SPIRITUAL AND MORAL EDUCATION OF MIXED MARTIAL ARTS ATHLETES IN THE PROCESS OF SPORTS TRAINING

The purpose of the research is to evaluate the effectiveness of an experimental program for the education of spiritual and moral qualities of the personality of athletes aged 16-25 years engaged in mixed martial arts (MMA). 

Methods and organization of the research. The study involved martial artists aged 16-25 years with high sports qualifications. 61 athletes took part in the pedagogical experiment to test the effectiveness of the experimental program and the algorithm of its implementation. We formed 2 homogeneous groups: experimental group (EG) – 29 people and control group (СG) – 32 people. The educational process took place in accordance with the sports training program developed on the basis of the Federal Standard of sports training in the sport of MMA. This program in the EG included activities to educate the spiritual and moral qualities of the personality of MMA athletes. Research methods: theoretical analysis and generalization of scientific sources and literature; sociological and pedagogical methods (survey, conversation, questionnaire); pedagogical experiment; methods of mathematical statistics. 

Research results and their discussion. Moral self-esteem among athletes from the EG before the experiment was at a “below average” level, and after the experiment it reached a “high” level. In CG, the level of moral self-esteem remained “below average”. The results of the tolerance test revealed significant differences in the Man–Whitney t-test, both within the EG before and after the experiment, and significant differences between the EG and the CG after the experiment. Positive dynamics of conscientiousness and a sense of responsibility were revealed using the “Conscientiousness Scale” test in all subjects, but in the EG these indicators before and after the experiment have significant differences. 

Conclusion. It has been experimentally established that the proposed program for the education of spiritual and moral qualities of a person and the algorithm for its implementation in the training system of MMA athletes have proven their effectiveness. 

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