Searching for a way to improve physical education at university

Aim. The paper aims to provide some directions for improving physical education at university based on the data obtained in functional tests. Materials and methods. The study involved 1st and 2nd year students (n = 57) of the Chuvash State Agricultural Academy. The following methods were used: body length and weight measurements, body mass index (BMI) calculation. Statistical processing of the results obtained included the mean (M), the error of the mean (m), the standard deviation (δ) and the coefficient of variation (V). The BMI data were checked for normality (f(x)). Results. Despite the fact that the average BMI of male and female students was within normal range, two opposite trends were observed when the Gauss distribution was used: female students tended to be underweight, while male students - overweight. Conclusion. The data obtained justifies the need to adjust the content of physical education to the gender and functional fitness levels of university students. The use of functional tests contributes to the improvement of the educational process and the effective formation of the physical activity component among students.