Features of Special Physical Training for Female Athletes in Cossack Fight during Different Phases of a Specific Biological Cycle

Background. The training methods for female athletes’ special physical training are considered to be a crucial aspect of the overall preparation system for competitive activity, which requires correct planning and implementation. Objectives. The study aimed to determine the impact of special preparatory exercises on female athletes engaged in Cossack Fight, depending on the characteristics of the body’s functioning in different phases of a specific biological cycle. Materials and methods. The study involved 20 female athletes aged 17-24 years who participated in Cossack Fight, and were divided into experimental and control groups. The qualification levels of female athletes in the experimental group were as follows: 1 – Master of Sports of Ukraine; 2 – Candidates for Master of Sports of Ukraine; 7 – 1 sports category. The control group comprised: 1 – Master of Sports of Ukraine; 2 – Candidates for Master of Sports of Ukraine; 7 – 1 sports category. The training program lasted for ten weeks and took place at a special preparatory and control-preparatory stage of the preparatory period. Results. The findings showed that the variability of training loads, depending on the phase of the ovarian-menstrual cycle, had a statistically significantly greater impact on the indicators of special physical fitness in the female athletes’ experimental group compared to the control group. Thus, after ten weeks of special physical training, the experimental group demonstrated a significant increase in the number of direct punches on the punching bag in 4 seconds (t=4.07; p<0.001) and 15 seconds (t=3.62; p<0.001), throwing a medicine ball weighing 3 kg (t=2.92; p<0.05), repeated circular kicks on the punching bag to the torso level for 15 seconds (t=4.22; p<0.001), direct punches on the punching bag for 1 minute (t=4.23; p<0.001), repeated circular kicks on the punching bag for 1 minute (t=4.49; p<0.001), and jumping rope after exercise (a 3-minute punching bag workout) for 1 minute (t=3.55; p<0.001). Conclusions. The implementation of an experimental program for special physical training of female athletes, in accordance with the phases of the ovarian-menstrual cycle, into the general system of preparation for competitive activity, leads to a statistically reliable improvement in key indicators of physical fitness.


Introduction
One of the main trends in the development of modern martial arts in the world is the increase every year in the number of women who systematically train and compete in sports competitions.The same trend can be clearly seen in the Ukrainian national form of combat sport -the Cossack Fight (Lytvynenko, 2023;Lytvynenko, Mulyk, 2023).An analysis of special literature on the theory and methodology of sports training for women shows that in many works the authors study the structural features and physiological processes of the female body in connection with reproductive function (Alfaro-Magallanes, Romero-Parra, 2023;Shakhlyna et al., 2016;Badenhorst et al., 2021).A number of studies reveal the peculiarities of the functioning of the female body and psychological processes under the influence of significant physical activity in different phases of the ovarian-menstrual cycle (OMC) (Vorontsov, 2020;Arenas-Pareja & López-Sierra, Ibáñez, 2023).The works Mulyk (2016) Shakhlina, Chystyakova, and Avinov (2022), shows differences in the structure and functioning of the female body and the level of development of physical and psychophysical qualities depending on biological age and experience in sports.A number of studies (Shakhlina, 2021;Lysenko, Hasanova, Shynkaruk, 2021) are devoted to the influence of sex hormones on the dynamics of physical performance during the training of women in various sports.Experts have established the dependence of the performance indicators of female athletes in certain sports and the reaction of their body to training loads depending on changes in the concentration of sex hormones in different phases of OMC (Janse de Jonge, 2003;Kanunova et al., 2020).A number of studies have shown the individual dynamics of changes in the performance of female athletes in individual phases of OMC (Alfaro-Magallanes et al., 2023;Baranauskas et al., 2023).
The training process of highly qualified female athletes in martial arts shows that with each decade it becomes more and more specialized (Shakhlina, 2021;Lytvynenko, Mulyk, 2023).According to researchers, this is due to the need for the greatest compliance of means and methods of sports training with the requirements of competitive activity.The priority of developing speed-strength qualities to achieve maximum competitive results of female athletes in martial arts is shown in the works (Ashanin, & Lytvynenko, 2023).Analysis of data from specialized literature on combat sports and our own research show that the volume and intensity of training loads of female athletes in Ukrainian national types of combat sports have reached natural limits and it is necessary to search for new ways to improve sports training (Mulyk, & Dzhym, 2017).
The issues of constructing special physical training of female athletes of Ukrainian national martial arts, taking into account changes in the physiological indicators of women in various phases of a specific biological cycle, have not been sufficiently studied.
Purpose of the study.To determine the impact of the use of special preparatory exercises on female athletes engaged in Cossack Fight, depending on the characteristics of the functioning of the body in different phases of a specific biological cycle.

Participants
The sample of this study included 20 qualified female athletes from the Cossack Fight aged 17-24 years, divided into experimental and control groups.Qualification level of athletes of the experimental group: 1 -master of sports of Ukraine; 2 -candidate master of sports of Ukraine; 7 -1 sports category, control group: 1 -master of sports of Ukraine; 2candidate master of sports of Ukraine; 7 -1 sports category.

