PhD, Associate Professor L.G. Pashchenko
Nizhnevartovsk State University, Nizhnevartovsk

 

Keywords: physical state, Omega-C, autonomic regulation, model, optimization, physical activity.

 

Background. The first year of university studies is commonly considered a critical period in the social, psychological and physiological aspects, with success of the individual adaptation to the academic educational environment being dependent on many factors [1, 2] dominated by the physical education and sports related ones – since the academic physical training, health and mass sport activities are known to facilitate the mental and physical progress and mitigate the stressors [4, 5]. However, it should be mentioned that the academic physical practices may be ranked among other environmental stressors since they may either facilitate or hamper functionality of the body systems and organs [3, 6]. As far as the beginner academic physical education and sporting service is concerned, it should be designed and managed based largely on the physical progress test rates and variation analyses for success of the service.

Objective of the study was to offer a first-year students’ physical activation model designed based on the students’ physical progress test rates to facilitate adaptation to the academic educational environment.

Methods and structure of the study. The study has been performed at the Health Sport Technologies Laboratory of Nizhnevartovsk State University from September 2016 to March 2018; and included a questionnaire survey, heart rate variation tests using Omega-C Test System; Spielberger-Khanin State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI); and progress modelling tools. Sampled for the primary study (in September 2016 through April 2017 were 120 university students attributed to the main health group. The sample was split up into the following three groups: Group 1 (26 males and 35 females) with the physical activity limited to the obligatory academic physical education and sport (PES) service taking 2-4 hours a week; Group 2 (17 males and 18 females) with the academic PES service complemented with the body conditioning practices (in municipal fitness centers or self-reliant) taking 6-8 hours a week in total; and Group 3 of sporting students (12 males and 12 females) trained 8-plus hours a week and formally qualified at least Class I athletes.

Study findings and discussion. The sporting Group 3 was tested with significantly low heart rate (HR) and tension indices (TI) at the beginning of the study period: see Table 1. The HR in Group 2 was tested to fall by the end of the year due to the body conditioning practices apparently improving the cardiovascular function. The sporting Group 3 and Group 1 (males) were tested with more tensed body systems/ organs functionality rates by the end of the year, with the TI found to significantly grow by 48% and 27.1%, respectively.

 

Table 1. Group autonomic regulation test rates of the first-year students grouped by physical activity rates M±m

HR, bpm	Male	Period	Group 1	Group 2	Group 3
		September	84,2±2,8*	80,3±2,1°	66,4±2,8*°
		May	89,1±2,8	75,8±2,2	72,5±2,5
		ТI, % (р)	5,6 (>0,05)	-5,7 (>0,05)	8,7 (>0,05)
	female	September	83,3±2,3	80,5±2,2	69,8±2,3
		May	85,8±1,8	83,1±3,1	67,8±2,5
		ТI, % (р)	2,9 (>0,05)	3,2 (>0,05)	-2,9 (>0,05)
TI, units	male	September	151,7±21,7*	86,8±8,5°	59,4±8,3*°
		May	199,4±23,7*^	91,9±10,3^	97±10,5*
		TI, % (р)	27,1 (>0,05)	5,7 (>0,05)	48 (<0,05)
	female	September	134,9±22,2*	104,5±14,8°	60,7±6,4*°
		May	140,7±16,0*	108,2±22,6	85,2±5,1*
		ТI, % (р)	4,2 (>0,05)	3,4 (>0,05)	33,6 (<0,01)

Note: Significant differences of the Mann-Whitney U-criterion: *Group 1versus Group 3; ^ Group 1 versus Group 2; °Group 2 versus Group 3

 

The female subgroups showed significant HR variations over the academic year. In the female Group 3, TI were significantly lower than in the other groups and were tested to grow by 33.6% (р<0.01) to the female Group 2 level.

