Changes in Motor Skills of Boys who Trained Sports Swimming in an Annual Training Cycle

Abstract

This paper presents an empirical approach to the changes in motor skills of children who trained sports swimming at the initial stage of school education in an annual training cycle. The research included 94 boys aged 7 (1st grade of elementary school); 57 of them belonged to the Swimmers group and 37 belonged to the Control group. All boys attended elementary schools in Szczecin, Poland. Motor skills were assessed with 8 tests of the EUROFIT Test Battery. The study resulted in the following conclusions: I. Dynamics of changes in terms of overall balance, static strength, functional strength (between Examination I and II) was greater in the Swimmers group. II. In terms of upper limb movement, agility, explosive strength, torso strength, and agility run, differences between results of both examinations were similar in the Swimmers and Control groups. III. Progressive changes in motor skill of subjects were a positive phenomenon in the physical development of children. Thus, swimming trainings significantly impacted dynamics of positive changes in motor skills of boys at the early stage of school education. IV. Regular participation in sports classes (including swimming classes) had positive impact on motor skill development of children, which is of utmost importance at that age.

Keywords

• selection
• motor skills
• swimming