ISSN 2786-6432 e-ISSN 2786-6424 UDC 796
Submit an article

Theory and Practice of Physical Culture and Sports

Article

Comparative analysis of the level of physical fitness of students in technical and humanities specialities

Igor Taranets, Vitaliy Syvoldayev
Retrieved from Vol. 4, No. 2, 2025 Pages 54–64
Received
23.05.2025
Revised
29.10.2025
Accepted
24.12.2025
Views
275

Abstract

The study aimed to compare the physical fitness levels of students majoring in technical and humanities subjects based on the author’s model of comprehensive training in higher education institutions. The methodology included developing the author’s model, an experiment conducted from 3 February to 31 March 2025 at the Sports Complex of Pavlo Tychyna Uman State Pedagogical University, in which 150 students participated, and the formulation of recommendations. The results showed that the implemented programme led to statistically significant positive changes in all key indicators. Aerobic endurance of humanities students increased from 1,200 to 1,400 m (+16.7%), technical students from 1,600 to 2,200 m (+37.5%); strength endurance in “twists” increased from 18 to 25 repetitions (+38.9%) and from 20 to 30 repetitions (+50%); number of push-ups increased from 12 to 18 (+50%) and from 15 to 22 (+46.7%). Explosive strength indicators improved from 185 to 205 cm in humanities students and from 190 to 220 cm in the technical group. Flexibility according to the test increased by 6 cm (18 → 24 cm) and 9 cm (19 → 28 cm), respectively. According to the questionnaire, the percentage of students with a high level of psycho-emotional well-being after the programme increased to 44% in the humanities group and to 50% in the technical group, which indicates the positive impact of physical activity on subjective psychological state. The results obtained indicate that a comprehensive training model can improve the physical fitness and psychological well-being of students even with limited intervention duration. The results of the study can be used by physical education teachers, student club coaches, and university administrators to optimise curricula, as well as by specialists in the field of sports pedagogy and health-improving physical culture to develop programmes to increase physical activity among young people

Keywords

structural model; training complex; psychophysical state; aerobic exercise; functional exercises

