The influence of physical activity training sessions in the natural environment on high schoolers’ physical health

Aim: To experimentally test the influence of orienteering training sessions on high schoolers’ physical health. Materials and Methods: The research involved 177 high schoolers aged 16-17 (grades 10-11), including 84 boys and 93 girls. The experimental (EG) and the control (CG) groups were formed, which included 89 persons (42 boys and 47 girls) and 88 persons (42 boys and 46 girls), respectively. The EG high schoolers were engaged in orienteering in the natural environment, while the CG high schoolers were involved in physical exercises in the gym during their physical education. Physical health was studied by the body mass, strength, vital, Robinson and Rufier indices. Results: It was found that in the process of orienteering training sessions, both boys and girls of the EG showed significant (p ≤ 0.05-0.001) improvement of their vital index, Robinson index, and Rufier index. The changes were not significant (p > 0.05) in the CG. Both groups had no statistically significant changes in body mass index and strength index. Also, the vital, Robinson, and Rufier index indicators were significantly (p ≤ 0.05–0.01) better in the EG than in the CG at the end of the research, which proves the expediency of using orienteering training sessions in the physical education of senior high schoolers for their health improvement.
Conclusions: After orienteering training sessions, the EG high schoolers showed a significant improvement in physical health indicators, which confirms the enhanced health-improving effect of this type of motor activity in the natural environment.