STRUCTURE AND REGULATIONS OF NORDIC WALKING COMPETITIVE ACTIVITY AROUND THE WORLD AND UKRAINE

Abstract

Topicality. An important subject of scientific analysis is a new type of sport − Nordic walking, which owes its origin to ski racing. This article examines the peculiarity of the regulations for Nordic walking competitions in the following disciplines: “Timed walking (21, 10, 5 km)”, “Technique and speed”, “Uphill Nordic walking”, as well as certain moments of the development of this sport in Ukraine and other countries of the world. The aim of the research was to identify and systematize key aspects of the structure and regulations of competitive activity in Nordic walking. Research methods – analysis and generalization of scientific and methodological literature, theoretical analysis of regulatory documents and documentation of competitive sports (detailed analysis of bulletins of the International Nordic Walking Federation) and review of scientific analytical sources and information from electronic resources (search and analysis of historical data). Research results. The presented characteristics of disciplines in Nordic walking allowed us to compare time trials with other disciplines and describe their differences, namely: a brief description of passing the distance technique, difficulty and length of the tracks was provided, which allowed us to emphasize the features of short and long distances of Nordic walking competitions. It also enabled us to organize the features of competitive activities and highlight the main aspects of these disciplines in accordance with the current rules for organizing competitions in Nordic walking in Ukraine and abroad. Conclusions. The rules of the competition and the characteristics of the competitive distances and the technique of movement at different distances testify to the existing differences in the “Timed Walking” and “Technique and Speed” distances. This fact once again confirms that the competitive activity in Nordic walking is influenced not only by the level of the athlete's functional readiness, but also by his technical training. The presented differences between the available disciplines of the competition confirm the need for planning specialized training and introducing methodological recommendations into the training process of Nordic walking athletes who specialize in different disciplines.