Organization of the Study
The following research methods were used: theoretical analysis and generalization of data from specialized literature, The training programs lasted ten weeks and took place at special preparatory and control-preparatory stages of the preparatory period.
The following research methods were used: theoretical analysis and generalization of data from specialized literature, methods of pedagogical control (testing of motor qualities, pedagogical observations, methods for determining a specific biological cycle (measurement of oral-basal temperature, crystallization of nasal mucus), methods of mathematical statistics).
The training programs lasted ten weeks and took place at special preparatory and control-preparatory stages of the preparatory period (fig.1).

Testing Procedure
Testing took place during a control training session, at the same time for each participant, under the same conditions, without injuries, in a good emotional state.Before testing, participants performed an individual warmup.Immediately before performing the test exercises, participants were instructed to exert maximum effort.Test exercises were used that were standard for determining the level of special physical fitness in martial arts of striking, wrestling and mixed types: direct punches on a bag for 4 s, straight punches on a bag for 15 s, throwing a medicine ball weighing 3 kg, repeated circular kicks on the bag to the level of the torso for 15 s, double leg takedown for 20 s, running onto the "springboard" around the head, 5 times to the right and left, dynamometry of the muscles of the leading hand, direct punches to the bag for 3 min, repeated circular kicks to the level of the body for 1 minute, jumping rope after exercise (work on a bag lasting 3 minutes) in 1 minute

Statistical Analysis
The research materials were processed in the statistical analysis program -IBM SPSS 20.The following statistics were calculated for each variable: mean value (X), standard deviation (s), standard deviation error (m), Student's t-test for independent and pairwise related samples.

Results
Testing at the beginning of the retracting microcycle did not reveal a significant difference between the study groups in indicators of special preparedness (Table 1).
After the end of the special preparatory stage (basic mesocycle for special training and control and preparatory mesocycle), repeated testing was carried out, the results of which are presented in Table 2.
As evidenced by the data obtained for most indicators corresponding to the manifestation of special motor actions, such as direct punches to the bag for 4 s, 15 s and 3 min, repeated circular kicks on the bag to the level of the torso for 15 s and in 1 minute, as well as Jumping rope after exercise for 1 minute, significantly better results were obtained from female athletes in the experimental group (p<0,05).
In addition, during the implementation of the experimental program, the results in terms of the number of direct punches on the bag in 4 s (t = 4.07; p < 0.001) and in 15 s increased significantly (t=3.62;p<0.001), throwing a medicine ball weighing 3 kg (t=2.92;p<0.05), repeated circular kicks on the bag to the level of the body in 15 s (t=4.22;p<0.001), direct punches to the bag for 1 min (t=4.23;p<0.001), repeated circular kicks to the bag for 1 min (t=4.49;p<0.001) and jumping rope after exercise (work on the bag for 3 minutes) for 1 minute (t=3,55; p<0,001) (Table 3).Along with this, less significant changes were obtained in the control group (Table 4).

Discussion
The main results of our study revealed noticeable differences, in terms of indicators of special physical fitness, between the experimental and control groups of female Cossack Fight athletes.The variability of training loads depending on the phase of OMC made it possible to improve the indicators of special physical fitness of the experimental group of female athletes compared to the control group.During the implementation of the experimental program, the results in terms of the number of direct punches to the bag for 4 s, increased significantly (t=4.07;p<0.001) and in 15 s (t=3.62;p<0.001), throwing a medicine ball weighing 3 kg (t=2.92;p<0.05), repeated circular kicks on the bag to the level of the torso for 15 s (t=4.22;p<0.001), direct punches on the bag for 1 min.(t=4.23;p<0.001), repeated circular kicks to the level of the torso for 1 min (t=4.49;p<0.001) and jumping rope after exercise (work on a bag lasting 3 minutes) in 1 min (t=3.55;p<0.001).
Lytvynenko, A., Mulyk, V., & Dugina, L. (2024) The results of the study complement the data on increasing the speed and coordination capabilities of female athletes specializing in judo in the postmenstrual and postovulatory phases of the ovarian-menstrual cycle (Shakhlina et al., 2022).
The results of the study can be used to improve the training system for female athletes in the types of combat sports of striking, wrestling and mixed types.
In future works, the authors plan to study the dynamics of indicators of psychophysiological qualities of female athletes in Ukrainian national types of combat sports.

Table 1 .
Results of testing indicators of special physical preparedness of qualified female athletes in the Cossack Fight (competition section Hertz 3) of the control and experimental groups at the beginning of the special preparatory stage of annual training (n1=n2=10),(X±m)

Table 2 .
Results of testing indicators of special physical fitness of qualified female athletes in the Cossack Fight (competition section Hertz 3) of the control and experimental groups at the end of the study (n1=n2=10),(X±m) . Features of Special Physical Training for Female Athletes in Cossack Fight during Different Phases of a Specific Biological Cycle

Table 3 .
Results of testing indicators of special physical fitness of qualified athletes in the Cossack Fight (competition section Hertz 3) of the experimental group at the beginning and at the end of the study (n=10),(X±m)

Table 4 .
Results of testing indicators of special physical fitness of qualified athletes in the Cossack Fight (competition section Hertz 3) of the control group at the beginning and at the end of the study (n=10), (X±m)Lytvynenko, A., Mulyk, V., & Dugina, L. (2024).Features of Special Physical Training for Female Athletes in Cossack Fight during Different Phases of a Specific Biological Cycle