The Changes of Physical Status of Young Men During the Military Training Period
Giedrė Krištopaitytė, Giedrius Stankevičius, Eimantė Šveikauskaitė, Mantas Kurminas, Janina Tutkuvienė
Background. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the changes in morphological and functional status of Lithuanian conscripts during one year of training regiment.
Material and methods. The longitudinal study at various military units of Lithuania was performed in 2007-2008: first stage (1S) - in January of 2007 (n=241), second stage (2S) - in April of 2007, i.e. after the main military training (n=217); third stage (3S) - in January of 2008 (n=129). Standard antropometric methods were used (Anthropometrica, 2002). Body composition was calculated from 13 skinfolds that were measured with Holtain caliper. Functional indices included arterial blood pressure, pulse rate, forced vital capacity of lungs and dynamometry. Cardiovascular endurance was evaluated by Rouffier index.
Results. There was a slight and not statistically significant increase in body mass index during the all stages of military training regiment. It could be explained by the increase in active body mass and decrease in passive body mass (the changes of body fat tissue topography also support this hypothesis). However, cardiovascular endurance indices declined by the end of the service in comparison with the peak values of the second stage. Changes in morphofunctional units (the quantity of functional parameter to one unit of body structure) also demonstrated the disagreement between the dynamics of functional and physical status: the indices of instantaneous strength increased during the whole train-ng regtment, while the functional parameters of endurance even decreased after the main military training period.
Conclusions. All indices of conscripts’ physical status showed a marked improvement during the first 2.5 months of their military service, however, at the end of their service an ev-dent decrease in functional endurance indices contrasted with the morphological and functional strength (dynamometry) indices in creas ing or re main ing sat is fac tory. Latter phenomenon can be explained by the changes in physical load structure (at the end of the service strength exercises prevailed).
Keywords: conscripts, morphological indi ces, func tional in di ces, ac tive body mass, morphofunctional units.