated test data obtained by the Esteck Test System showed progress of 89.4 to 93.1 points (р>0.05) and 86.7 to 90.5 points (р>0.05) in the male and female groups, respectively, versus the satisfactory score of 70-90 points and good score of 90-100 points (р>0,05).

Conclusion. The group/ individualized training formats were found beneficial as verified by the sample progress in the class training tests and overall physical activity ratings. The progress tests, however, showed insignificant improvements in the cardiovascular system functionality and physical fitness test indices and, therefore, we recommend the model to be further excelled to include more individualized training practices with application of express test tools to test the trainees’ wellbeing and functionality rates in the process.

The study was sponsored by the own grant of Plekhanov Russian University of Economics under the Physical Education and Sport Specialist Advanced Training System Development and Implementation Project.

References

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Corresponding author: tany-156@rambler.ru

Abstract

The student health management model analyzed by the study implies prior functionality tests followed by the Physical Education (PE) process design recommendations and the model testing experiment. The study offers a new academic PE model with three-times-a-week PE sessions for the first-year economics students and twice-a-week sessions for the 2-3-year economics students, with the trainings dominated by the modern fitness tools. The group/ individualized training formats were designed to include special body building practices, water fitness, Pilates, martial arts and traditional body conditioning practices customizable to desired competences, health conditions and gender groups; with the trainees’ progress estimated by a set of special progress tests.

The group/ individualized training formats were found beneficial as verified by the sample progress in the class training tests and overall physical activity ratings. The progress tests, however, showed insignificant improvements in the cardiovascular system functionality and physical fitness test rates and, therefore, we recommend the model to be further excelled to include more individualized training practices with application of express test tools to test the trainees’ wellbeing and functionality rates in the process.