V.A. Kabachkov¹
E.A. Zyurin¹
M.D. Osminin^2
1All-Russian Physical Culture and Sports Research Institute, Moscow
²School #1, Budgetary General Education Institution, Kulebaki city, Nizhniy Novgorod

Keywords: GTO Complex, health, test, standards.

Background. Priority issues of the nation’s health have been increasingly addressed for the last decade, with the relevant physical culture and sport system being lately applied to spearhead the relevant governmental policies. Pursuant to the Presidential Decree #172 of March 24, 2014, the Russian Physical Culture and Sports “Ready for Labour and Defence” (GTO) Complex was reinstated in the Russian Federation since September 1, 2014 to build up an efficient physical education system to develop the national human potential and improve the nation’s health [5], with the message “Be healthy, strong and sporting” accepted as the newly formed GTO Complex motto.

Objective of the study was to develop a framework for the corporate physical culture and sports activity in the present situation.

Study results and discussion. The GTO Complex test standards have been subject to many discussions in the national professional/ expert community. To facilitate and support the discussions, an expert team of the Russian Scientific Research Institute of Physical Culture and Sports made a comparative analysis of the GTO Complex versus the relevant foreign national physical education systems such as the German DOSB “Gold Sport Badge” system and Austrian ÖSTA Sport Badge system [7].

We selected for the comparisons sets of similar sport disciplines and relevant gold badge qualification test standards for the age groups of 13 to 29 years. Given in Table 1 hereunder are the historic Soviet GTO test standards versus the reinstated modern RPCS GTO test standards for the age group of 16-18 years [1, 4].

Table 1. Comparative analysis of the Soviet GTO tests versus the reinstated modern RPCS GTO tests

As one can see from Table 1, the historic Soviet GTO Complex test standards were somewhat more difficult in sprint run, mid-distance race, standing long jumps and throwing tests; while the modern GTO Complex is more challenging the strength- and endurance-intensive tests albeit excludes mid-distance race tests. The Soviet GTO Complex test system provided 25/ 50 m shooting tests versus the modern GTO Complex that offers only 10 m shooting test. Furthermore, the Soviet GTO Complex offered 100 m swimming tests versus the 50 m one in the modern system. The modern GTO Complex includes flexibility tests that cannot be found in the Soviet GTO system. The modern GTO Complex sets 8 tests to qualify for the Gold Badge versus 9 in the Soviet GTO system. The modern GTO Complex includes 11 tests on the whole versus 10 in the Soviet GTO system. The sets of the modern GTO Complex tests for every adult group include obligatory strength, speed, flexibility and endurance tests versus the Soviet GTO system that offered only the strength, speed and endurance tests [1, 3]. Given in Table 2 hereunder are the historic Soviet GTO tests versus the reinstated modern RPCS GTO tests for the age group of 18-29 years.

Table 2. Comparative analysis of the Soviet GTO tests versus the reinstated modern RPCS GTO tests for the young people

As demonstrated in above Table 2, the historic Soviet GTO tests are fairly close to the reinstated modern RPCS GTO tests for these age groups albeit the Soviet GTO system offered slightly more difficult sprint run, mid-distance race, throwing and jumping tests versus the modern system that, however, offers more challenging pull-up/ prone push-up tests.

The comparative analysis of the reinstated modern RPCS GTO tests versus the best foreign experience of popular physical culture systems shows the modern GTO tests being designed in line with the globally growing trends for the healthy lifestyles and advanced physical activity of elderly population. Sweden was the first to implement the national physical education system and decorate mass sport enthusiasts with the so-called “Idrottsmaerke” badges. Karl Deam, a German sport official, appreciated the decoration procedure and sport movement idea when being on a visit to Scandinavia and offered the idea for consideration of the relevant governmental committees upon his return to the Motherland. As a result, the government introduced a German Sport Badge as a special decoration from the National Sport agency “Sportabzeichen” in 1913, more than 100 years ago, and the award is still considered one of the oldest and popular sport decorations in Germany.

