Physical Fitness Level of Students of Higher Educational Institutions from a Historical Perspective

The article presents an analysis of the physical fitness level of the students of Ukrainian higher educational institutions during the last forty years. The physical fitness level of students was assessed by the results of exercises that characterize the development of basic physical qualities: speed (the 100 m run), power (pull-ups for males and push-ups for females), endurance (the 3000 m run for males and the 2000 m run for females), speed and power qualities (standing long jump). The study was conducted on the indicators of students (n=3964, including 1734 males and 2230 females) in 1982-2019. The research proved that the physical fitness level of parents was not better than that of their children – modern students: the results of the students of 2018-2019 in most of the exercises did not differ significantly from that of the students of the 80-90s of the last century (р˃0.05). The study defined that the low level of the students’ physical fitness dates back to Soviet times. However, the worst level of the students’ physical qualities development was found in 2018-2019; among the physical qualities of both males and female students, the worst development level was defined in the endurance and power exercises; females were determined to have a worse level than males which indicated the imperfection of the system of physical education in Ukraine, low motivation of students and unsatisfactory state of sporting and mass-participation health and fitness activities at higher educational institutions. The research determined that the system of physical education of the past is practically actual in Ukraine nowadays and it needs significant changes. This leads to the introduction of modern technologies of physical education and sports, the creation and modernization of the material and technical base of higher educational institutions, the improvement of the system of physical education at school, conducting the research to improve teaching methods in physical education, intensifying the educational process of physical education taking into account the students’ person-centered choice of motor activity and a complex of ecological, socio-economic, psychological and pedagogical, sanitary and hygienic factors.