First-Year Students’ Physical Development and Necessity of Its Correction
Some physical development characteristics of first-year students (youths) before the first semester and at the end of it are studied. Two comparison groups: experimental (n=20) and control (n=20) were formed. A set of special physical exercises was developed. During the first semester the experimental group mastered a movement technique of competitive and training exercises in kettlebell lifting and followed the experimental programme hereinafter. Members of the control group did physical training according to the University curriculum. After the first year of study both comparison groups had positive dynamic of physical development characteristics. It shows continuing growth and development of the body, though a lack of physical development which demands correction by using specially organized strategies of social stimulation was noted. In the experimental and control groups at the end of the academic year there was a decrease in heart rate, an increase in lung capacity, noted improvement in health according to the total score of individual health, as defined by the method of G. L. Apanasenko. This indicates that the first-year students continued natural growth and development. In this case, the students found a lack of physical development, which is intended to eliminate the authors' method of optimization of physical training with the use of kettlebell lifting.