The year-end physical progress tests of the male Group 1 showed contractions in the numbers of trainees tested with both high (30% to 12%) and low (26% to 13%) physical fitness rates. The year-end physical progress tests of the male Group 3 showed contraction of the highly physically fit (75% to 58%) subgroup and appearance of the poorly physically fit subgroup (16%) that may be interpreted as indicative of their physical regress by the end of the competitive season and stress accumulated due to the excessive physical and academic education loads. Much the same situation was found in the female subgroups. The best physical progress rates were found in the female Group 2 where none of the students was tested with a low physical fitness rate.

Comparative analysis of the group adaptations to physical loads (see Table 2) showed a significant adaptive regress by 17.6% in Group 3 versus insignificant changes in the other two groups. The integral [male] sport form rate was tested to fall in every group. In the female subgroups, only female Group 2 showed progress of the sport form rate by 14.4%. Insignificant female intergroup differences were found in the adaptation rates and integrated sport form rates.

 

Table 2. Physical fitness and adaptation rates of the first-year student grouped by physical activity rates, M±m

Adaptation	male	Period	Group 1	Group 2	Group 3
		September	57±5,7	73,1±4,0	79,2±4,1
		May	54,4±4,0	70,3±4,4	66,4±4,1
		ТI, % (р)	-4,6 (>0,05)	-3,9 (>0,05)	-17,6 (<0,05)
	female	September	66,9±2,8	68,8±4,8	77,4±7,2
		May	65,1±4,8	75,7±4,2	79±6,7
		ТI, % (р)	2,7 (>0,05)	9,5 (>0,05)	2 (>0,05)
Sport form	male	September	56,1±5,4	71,1±3,7	76,2±4,0
		May	52,1±3,6	68,1±4,3	67,4±4,3
		ТI, % (р)	-7,5 (>0,05)	-4,4 (>0,05)	-12,3 (>0,05)
	female	September	63,6±2,8	66,8±3,5	74,8±8,3
		May	62±4,3	77,2±3,4	74,8±5,9
		ТI, % (р)	2,5 (>0,05)	14,4 (<0,05)	0 (>0,05)

 

The state and trait anxiety rates showed insignificant variations per year, save for the male Group 3 tested with some growth of the state anxiety rates versus some fall of the anxiety rates in the male Group 2.  

The study data and analyses demonstrate that the first-year physical progress is physical-activity-specific. The highest adaptation to the academic environment was found in Group 2 (with extra body conditioning practices), as demonstrated, among other things, by the fairly high (and no low) physical fitness rates. The sporting Group 3 (both males and females) was tested with the increased tension rates by the end of the year.

To facilitate the beginner students’ adaptation to the academic environment, we developed a new first-year students’ physical activation model with the relevant institutional and educational provisions. Conceptually, the model was designed with a special emphasis on the personality-centered, activity- and competency-building, nature-driven and systemic fundamentals to attain the following goals: secure physical progress of the students; step up their academic physical education, health and mass sporting activity; encourage them for more strenuous physical activity; and improve their knowledge of the modern most efficient physical training tools. The design was intended to make the model accessible, serviceable, adequate, efficient, customizable and variable.

Educational provisions for the model were designed to: integrate a wide variety of the physical education and sporting models and tools in the academic physical education service; customize the curriculum and content of the academic Physical Education discipline to the first-year students’ actual physical fitness rates; consult the PES specialists in the beginner physical training process management matters; and recommend the most efficient physical training, health and mass sport models and tools to encourage the first-year students’ physical activity by the customizable physical training formats. The new first-year students’ physical activation model takes one year and includes the following three stages.

Stage 1 (tests) is designed to find the initial physical fitness and wellbeing rates, assess motivations for and attitudes to academic physical education and sports, plus obtain anxiety test rates, followed by practical recommendations on the most efficient fitness-group-specific PES methods and tools applicable under the academic Physical Education discipline and the best competitive roles for the beginners (competitor, supporter, volunteer etc.).

