Introduction: The level of health and physical fitness of the students of Ukrainian higher educational institutions has worsened in recent years. It conditions the search for effective solutions to this problem and determines the significance of the investigation. The aim: To investigate the level of physical development and functional state of the students of agricultural educational institutions during study. Materials and methods: The investigation was conducted in Zhytomyr National Agroecological University in 2016–2018. Seventy three students (38 male and 35 female students) took part in the investigation. The level of physical development and functional state of students was defined according to the next tests: body length, body weight, wrist dynamometry, lung capacity, heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure. The level of students’ physical health was examined according to the methodology by G. L. Apanasenko and determined the interrelation of the levels of physical health of the students of different genders during the investigation. Results: It is determined that the majority of the students’ investigated indicators are not improved during the first and the second years of study (p>0.05). The level of the students’ physical health remained unchanged during study. Moreover, the health level of both male and female students is rated as low during all stages of the investigation. Сonclusions: The conducted analysis proves the necessity of the current physical education system improvement at Ukrainian higher educational institutions in order to improve the students’ physical development and functional state, health and efficiency of the educational and future professional activity.

The aim is to carry out a comparative analysis of the effectiveness of the traditional system of physical education of students in higher pedagogical education establishments and authors’methodical system of fitness technologies application. Materials and methods: Two hundred thirty two students of Zhytomyr Ivan Franko State University (n=232; 88 males and 144 females) aged from 18 to 20 years old took part in the research. Two experimental groups (EG, 47 males and 71 females) and two control groups (CG, 41 males and 73 females) were formed. Students were offered the following modern types of fitness technologies: power fitness, aerobics, Pilates, swimming, yoga, tae-bo. Results: The positive effect of the authors’ methodical system of fitness technologies application in comparison with the traditional system of physical education has been achieved – according to all the criteria of the research, the indicators of EG students (both males and females) are significantly better than those of the students from CG. Сonclusions: It proves the necessity for the modern fitness technologies application in the educational process of physical education in higher education pedagogical establishments with the aim of improving the state of physical fitness, health of students and increasing their motivation for independent physical exercises and healthy lifestyles in the future.

The influence of the kettlebell lifting training on the level of endurance development and functional abilities of the cadets' cardiovascular system in the course of study is examined in the article. Cadets of the 1 st-5 th years of study (n=474) who were studying according to the current system of physical training (group А, n=416) and cadets who were attending a kettlebell lifting class (group B, n=58) took part in the research. The study of the level of endurance development was conducted during the following tests: 3 km race, 5 km accelerated march, and the obstacle course (400 m). The cardiovascular system functioning was examined concerning these indicators: heart rate, arterial blood pressure, Robinson's index, and heart rate recovery from a standard load. The improved indicators of the endurance and cardiovascular system of group B cadets have been reliably determined (р<0.05-0.001) which proves the efficiency of the kettlebell lifting training concerning the future officers' formation of physical readiness for professional activity.

Background: Physical training is an integral part of policemen's professional training. The aim of the study is to verify experimentally the effectiveness of the authors' methodology of training future patrol policemen targeted at increasing their general physical fitness level during the primary professional training course.