The influence of speed and strength training at school on the indicators of attention switching in children aged 13–14 years with different typologies

BACKGROUND: The background is to determine the influence of speed and strength training of schoolchildren aged 13–14 on the indicators of the ability of children with different nervous system strength to switch attention. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study conducted on sixty schoolchildren in a class 7, located in the city of Kirov, in Russia. The data were collected using an independent pedagogical experiment. Physical education at the school was held two times a week for 40 min each lesson. Children from class 7a (20 people) were engaged in the usual program and formed a control group. Children from class 7b (20 people) formed an experimental group, they performed an additional set of physical exercises at each lesson, aimed at developing speed and strength abilities. The strength of the nervous system was determined by tapping test, and the indicators of switching the attention of schoolchildren were determined by the test «Method of Numbers». T-student was used. RESULTS: After the pedagogical experiment, the indicators of attention switching in the control group improved. In children with a strong nervous system, the indicator was higher by 7%, and in children with a weak nervous system, the indicators increased from 33.7 ± 3.1 s to 32.0 ± 2.9 s. At the same time, in the experimental group, in both subgroups, the indicators increased significantly. Children with a strong nervous system improved performance by 14%, and children with a weak nervous system improved performance from 34.4 ± 3.9 s to 29.2 ± 3.3 s. CONCLUSION: The indicators of switching the attention of children aged 13–14 years will improve if they perform physical exercises at each physical culture lesson at school, which are aimed at developing speed and strength abilities. The components of the load for the development of abilities should be differentiated taking into account the strength of the schoolchildren nervous system.