Influence of general strength training on physical fitness of 60–65-year-old powerlifting masters

BACKGROUND: The problem of athletic performance of older and elderly persons is of particular importance for modern sports science. Powerlifting is becoming popular among masters, but training methods for this age group of athletes require scientific evidence based on the age-related parameters of the body. AIM: To determine the influence of general strength training on physical fitness of 60–65-year-old powerlifting masters. METHODS: The pedagogical experiment involved 20 male powerlifting masters aged 60–65 ranging from Category 1 to Master of Sports. An experimental (n=10) and control (n=10) groups were created using random sampling. Both groups trained three times a week during a 12-week pre-season. The control group used conventional methods mainly involving basic powerlifting exercises. The experimental group used the developed training method with an additional set of general strength exercises. Physical fitness was assessed by five tests: standing long jump; hanging on a horizontal bar; standing forward bend on a bench; back lying torso lifts for 60 seconds, and 60-second squats. Statistical data were processed using Student’s t-test. RESULTS: The study showed a significant improvement in the general physical fitness was in the experimental group for all five tests: forward bend (+19.05%, p 0.001); hanging on a horizontal bar (+16.28%, p 0.01); 60 s squats (+12.09%, p 0.01); lifting the torso for 60 s (+10.35%, p 0.01); standing long jump (+9.46%, p 0.05). In the control group, the increase was statistically insignificant and ranged from 1.87 to 7.47%. The average relative growth rate in the experimental group was 13.45% and 3.44% in the control group. CONCLUSION: The study has experimentally proven the effectiveness of a general strength-oriented method for powerlifting masters aged 60–65. The obtained data expand scientific and methodological understanding of special aspects of the training process in strength sports for athletes over 60 years of age and create a basis for further research in this area.