1. Doctoral Thesis Abstract
Lucyna Kiszczak, MSc
title "Effects of experimental training with external resistance in the form of kettlebells on
body composition, physiological characteristics and motor skills in women"
The doctoral dissertation deals with the issue of the optimal health training for women.
The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of experimental training with external
resistance in the form of kettlebells on body composition, physiological characteristics and
motor skills in women. The research is an attempt to identify alternative proposals for fitness
classes, aimed at improving the overall physical fitness and reducing body fat in women.
Research questions related to the impact of an experimental training and its statistical
significance in regard to the impact on selected somatic features such as body weight, body
fat, muscle mass and hip circumference, physiological characteristics such as maximal oxygen
uptake and muscle strength as well as motor skills in selected tests.
The study involved 40 women aged 27 32, regularly attending a health club, selected
by purposive sampling, so that the test group would be the most homogeneous in terms of age,
physical activity and basic endurance parameters.
Participants of the study were subjected to anthropometric measurements as well as
physiological tests and fitness tests, carried out before and after the eightweek training cycle.
Statistical calculations data are presented as mean values and standard deviations. A
statistical significance of differences was calculated for p<0.05 for the tested variables.
The experimental training programme had a statistically significant impact on
improving most of the analysed characteristics: body weight, body fat, hip circumference,
maximal oxygen uptake, average and maximum power, heart rate during exercise, strength
endurance, agility and reaction time. The control group in most of these characteristics
showed no statistically significant change, confirming that experimental training can be a
proposition for optimal development of comprehensive physical fitness in health training for
women.
Experimental programme of health training for women improves in a statistically
significant way most of the studied characteristics and abilities, therefore it is a good
alternative to standard aerobics and strength training. It also provides a more comprehensive
2. proposal for a health training for women and allows achieving greater effects during the same
period of training. In addition, the proprietary training programme can contribute to
improving the broadly understood quality of life, defined as wellness.