References

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. (n.d.). ACSM’s guidelines for exercise testing and prescription. Retrieved from https://acsm.org/education-resources/books/guidelines-exercise-testing-prescription/.
  2. American Sociological Associations. (1997). Retrieved from https://www.asanet.org/about/ethics/.
  3. Athaya, H., Dewantara, J., Husein, M., Taiar, R., Shukla, M., & Abd Malek, N.F. (2023). Analysis of physical fitness in students: A comparative study based on social status. Tanjungpura Journal of Coaching Research, 1(3), 71-78. doi: 10.26418/tajor.v1i3.66542.
  4. Bahattab, A.A., Linty, M., Trentin, M., Truppa, C., Hubloue, I., Della Corte, F., & Ragazzoni, L. (2021). Availability and characteristics of humanitarian health education and training programs: A web-based review. Prehospital and Disaster Medicine, 37(1), 132-138. doi: 10.1017/S1049023X21001333.
  5. Behm, D.G., Blazevich, A.J., Kay, A.D., & McHugh, M. (2016). Acute effects of muscle stretching on physical performance, range of motion, and injury incidence in healthy active individuals: A systematic review. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 41(1), 1-11. doi: 10.1139/apnm-2015-0235.
  6. Berezhna, Y., Kozina, Z., Cretu, M., & Pavlović, R. (2024). Features of thinking and physical education of humanitarian universities students: A review article. Health Technologies, 2(1), 35-45. doi: 10.58962/HT.2024.2.1.35-45.
  7. Bilavych, H.V., Vintoniak, O.V., Snitovska, O.Y., Sultanova, N.V., Hnatyshyn, S.I., Slyvka, L.V., & Savchuk, B.P. (2025). Health-preserving: Innovative technologies in the professional educational training of Ukrainian students during wartime. Wiadomości Lekarskie, 8, 1614-1623. doi: 10.36740/WLek/209515.
  8. Brown, C.E.B., Richardson, K., Halil-Pizzirani, B., Atkins, L., Yücel, M., & Segrave, R.A. (2024). Key influences on university students’ physical activity: A systematic review using the theoretical domains framework and the COM-B model of human behaviour. BMC Public Health, 24, article number 418. doi: 10.1186/s12889-023-17621-4.
  9. Buchheit, M., & Laursen, P. (2013). High‐intensity interval training, solutions to the programming puzzle. Sports Medicine, 43(5), 313-338. doi: 10.1007/s40279-013-0029-x.
  10. Butnaru, G.I., Niță, V., Anichiti, A., & Brînză, G. (2021). The effectiveness of online education during Covid 19 pandemic – a comparative analysis between the perceptions of academic students and high school students from Romania. Sustainability, 13(9), article number 5311. doi: 10.3390/su13095311.
  11. Caspersen, C.J., Powell, K.E., & Christenson, G.M. (1985). Physical activity, exercise, and physical fitness: Definitions and distinctions for health-related research. Public Health Reports, 100(2), 126-131.
  12. Chowdary, S. (2020). Impact of sports and fitness on students life. Bangalore: Christ University.
  13. Deak, G.F., Kyrychenko, V., Pop, N.H., Khurtenko, O., Zhovtenko, Y., Pidhaina, V., & Boros-Balint, I. (2025). Clustering undergraduate students enrolled in physical education majors in Romania and Ukraine based on their physical fitness levels. Journal of Physical Education and Sport, 25(1), 167-174. doi: 10.7752/jpes.2025.01019.
  14. Faigenbaum, A.D., & Myer, G.D. (2010). Resistance training among young athletes: Safety, efficacy and injury prevention effects. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 44, 56-63. doi: 10.1136/bjsm.2009.068098.
  15. Gallo, L.A., Gallo, T.F., Young, S.L., Moritz, K.M., & Akison, L.K. (2020). The impact of isolation measures due to COVID-19 on energy intake and physical activity levels in Australian university students. Nutrients, 12(6), article number 1865. doi: 10.3390/nu12061865.
  16. Gapparov, K., & Akhmedov, K. (2020). The importance of physical culture and sports in student life. Society and Innovations, 2(1/S), 311-313. doi: 10.47689/2181-1415-vol2-iss1/S-pp311-313.
  17. Garber, C.E., Blissmer, B., Deschenes, M.R., Franklin, B.A., Lamonte, M.J., Lee, I.-M., Nieman, D.C., & Swain, D.P. (2011). Quantity and quality of exercise for developing and maintaining cardiorespiratory, musculoskeletal, and neuromotor fitness in apparently healthy adults: ACSM position stand. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 43(7), 1334-1359. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0b013e318213fefb.
  18. Huang, C., Wang, J., Chang, Z., & Tang, J. (2024). Relationship between physical activity and college students’ life satisfaction: The chain mediating effect of psychological resilience and negative emotions. Frontiers in Psychology, 15, article number 1502222. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1502222.
  19. International physical activity questionnaire IPAQ-SF. (2002). Retrieved from https://youthrex.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/IPAQ-TM.pdf.
  20. Latino, F., Tafuri, F., Maisuradze, M., & Tafuri, M.G. (2025). Enhancing academic performance, cognitive functions, and mental well-being through active breaks: Evidence from a pilot study with university student sample. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 22(11), article number 1605. doi: 10.3390/ijerph22111605.
  21. Li, R., & Huang, R. (2025). The influence of physical activity on mental well-being in college students: A systematic review. Frontiers in Psychology, 16, article number 1573446. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1573446.
  22. Manzoor, M., Rizwan, M., & Khadim, I. (2024). Comparative data analysis of physical activities & sports between physical education students. Gomal University Journal of Research, 40(2), 265-274.
  23. Martins, J., Honório, S., & Cardoso, J. (2023). Physical fitness levels in students with and without training capacities: A comparative study in physical education classes. Retos: Nuevas Tendencias en Educación Física, Deporte y Recreación, 47, 43-50.
  24. Nikolopoulou, K. (2022). Face-to-face, online and hybrid education: University students’ opinions and preferences. Journal of Digital Educational Technology, 2(2), article number ep2206. doi: 10.30935/jdet/12384.
  25. Ryabchenko, V., Donets, I., Kostyuchenko, M., & Cherezov, Y. (2021). Physical education as a factor in shaping the health of students of technical specialties. Scientific Journal of National Pedagogical Dragomanov University. Series 15: Scientific and Pedagogical Problems of Physical Culture (Physical Culture and Sports). doi: 10.31392/NPU-nc.series15.2021.1(129).21.
  26. Saleh, S., Brome, D., Mansour, R., Daou, T., Chamas, A., & Naal, H. (2022). Evaluating an e-learning program to strengthen the capacity of humanitarian workers in the MENA region: The humanitarian leadership diploma. Conflict and Health, 16, article number 27. doi: 10.1186/s13031-022-00460-2.
  27. Sun, J., Lin, C., Wang, L., Bi, C., & Qiao, B. (2024). A comparative study on the physical fitness of college students from different grades and majors in Jiangxi province. Plos One, 19(10), article number e0308483. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0308483.
  28. Sun, M., Soh, K.G., Cao, S., Yaacob, A.B., Ma, S., & Ding, C. (2025). Effects of speed, agility, and quickness training on athletic performance: A systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation, 17(1), article number 66. doi: 10.1186/s13102-025-01101-w.
  29. Teuber, M., Leyhr, D., & Sudeck, G. (2024). Physical activity improves stress load, recovery, and academic performance-related parameters among university students: A longitudinal study on daily level. BMC Public Health, 24, article number 598. doi: 10.1186/s12889-024-18082-z.
  30. Umarova, Z.U., & Umarov, Y.Y. (2024). The impact of sports on student life. International Journal of Social Science & Interdisciplinary Research, 13(01), 26-29.
  31. WHO-5 well-being scale. (2024). Retrieved from https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/mental-health/who-5_english-original4da539d6ed4b49389e3afe47cda2326a.pdf?sfvrsn=ed43f352_11&download.
  32. World Health Organization. (2020). WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Geneva: WHO.
  33. Zhou, Y., Wang, L., Chen, R., & Wang, B. (2025). Associations between class-level factors and student physical activity during physical education lessons in China. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 22, article number 1. doi: 10.1186/s12966-024-01703-6.

Suggested citation

Taranets, I., & Syvoldayev, V. (2025). Comparative analysis of the level of physical fitness of students in technical and humanities specialities. Theory and Practice of Physical Culture and Sports, 4(2), 54-64. https://doi.org/10.69587/tppcs/2.2025.54