Influence of a 10-week rational breathing training program on technical fitness indicators in girls aged 7–9 engaged in acrobatic track jumping

Purpose. The quality of initial training in many sports is inextricably linked to rational breathing patterns. This issue is relevant in artistic gymnastics, including acrobatic tumbling. Experts believe that in such sports, the establishment of rational breathing at the initial stage of long-term sports training can significantly affect the formation of sports technique, individual style of performance of future athletes, even the effectiveness of the physical training process. The present research aims to improve the technique of acrobatic jumps of girls 7-9 years old who are engaged in rhythmic gymnastics using the experimental method of teaching the methods of rational breathing. Materials and methods. The research was attended by 24 young sportswomen (girls aged 7-9 years old) who are engaged in artistic gymnastics by jumping on an acrobatic track. Some indicators of external respiratory parameters were studied, such as: vital capacity of the lungs (VC), breath-holding on inhalation (BHI), breath-holding on exhalation (BHE), reserve inspiratory volume (RIV), reserve expiratory volume (REV). Changes in indicators of technical fitness of participants of the experiment were recorded. The probability of differences in the level of technical of participants of the control and experimental groups was determined in accordance with the requirements of the Training program in artistic gymnastics for children's and youth sports schools (2023). Results The analysis of the results of the formative experiment shows that the level of technical fitness of the experimental group under the influence of the 10-week program of training in rational breathing techniques was much higher in comparison with the control group and has significant differences in the level of p<0.05-0.01. Starting from the middle of the experiment (5-6 weeks) the dynamics of mastering control exercises by young sportswomen of the experimental group proceeds at a higher level in contrast to gymnasts of the control group. By the end of the experiment (week 10) this difference reached even more significant values (p<0.05-0.001). On average, the success of control exercises by participants of the control group was 55% of realization, and of the experimental group - 80%, respectively. Thus, the efficiency using special breathing exercises for the increased of efficiency of mastering the technique of basic complex-coordinated jumps on an acrobatic track is proved. Conclusions. The efficiency of the methodology developed and implemented by us for the formation of skills of rational breathing at teaching acrobatic complex coordination elements at the stage of initial and preliminary basic training in gymnastics is proved. The special breathing exercises chosen by us and recommended for performance by the experimental group in the form of a complex have a significant (р<0.05-0.001) positive influence on indicators of technical fitness of girls of 7-9 years old who engaged in jumps on an acrobatic track.