Central European Journal of Sport Sciences and Medicine (Jan 2014)
The Evaluation of Motor Skills of 1–4 Grade Music-oriented Male Students in Primary School Complex No. 2 in Szczecin
Abstract
The aim of the research was to establish the motor efficiency of boys between the ages of 7 and 10 years, attending Grades 1-4 of music oriented and general education classes. The research material included 106 boys aged 7-10 of the Primary School Complex No. 2 in Szczecin. There were 50 children examined in the music oriented classes, and 56 in control group. The research was conducted twice in the school year 2006/2007, including the same research material – first in September 2006, second in June 2007 accordingly. To evaluate the level of motor skills the EUROFIT European Fitness Test was used. Test results were statistically analyzed. The Utenberger’s test resulted in statistically significant better results of boys from the Grade 1 of control group (C) compared to their peers from Grade 1 of music oriented classes. In research II, only boys of Grades 1-2 M had statistically significant results improvement in the Utenberger’s test in comparison with research I. In research II, male students of Grades 1, 2, 3 M acquired statistically significant better results in the speed test of the upper limb than their peers of Grades 1 C, 2 C, 4 C. Moreover, in study II the subjected individuals of Grades 1 M, 2 M, 4 M and 4 C obtained statistically significant increase in their results in comparison with study I.Trunk flexibility of male students from music-oriented classes and control group was in line; the same was true for the jump test. In study II, trunk flexibility and endurance in jumping insignificantly improved in all examined classes. 
 In the study, boys from Grade 4 M, obtained statistically more significant average hand strength results compared to their peers from Grade 4 C. In study II, boys from Grades 1 and 2 M obtained statistically significantly lower average values in this test in comparison with boys from Grades 1 and 2 C. In study II, unlike in study 1, there was a statistically significant improvement in the test results only in boys from Grades 3 and 4 M. In contrary, there was a statistically significant improvement of hand strength results in all grades of control groups compared to study I. 
 In trunk flexibility test, boys from Grade 1 M had statistically lower mean values than boys from Grade 1 C. In the same study, boys from grades 3 and 4 M had statistically significantly higher average values than their peers from Grades 3 and 4 C. In study II, statistically significant differences were found between Grades 3 M and 3 P as well as between 4 M and 4 P. In study II, in Grades 1 C and 2 M, there was a statistically significant results improvement compared to study I. Functional capacity of boys from all subjected classes was similar in both studies. In study II, statistically significant improvement in this test was found only in Grade 2 M. In agility fitness test, in study II, boys from Grade 4 M had statistically significantly better results opposed to Grade 4 C. It turned out that boys from grades 1 M, 2 M, and 3 C, had statistically significant results improvement in study II compared to study I. Based on the conducted studies, the following conclusions have been formulated: 1. Motor efficiency of boys from music-oriented as well as control classes was comparable. 2. Practicing musical instruments at the early education stage did not have any significant influence on the general motor efficiency of male pupils. 3. As part of preventive measures of degenerative overload changes of the motor system in music-oriented classes, the national curriculum program of study for PE should be modified and supplemented with exercises strengthening trunk muscles and increasing the range of motion in the shoulder and pelvic girdles.
