PhD, Associate professor A.G. Abalyan¹
Dr.Hab. E.B. Myakinchenko²
PhD A.S. Kryuchkov²
M.M. Lebedev²
Dr.Hab., Associate Professor T.G. Fomichenko¹
Dr.Hab., Professor M.P. Shestakov^2
1Ministry of Sport of the Russian Federation, Moscow
²Centre of Sports Training of National Teams of Russia, Moscow

Keywords: Paralympic sports, elite athletes, scientific and methodological support.

Introduction. The systems theory and systems analysis [1], the system management theory [2] have been firmly established in the sport training theory as a methodological basis [3]. The most important is the addition of P. Anokhin, who believes only the disclosure of the system-factor will make the systems theory to be practically valuable and useful as a tool for scientific research [4].

We can assume that sport result is a backbone factor in the athletic training supportive systems and in the functional systems of an athlete's body in the course of competitive activity. These systems are functioning to achieve a sport result and namely the result is their efficiency criterion.

It is common knowledge that the presence of "feedback" [2] is the obligatory condition of the system stability and its management efficiency.

The "systems management" concepts were introduced in the theory of sport training in the early 70-ies in the works of  V. Petrovsky, [5], V. Kuznetsov and A. Novikov [6], L. Khomenkova [7]. Since then, the system of scientific and methodological support (SMS) of Olympic and Paralympic teams in three designated systems perform the feedback function [8].

Modern development of sports and sport technology increases the demand for high-quality scientific support for the athletes training at all stages of the sport skills development process. Objective of the study was to provide a scientific substantiation of the actions of the SMS system of athletic training in Paralympic sport.

Methods and structure of the study. Study on the analysis and generalization of the experience in organizing SMS, including identification of new specific functions, defining the content of  the SMS activities in the Paralympic national team of Russia, was carried out in 2010-2014, in the training process of the Russian national team for the XI Paralympic Winter Games 2014 in Sochi [9, 10]. Observations, interviews and questionnaires of coaches, direct involvement in teams training and implementation of the SMS activities formed the basis for the defined main sections of the control system, implementation of the athletes' training, during which members of complex research groups (CSG) can significantly improve the results of sport activities. The implementation of practical measures of SMS developed by the authors in collaboration with coaches-practitioners, and conducted with a view to specifying their content and the conditions to enhance their effectiveness, was carried out by the experts of the Analytical Department of the FSBE "Centre of Sport Training of National Teams of Russia".

Results and discussion. The main sections of the control system and implementation of sport activities, for which the SMS activities can be extended, are the following:

I. In the system of measures to ensure athletic training:

1) short- and long-term forecasting of achievements of individual athletes and teams;

2) examination of complex target programs and strategies for development of sports;

3) examination of annual individual plans;

4) preparation of analytical reports on the athletes' state of health and reports on the progress and results of the teams training.

II. In the system of athletes training activities:

1) development of templates of methodical documentation forms of coaches and their completion algorithms;

2) designing an individual competitive "model" of competitive activity and competitive exercise based on the general ideas of technique and tactics in this sport discipline and their "modulation" in a particular sport result in view of available specific characteristics of the athletes, that is most important for Paralympic sport;

3) collection and analysis of data on the preceding (long-term) training and competitive activities of an athlete, development of an individual sport performance forecast;

4) analysis of the training process data and competitive activities of the previous season;

5) identification of problems in the training process and fitness (identification of reserves to use them in the new season);

6) an analysis of the main event conditions (course topography, altitude above the sea level, competition rules and terms, etc.) of the new season as one of the backbone factors in the development of periodic documents in the context of athlete's individual characteristics and training issues identified;

7) development of an individual plan of training (IPT) athlete for the new season in the following sequence:

- events schedule (competitive activity, results);

- strategy to achieve the required performance level (in the context of elimination of factors that limit efficiency);

- planned dynamics of indicators reflecting the state of the main functional systems of the body, as well as the status of an integrated competitive functional system (CFS), which should manifest itself in a particular biodynamic structure of competitive exercise;

- milestone tasks (or each training camp tasks and home training periods);

- methodological plan (load distribution) of the annual training cycle, which aims to solve the milestone tasks in the context of the general training strategy;

- planned system of application training means and methods;

- organizational annual plan;

- rehabilitation plan;

8) development of the SMS program, including a system of benchmarks of the current study (CS), a periodical comprehensive study (PCS), a study of competitive activity (SCA) and procedures to obtain them;

9) development of the individual and group reference values ​​of indicators of CS, PCS and SCA;

10) direct implementation of CS, PCS and SCA activities;

11) development and "adjustment" of the system of recording training loads done and their analysis in the context of the previously developed IPT and individual dynamics of the current state parameters and of fitness in particular periods;

12) development of new training means (exercises) geared to reduce (eliminate) the factors limiting physical fitness, technical, tactical and psychological performance of an athlete. And as for Paralympic athletes – to find ways to compensate the existing functional features or lagging functions;

13) information support.

 As you can see, the SMS opportunities can go and in fact have already gone far beyond their traditional "feedback" function.

At the same time it has been found that athlete's or team coach is solely responsible for the athletic performance. Only the coach can integrate all incoming information to take right (or wrong) decisions regarding any aspect of the training process. A CRG member, as well as physicians and other professionals, can only help take the right decision. In this regard, along with a significant expansion of the list and the content of SMS activities, such a traditional function as development of "recommendations for correction of the training process" [11] should be excluded from the CRG staff activities, since the latter is the exclusive prerogative of the coaching staff.

In addition, when planning and implementing SMS events the SMS specialists are not allowed to execute fundamental or applied researches simultaneously. The processing of the data received under the SMS in order to obtain new scientific knowledge is not included in the SMS activities and is performed by particular scientists according to special approved program of research work.

All SMS events are conducted in accordance with the strictly defined regulations (algorithms) using standardized electronic or printed form templates (plans, procedures, protocols, etc.), developed with the involvement of specialists of the proper level of scientific qualification in the field of sport theory who have relevant practical experience.

In case of systematic errors or poorly informed sections in the course of discussion, defence or current review of documents, the methodical work of the SMS specialists should be conducted with the coaching staff. [12] In the course of joint methodological work there are analyzed and discussed all the possible implications of the plans proposed by the coaches for better understanding of the ways to improve the documentation and quality of training process management in view of its strategic goals and tactical objectives.

Conclusion. It has been established that, in the framework of the SMS events provided for the Russian Paralympic teams at the present period, the scope of activities of complex research groups, being a part of the Analytical Centre of the State Establishment "CST", has been significantly expanded.

In addition to the "traditional" function such as testing of indicators of physical, technical and psychological status of athletes within CS, PCS and SCA, the scientific support of the Paralympic national teams (involving the Analytical Centre) includes: testing data interpretation, analysis of annual and current periodical documentation; collection and analysis of loads performed; substantiation of the optimal set of means and methods of training in connection with individual characteristics of Paralympic athletes and conditions of the main event of the season.

At the same time the decision on corrections to be made to the training process is the exclusive prerogative of the coaching staff and is not included in the functions of the staff responsible for the SMS.

References

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Corresponding author: nvkubeeva@mail.ru

Abstract

The article deals with the content of the scientific and methodological support (SMS) events (activities) in Paralympic athletes' training. SMS implies an analysis of the results of the last season and an analysis of the individual plans of athletic training for the new season, forecasting sport achievements, collecting and analysis of training loads, implementation of a comprehensive monitoring of the athletes, identifying and systematizing the athletes' individual reactions to loads.