Associate Professor, Dr.Hab. E.N. Kur'yanovich
Honoured Worker of Higher Education, Professor, Dr.Med. T.I. Vikhruk
Associate Professor, PhD L.G. Shageeva
PhD E.D. Martsinkevich
V.V. Arzhakov
Military Institute of Physical Culture, St. Petersburg

Keywords: history, physical culture, biomedical discipline.

Introduction. Specialists training in the physical culture and sports sector is closely related to teaching the biomedical disciplines. These disciplines constitute the natural-scientific basis of physical education, which was pointed out by Peter Franzevich Lesgaft, brilliant scientist, outstanding anatomist, teacher and one of the founding fathers of the scholar school of physical education in Russia. Within the basic education system, Peter Lesgaft placed special emphasis on natural science, the correct concept and insight into which, according to Lesgaft, provide objective knowledge and adjust one to seek data verification and empirical evidence justifying one’s observations. P.F. Lesgaft had broken new ground in the field of physical culture with his own theory of physical education in educational institutes under Military Ministry, in which he conducted gymnastics classes. By then, his scientific and methodical publications had laid the foundation for introduction of physical education guidelines. Peter Lesgaft presented an innovative physical education program for the Military Ministry to apply in cadet training. In his works he states scientific justification for the assertion that physical education should be based on the laws of anatomy, physiology and psychology [2].

Objective of the study was to analyze the place and role of biomedical disciplines within military sport specialist training from the historical point of view.

Results and discussion. From the previous century onwards, biomedical issues had been covered in different physical education specialist training courses and sport schools. Thus, in 1909, the course outline of the Central School of Gymnastics and Fencing included subdisciplines of anatomy, physiology and hygiene. The sport instructor and pre-military training courses in Moscow comprised the studies of anatomy, therapeutic massage techniques and specifics of medical supervision.

About 10 percent of academic curriculum was allocated for biomedical disciplines [3, 9], which was of great importance during the early period of Military Institute of Physical Culture (1909). The new study programs based on anatomical, physiological and hygienic specifics of physical training were introduced during the war time. M.D. Chirkin, Associate Professor, PhD, later Medical Service Corps Colonel and medal holder, was responsible for these programs. Eventually, separate disciplines were introduced, such as anatomy, physiology, chemistry, hygiene, medical supervision, physical therapy, sport traumatology and massage [7, 8]. The following scientists and teachers were involved in teaching the biomedical disciplines: academician K.M. Bykov; member of the USSR Academy of Medical Sciences G.E. Vladimirov; Professors M.P. Brestkin, V.V. Strel'tsov, N.N. Yakovlev, F.V. Sudzilovsky, I.S. Belozer, I.A. Kryachko, A.I. Yarotsky, A.V. Korobkov and many others.

The Great Patriotic War (WWII) was echoed in the historiography of the Department of Physical Culture and Sports of Military Institute of Physical Culture since the day of its foundation (1947). Military medical corpsmen with practical skills of medical treatment in combat environments joined the Department. A group of senior medical officers became instructors in anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, hygiene and medical supervision of physical training [7]. In 1954, the Departments of Anatomy and Physiology were integrated; Professor N.V. Zimkin became the head of the new Department of Physical Culture and Sports. At the time, there were three doctors of sciences at the Departments: N.V. Zimkin, Ya.A. Egolinsky and A.I. Yarotsky [3, 4, 9].

Professor N.V. Zimkin was the first to introduce the scope of physiological issues of military activities into the framework of the physiology course (besides general and sport physiology). His textbook on human physiology first published in 1964 was re-issued four times later.

In terms of scientific research, a group of physiologists led by N.V. Zimkin had been studying the physiological mechanisms of physical qualities formation, addressing the issues of body resistance to negative effects of external environments (under conditions of hot climate; usage of gas mask and hazmat protective clothing), daily fluctuations of human working capacity and methods of its improvement. N.V. Zimkin and others coauthored the monograph “Physiological characteristics of strength, speed and endurance”, which incorporated the study results. Professor A.I. Yarotsky had been working on the methods of increasing the resistance to naupathia, had developed and introduced an accessible system of vestibular apparatus training, since the vestibular system is related to heterospecific protective immunity. Today, the method is still used in astronaut training. Professor Ya.A. Egolinsky had been pursuing the issues of the vestibular system, its physiological mechanisms, and laid forward a concept of vestibular apparatus being part of the system of heterospecific protective immunity. Doctor of Medical Sciences V.V. Korobkov in collaboration with Professor N.V. Zimkin developed the theory of heterospecific body resistance of athletes and soldiers to negative environmental impact, as well as the theory discovering the role of various physical exercises in resistance improvement. A.F. Panin, Doctor of Medical Sciences, had been conducting the biochemical studies on body adaptation to middle and high altitude conditions, as part of the research carried out in the Mt Elbrus area (directed by academician G.E. Vladimirov). PhD Ya.B. Lechtman had been studying the pre-starting condition of athletes and its characteristic mechanisms. Ya.B. Lechtman studied pre-start conditions in sport and mechanisms of their development, authored a number of methodologies on physiology of military activities in terms of different military branches. In conjunction with the group of Leon Abgarovich Orbeli, Lechtman had been dealing with the matters falling within the framework of medical evacuation, its monitoring and organization [3, 4, 9].

In 1974, the Department was reorganized into independent subdivision, the Department of Biomedical Disciplines, which was later involved into the introduction of the precepts “Physical Culture Manual” (1978 and 1987); conducted scientific maintenance and support within the training of the Soviet Armed Forces teams in track-and-field athletics and cross country skiing.

Subsequently, the Department directed by Yu.B. Yakushkov, Doctor of Medical Sciences, had entered upon the research on psychophysiological training of astronauts; psychophysiological reliability in sports (Dr.Hab., professor V.I. Balandin); the issues of movement physiology and control of motor activities (Dr.Med., Professor V.N. Golubev); the problem of using hyperbaric oxygen therapy in куыещкфешму process acceleration in the human body (Dr.Hab., Professor A.G. Sрchurov); health-protection technologies in physical culture and sports (Dr.Hab., Professor O.A. Churganov); constitutional peculiarities of representatives of different sport disciplines and their effect on human physical capacities (Dr.Hab., Professor T.I. Vikhruk) [3, 4, 9].

In the modern context, the Department of Biomedical Disciplines works on various scientific research projects aimed at management of the functional body state in soldiers by means of traditional and non-conventional medical practices for restoration and stimulation of the body energy reserve. The teaching personnel arrange research on the effects of physical activities carried out by cadets during the educational process [1, 5, 6, 8].

Conclusions. Up to the present day, all Department activities have been focused on the implementation of the conception introduced by Peter Franzevich Lesgaft on the role of natural-scientific disciplines in specialist training in the field of military physical education. Currently, the applied aspect of scientific studies is being implemented; it aims at improvement of Physical Education classes organization and implementation of obtained positive study results in the educational process of the Department.

References

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