The sport enthusiasts willing to qualify for the badge need to succeed in speed (sprint run or cycling), endurance (cross country race, cycling, ski race, swimming), strength (e.g. shot put) and coordination (running jump or high jump) tests. The bronze, silver and gold qualification tests are scored by 1, 2 and 3 points, respectively. The decoration system is designed as follows:

• To qualify for the German Bronze Sport Badge, the candidate needs to successfully pass the first- and second-year tests;

• To qualify for the German Silver Sport Badge, the candidate needs to successfully pass the third- and forth-year tests scoring at least 8-10 points; and

• To qualify for the German Gold Sport Badge, the candidate needs to successfully pass the fifth-year and following tests scoring at least 11-12 points.

Given in Table 3 hereunder are the historic Soviet GTO and modern RPCS GTO test standards versus the relevant German Sport Badge test standards applicable to 25-29 men gold-badge qualifiers.

Table 3. Historic Soviet GTO and modern RPCS GTO test standards versus the relevant German Sport Badge test standards applicable to 25-29 year-old gold-badge male qualifiers

The comparisons show the German DOSB test standards being mostly higher than the relevant historic Soviet GTO and modern RPCS GTO test standards, save for the 3000 m race test. It should be noted that the German DOSB tests provide test standards for the underage and disabled qualifiers whilst the modern RPCS GTO test system provides standards for the 6 year-olds and a set of special tests is being implemented for the people with health impairments. The German DOSB qualifiers receive special certificates and, in some cases, monetary bonuses up to Euro 100 that may also be paid to families qualifying for at least some preset minimum. The modern test system recommends the employers to offer motivations to the trainees within the valid legal framework; plus the university entrants are granted an extra scoring point for the entrance examinations.

The German DOSB tests require no payments nor documents/ references from the candidates. People willing to pass the tests come on some date and time to the local stadium where they are examined by an authorized examiner wearing a yellow T-shirt with the German DOSB logo. Each applicant receives a blank to fill in his/her full name, age, address and telephone on one side; and the other side of the form bears a table with qualification standards for the relevant age group. When the candidate successfully passes the tests, the examiner fixes the test scores/ rates and verifies the document with his/her signature. The tests may be passed all in one day, on the qualifier’s discretion.

The modern RPCS GTO tests require an applicant to register on the website and acquire an individual ID followed by a medical examination to obtain a health permit for the tests. Then he/she receives an email invitation to the local test centre where he/ she passes the tests for the relevant age group/ GTO class. It should be noted, however, that this format appears too complicated and poorly compliant with the widely declared principle of voluntariness; and no wonder that it effectively scares away most of the people willing to join this physical culture and sport movement [7].

In Germany, the decoration procedure is highly honourable and popular, with the local top-ranking government officers including the mayors handing over the badges to the test winners. This tradition is very different from the modern GTO Complex system that provides neither financial nor moral incentives for the qualifiers, with the only exclusion for the university entrants that may receive an extra scoring point for the university exams.

Austria applies the popular ÖSTA Sport Badge (das Abzeichen) qualification system established back in 1920, the system designed in 9 qualification levels. The system offers a base and advanced stage for adult qualifiers, each of the stages including the bronze (18-29 year-olds), silver (30-39 year-olds) and gold (40 plus year-olds) badges, i.e. 6 qualification levels in total for the adults [6]. Young Austrian people aged 13-18 years may qualify for the bronze, silver and gold badges by successfully passing the following 5 tests:

• 200-300 m swimming test;

• Running jump test;

• 60/100/400 m sprint test;

• Shot put test;

• 2000/5000 m race; or 10/20 km cycling; or 10/15 km ski racing test.

Given in Table 4 hereunder are the historic Soviet GTO and modern RPCS GTO test standards versus the relevant Austrian ÖSTA Sport Badge test standards for adolescents.

