Klaipėdos universiteto pirmo kurso studentų, įstojusių 2009 ir 2014 metais, fizinio išsivystymo ir fizinio pajėgumo kaita

ENThis article analyses the change in physical development and physical fitness in first-year students enrolled in 2009 and 2014 at Klaipėda University, having attended physical education workouts. In 2009, a total number of 524 (291 females and 233 males) Klaipeda University full-time first-year students were measured and tested, and in 2014 – 277 (170 females and 107 males) students. Majority of the students participating in the research were at the age of 19. Physical development of students was investigated by measuring their height, body mass and forced vital capacity; body mass index was calculated. Physical fitness was tested using the eight tests: flamingo balance, plate tapping, sit and reach, standing long jump, 10x5 m shuttle run, hand grip, sit-up, and flexedarm hang tests. To compare the results of physical development and physical fitness of 2009 and 2014, Student’s t-test (for independent samples) was applied. Differences in results are considered statistically significant when p <0.05. All statistical analyses were conducted using version 14 of the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The numbers show that in 2014, as opposed to 2009, KU had admitted shorter first-year female students (p<0.05) and taller male students (p<0.001), body mass and body mass index rates have remained almost unchanged for both genders, while the forced vital capacity has decreased statistically significantly (p<0.01). Having compared physical fitness results of the first-year students enrolled in 2009 and 2014, it was identified that static balance in female and male students enrolled in 2014 was statistically significantly (p<0,001) better compared to the numbers obtained in 2009. Results for the majority (six out of eight) of physical fitness tests among female students were statistically significantly lower (p<0.001).Particularly obvious difference between the years 2009 and 2014 is demonstrated in the arithmetic mean of the sit-up (p<0.001) and standing long jump (p<0.001) tests. Results for the flexed-arm hang test among female students have remained similar (p>0.05). Considering physical fitness results of the first-year male students enrolled in 2009 and 2014, no such visible decline in physical fitness test results has been recorded. Results for more than half (five out of eight) of tests among male students have stayed similar (p>0.05), however male students demonstrated a significant decline in the arithmetic means of flexibility (p<0.001) and hand grip (p>0.05) tests. Pursuing to improve students physical fitness and some indicators of physical development, individual and key motives for student activity and preferred physical activity should call our primary attention. It is essential to develop favorable conditions to do sports at the university‘s sport facilities, convey theoretical knowledge and practical skills, increasing their competence in physical activity and thus motivate the students to increase their physical activity as a means of leisure. Organization of physical education workouts and applied educational methods for females and males should differ because of diverse sport motives, preferred activity and differences in physical fitness.