Extracurricular swimming as a targeted process for developing key physical qualities in students for professional success

Abstract

The development of physical qualities relevant to professional activities is a key aspect of student physical education. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to design and evaluate an experimental swimming training program for University of Siberia students performed as part of extracurricular activities with a focus on improving both basic and specialized physical qualities. Materials and methods: The study involved 60 male students in their 1st–3rd years, enrolled in the Prospecting and Exploration of Mineral Deposits program. Participants were divided into two groups: a control group (CG, n = 30) and an implementation group (IG, n = 30). All students followed the standard curriculum for the Physical Education course. In both groups, standard methods and approaches to physical education were applied. Additionally, students in the IG participated in extra training sessions beyond regular school hours, following the specially designed experimental "Swimming" program. Training sessions for both groups were performed twice a week as part of the mandatory academic curriculum, while the IG had an additional session once a week as part of extracurricular activities. Students' general, specialized, and swimming-specific physical fitness were assessed twice in both groups. Results: Analysis of the findings revealed significantly higher performance indicators, as well as improved physical and swimming fitness, among students in the IG compared to those in the CG. Conclusions: The test results of the proposed program confirm its effectiveness in developing swimming competence, which is essential for developing professionally relevant motor skills in students—future specialists in the mining industry. The developed program for enhancing these critical motor skills can also be implemented in other educational institutions.