Correction of indicators of physical condition of women of the second period of mature age with excess body weight in the course of occupations by improving fitness

Abstract

The aim was to assess the impact of the program of individual preventive and health-enhancing exercise classes on the improvement of physical condition in middle-aged overweight women. Material and methods: theoretical analysis of special scientific and methodological literature; anthropometric, physiological, and pedagogical methods; and the methods of mathematical statistics. The study involved 62 middle-aged women with an average age of 38.5 years. The duration of the transformative pedagogical experiment was nine months. Results. In women, there were statistically significant (p <0.05; p <0.01) improvements in blood pressure, lung vital capacity, and heart rate recovery after dynamic exercise, which characterize the work of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. An increase in the mean group value of maximum oxygen consumption by 10.8% indicated an increase in the level of physical performance in the women. After the nine-month program, there were significant changes (p <0.05; p <0.01) in the values of the indicators that characterize the level of physical health of middle-aged women. The quantitative score of the participants of the experiment improved by 40.3% (p <0.001) and corresponded to the “average level” according to the gradation scale of physical health. At the end of the pedagogical experiment, significant changes were observed (p <0.05; p <0.01) in the mean group results of exercise tests compared to the beginning of the experiment. In women, there were improvements under the influence of health-enhancing exercises in static balance (by 62.7% and 44.2%), muscle endurance (by 38.7%), flexibility (by 24.1%), strength (by 21.6%), and endurance (by 6.0%). Conclusions. Assessment of the proposed program showed its positive effects and effectiveness. The results of the study can be useful for fitness professionals when designing individual health-enhancing fitness programs focused on improving physical condition in middle-aged overweight women.