THE EFFECTS OF DEVELOPMENTAL GYMNASTICS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF BOYS’ MOTOR SKILLS

Abstract

The aim of the study was to determine the effects of the developmental gymnastics program on the motor skills development of boys of a younger school age. The total sample consisted of 107 boys (E-54; 10.07±0.91 years old; C-53; 10.36±0.68 years old), from the “Dušan Radović” Elementary school from Niš. The experimental program lasted 16 weeks (3x a week for 60 min) and included the training of the compulsory compositions of the development gymnastics program for younger school age children. The control group attended regular physical education classes. The following tests were used for motor skills assessment: the countermovement jump, squat jump, medicine ball throw, hanging pull-ups, sit-ups on the bench, push-ups, the 20m run from a high start, the backward polygon, and deep forward bend on the bench. The T-test revealed significant differences between the groups at the initial measurement, while all the observed differences in arithmetic means were statistically significant at the final measurement. The results of the univariate analysis indicate significant differences in six of the nine applied variables, whereas at the multivariate level, a significant difference (p=.000) can be observed. The obtained results exactly indicate that the experimental program contributed significantly more to the motor skills transformation than the current physical education program. The realized program of developmental gymnastics proved to be adequate and acceptable, so it is recommended for active application in practice, and the greatest contribution would be realized by its implementation in physical education classes.