Table 4. Historic Soviet GTO and modern RPCS GTO test standards versus the relevant Austrian ÖSTA Sport Badge test standards for adolescents

The above Table 4 showed the Austrian ÖSTA test standards for the young qualifiers of 13-18 years of age being higher than the relevant RPCS GTO system ones as follows: by 0.3 s in the 60 m sprint; by 1 min in the 2000 m races; by 60 cm in the standing long jump; by 2 m in the ball throwing test. The Austrian youth is tested by 200 m swimming test with no time fixed, the tests being more energy-costly and skill-demanding, that the GTO 50-m swimming time test in fact. Generally, the Austrian ÖSTA test standards are notably easier than the German and Soviet GTO tests albeit more difficult than the modern RPCS GTO tests.

Conclusion. The comparative analysis of the physical qualities test standards applied by different physical culture and sports promotion systems under the study versus that of the modern Russian Physical Culture and Sports “Ready for Labour and Defence” (GTO) Complex showed that the modern GTO system is relatively simple in some aspects (versus the German system, for instance) albeit difficult in the other aspects, particularly in application to the adult population, and the difficulties may be of restrictive effect on its popularity. The modern GTO system also lacks efficient and popular motivators to lure broad masses of population to the physical training and sports movement in its new format.

References

1. Vsesoyuzny fizkulturno-sportivny kompleks «Gotov k trudu i oborone» [All-Union physical culture and sports complex "Ready for Labour and Defence"]. Moscow: Fizkultura i sport publ., 1985, 33 p.
2. Metodicheskoe posobie po podgotovke naseleniya k vyipolneniyu ispyitaniy (testov) Vserossiyskogo fizkulturno-sportivnogo kompleksa «Gotov k trudu i oborone» (GTO) [Guidelines on preparation of people for Russian physical culture and sports complex "Ready for Labour and Defence" (GTO) tests] Available at: http://www.gto.ru/document (Accessed: 25.11.2016).
3. RF Government Resolution of June 11, 2014 № 540 "On Approval of the Russian physical culture and sports complex" Ready for Labour and Defence" (as amended). Available at: http://base.garant.ru/70675222/ (Accessed 21.11.16).
4. Order "On approval of the state requirements for physical fitness of the population to fulfil the standards of the Russian physical culture and sports complex "Ready for Labour and Defence"(GTO)" of July 8, 2014 № 575.
5. Presidential Decree "On the All-Russian physical culture and sports complex" Ready for Labor and Defence" (GTO) of March 24, 2014 № 172"». Available at: http://www.garant.ru/products/ipo/prime/doc/70519520/#ixzz4Nhqx0QVG (Accessed: 21.11.2016).
6. Das Österreichische Sport- und Turnabzeichen. Available at: http://www.oesta.at/de (Accessed: 21.11.2016)
7. Deutsche Olympische Sportbund. Available at: http://www.deutsches-sportabzeichen.de/fileadmin/Sportabzeichen/start/ (Accessed: 21.11.2016)

Corresponding author: vniifk@yandex.ru

Abstract      

Increased priority has been given to key issues of the national health system for the last decade, with the physical culture and sports initiatives being implemented nowadays comprising one more attempt in the process. To improve the efficiency of the physical education system geared to mobilize the human resources and improve the nation’s health, the government decided to reinstate the Physical Culture and Sports “Ready for Labour and Defence” (GTO) Complex. The article considers the newly emerging global trend of large-scale organized physical culture and sport systems being designed to support the national health improvement policies and makes a comparative analysis of the test standards of the relevant foreign systems versus the historic Soviet GTO Complex and the reinstated modern RPCS GTO system. The comparative analysis of the physical fitness test standards applied in different physical culture and sports promotion systems under the study versus that of the modern Russian Physical Culture and Sports “Ready for Labour and Defence” (GTO) Complex showed that the modern GTO system is relatively simple in some aspects (versus the German system, for instance) albeit difficult in the other aspects, particularly in application to the adult population, and the difficulties may be of restrictive effect on its popularity. The modern GTO system also lacks efficient and popular motivators to lure broad masses of population to the physical training and sports movement in its the new format.