Enhancing physical fitness through Crossfit for 15-16-year-old high school students

Abstract

Background and Study Aim. CrossFit represents a high-intensity functional training that has recently gained popularity among the youth. At the same time, restrictions imposed by military actions require different approaches to organizing CrossFit sessions. The most acceptable solution in such a situation is online education and training. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of CrossFit sessions within the framework of remote physical education on the physical fitness indicators of high school students. Materials and Methods. The study involved 27 students (aged 15-16 years) from a 10th-grade class at a school located in a war conflict zone (Kharkiv, Ukraine). The group consisted of 11 boys and 16 girls. Due to the military conflict and corresponding restrictions, physical education was conducted remotely. Physical education classes were held three times a week, lasting 45 minutes each. The structure of the lesson included 30 minutes of synchronous online work with the teacher and 15 minutes for independent task completion. Tests aimed at measuring strength, endurance, flexibility, and speed were used to assess the impact of CrossFit programs on physical fitness. Data were collected at the beginning and end of the experiment. The experiment was conducted over 8 weeks. Testing was carried out at home by students under the control and guidance of the teacher via video link during the first three lessons. Results. The test results confirm improvement in all indicators. The boys increased their plank hold duration from 48 seconds to 53 seconds, and the girls from 46 seconds to 52 seconds. In the squat series, an increase in indicators was noted: for boys from 21 to 25 in the third series. Girls also showed significant improvement across all squat series. The boys' speed-strength indicators improved from 43 cm to 46 cm. Girls demonstrated improvement in performing "Burpees" within 60 seconds, increasing the number of repetitions from 8 to 12. Conclusions. The study results indicate that CrossFit effectively enhances the physical fitness of high school students. However, the improvement in girls occurs to a slightly lesser extent compared to boys. This may be due to the initial level of physical fitness and individual physiological characteristics.