Stage 2 includes the practical physical activation methods and events to facilitate the beginner students’ adaptation and contribution to the academic physical education and sport process. The health physical training module, for instance, offers the following formats: Beginner Student Rally with its sport competitions and games making a special emphasis on the informal communication and socializing aspects; Enthusiasts’ School with its master classes in the modern fitness technologies for the beginners and modern rehabilitation/ recreation tools for the sporting students. The mass sport facilitation module of the new model offers a range of events including both team (Beginner Student Sport Games; Street Games; National Games; School Sports Days) and individual sports (Test Yourself; and GTO Complex tests). In addition, the sporting student population is encouraged to contribute to the academic leisure-time events including, for instance, Rector’s Ball and Cozy Campus events giving a special priority to the recreational issues. And Stage 3 (reporting) is designed to rate and report benefits attained by the model test project.

Conclusion. The new first-year students’ physical activation model was found beneficial as verified by the model piloting experiment with the numbers of beginner students engaged in the academic physical education, health and mass sport process and events reported to grow in every role (competitor, supporter, volunteer); with progress of the self-reliant physical training groups in the student dormitories; and the inflow of first-year students into commercial fitness groups designed to complement the academic physical education and sport services. The model was also found beneficial as demonstrated by the practical physical progress tests of the student sample during the academic year, in the context of the academic physical education, health and mass sport service improvement initiatives.

 

References

1. Anfinogenova O.I. Osobennosti adaptatsii studentov-pervokursnikov k usloviyam obucheniya v universitete [Specifics of adaptation of first-year students to academic study conditions]. Novye issledovaniya, 2011, vol.1. no. 26, pp. 55-59.

2. Marinina M.G. Issledovanie adaptatsii organizma studentov k uchebnomu protsessu v vuze [Study of student's bodily adaptation to academic educational process]. Mediko-biologicheskie i psikhologicheskie aspekty adaptatsii i sotsializatsii cheloveka [Biomedical and psychological aspects of human adaptation and socialization], vol.1, Volgograd, 2008, pp. 206-209.

3. Naskalov V.M. Fizicheskoe vospitanie studentov vuzov na sovremennom etape [Physical education of university students today]. Uchenye zapiski un-ta im. P.F. Lesgafta, 2010, no. 12 (70), pp. 87-92.

4. Pashchenko L.G., Korichko A.V. Effektivnost fizicheskogo vospitaniya studentok vuza v usloviyakh samostoyatelnogo vybora fizkulturno-sportivnoy spetsializatsii [Effectiveness of physical education of female university students during their free choosing of sports specialization]. Teoriya i praktika fiz. kultury, 2015, no. 12, pp. 46-48.

5. Pashchenko L.G.,Krasnikova O.S. Vliyanie dvigatelnogo rezhima studentov vuza na pokazateli fizicheskogo zdorovya [Influence of motor mode on physical health of university students]. Teoriya i praktika fiz. kultury, 2017, no. 6, pp. 24-26.

6. Tyutyukov V.G., Shumeyko A.A., Sharina E.P., Moskalonova N.A. Metodika organizatsii protsessa fizicheskogo vospitaniya na osnove sportizatsii v spetsializirovannykh vuzakh [Physical education process design methods based on sportization in specialized universities]. Uchenye zapiski un-ta im. P.F. Lesgafta, 2012, no. 4 (86), pp. 170-174.

 

Corresponding author: uni@nvsu.ru

 

Abstract

The study analyzes benefits of the new first-year students’ physical activation model designed based on the students’ physical progress test data. The heart rate variability test data made it possible to select a group highly adaptable to the academic educational process due to active body conditioning practices. The test data indicative of the students’ regulatory mechanisms being stressed at the end of the year and the physical fitness test rates being low due to the physical inactivity showed the need and high demand for the first-year students’ physical activation model supported by the relevant institutional and educational provisions.