PHYSICAL FITNESS LEVEL OF SCHOOLCHILDREN IN GRADES 5–11

Abstract

 In recent years, in the special literature, reports of scientists and practitioners, there has been a discussion about the feasibility of using motor tests in monitoring the physical fitness of schoolchildren in the process of physical education, about their informativeness in terms of the relationship with indicators of physical health and about the standards of motor tests. The Resolution “On Approval of the Procedure for Conducting Annual Assessment of Physical Fitness of the Population of Ukraine” dated December 9, 2015 № 1045, indicates that the basis of the domestic system of physical education is a set of indicators, which includes: the volume of weekly motor activity, physical development, functional state of body systems, physical working capacity and motor abilities. This set of indicators can sufficiently characterize the physical condition of a person, determine the vitality of the body and be improved through physical activity. This is most relevant to physical fitness, which is an integral indicator, since during the performance of motor actions almost all organs and systems are involved in the interaction. The purpose of the work is to determine the level of physical fitness of schoolchildren in grades 5–11. To obtain objective information in accordance with the purpose of the work, the following research methods were used: the method of analysis of scientific and methodological and special literature; the method of testing (control tests); the method of mathematical and statistical processing of the obtained data. Results. During the study, test tasks were used that have a high degree of reliability and informativeness. The level of development of such motor qualities of students as speed, endurance, strength and speed-strength qualities, agility, flexibility and a test for determining statistical balance were studied. It was found that the vast majority (34.1%) of children in grades 5–11 had a speed level lower than average. 22.7% of schoolchildren have a low level of physical fitness in this test. A significant part (58.0%) of schoolchildren has a low level of endurance. The level of physical fitness is lower than average in 33.0% of children, average – in 8.0%, higher than average – in 1.2% of schoolchildren. Conclusions. Studies have shown that children have an average level of physical fitness when performing tests to detect the development of strength, agility, flexibility and statistical balance. A significant percentage of children who have a low level of physical fitness was demonstrated when passing the endurance test. A lower than average level of physical fitness among schoolchildren in grades 5–11 was detected when passing the speed test and in the control exercise “long jump from a place”. When passing the test “raising the torso to a sitting position”, a significant part of children demonstrated an above average level of physical fitness. A high level of physical fitness was not detected in any student.