Everything you should know about acrobatic gymnastics

Acrobatic gymnastics is a sport in which athletes compete in acrobatic exercises that involve balance and rotation of the body with or without support. Acrobatics is not included in the Olympic Games program, but it attracts many athletes from different parts of the world. Let us look at this sport in details.

Types of acrobatics

Over the years, the following types of acrobatics have been formed:

• Jumping acrobatics (it includes various acrobatic jumps on a track that is 30 meters long);
• Power acrobatics (this includes power acrobatics where two boys are in a pair, or a mixed pair of a boy and a girl, or a female pair consisting of two girls respectively takes part);
• Group acrobatics (either a female acrobatic group of three girls or a male group of four boys can participate in this type).

In some cases, there are special types of competitions that combine other types.

Competitions

When competing, athletes perform either individually or in groups of two to four people. Regardless of the acrobatics program, all partners in the group strictly must belong to a common age category. In general there are four age categories. The youngest athletes (those who are younger than 11) compete separately from those who are older than 17. Teens from 12 to 14 years and 15 to 16 years belong to separate age groups as well.

There are five acrobatic formations in total. What are they?

1. A female duo;
2. A male duo;
3. A mixed duo;
4. A female group of three;
5. A male group of four.

Sports acrobatics involves competing in the following types of exercises:

• women’s and men’s acrobatic jumps;
• exercises of women, mixed and men’s pairs;
• group exercises of women (in threes);
• men’s group exercises (four of a kind).

Whichever program is designated, athletes are required to perform two assigned and two free exercises each. All performances are judged by the jury on a system that is generally accepted in the sport and takes into account compliance with all the rules of acrobatics.

A full competitive performance in sport acrobatics includes the following exercises: balance, tempo and combined. Each performance (often referred to as “exercise”) is a performance of a paired-group and individual acrobatic elements with fragments of dance. In a balance exercise, an athlete performs a certain number of static elements with a 3-second hold. In a tempo exercise, sportsmen focus on dynamic elements and all different tosses on the top more. In a combined exercise, respectively, everything is combined, i.e., there are both balance and tempo elements.

Training

Acrobatics classes are designed for all age groups. Gymnasts begin their journey from studying the basics of acrobatic training, i.e. the easiest acrobatic elements (somersaults, cartwheels, flips, somersaults, splits, bridges, all kinds of stands, as well as a set of special physical exercises for all muscle groups), and various jumps. Some jumps are performed using special equipment (camera, trampoline, safety belt), others do not require any equipment at all.

Having mastered the basics, it is time to move on and start learning more complex material, such as connections from acrobatic jumps. Thanks to its specificity, acrobatic jumps have gained great popularity and recognition as an applied type of motor activity in sports, concert and everyday practice.

Benefits

Acrobatics allows a person to develop all muscle groups, reaction rate, quick thinking. This sport has a good impact on the respiratory system of the body, improves coordination of movements and work of the vestibular apparatus. Plasticity and flexibility of the body are also affected by acrobatic gymnastics.

A trained body increases resistance to the negative effects of the environment. This kind of sport develops the motor function of the body, which has a significant impact on the formation of appropriate structures of the brain.

Muscle contractions stimulate the blood circulation of the brain; the cortex receives streams of nerve impulses that increase its tone. This, in turn, is an important factor for steady increase of work capacity, for maturing and refinement of all analyzer systems.

Thus, acrobatics has the following health benefits:

• It perfectly trains all muscle groups;
• It develops strength and endurance;
• It makes the body flexible;
• It strengthens the vestibular apparatus;
• It improves movement coordination and spatial orientation;
• It strengthens the immune system;
• It improves the cardiovascular system;
• It improves the metabolism in the body;
• It helps to keep fit and prevents gymnasts from gaining weight.

Acrobatics also helps to build character. Hard work, persistence, self-confidence, responsibility are all traits of character developed by practicing acrobatic.

History

Acrobatics as a form of physical exercise first appeared in ancient times. Images on preserved vessels, frescoes and other items indicate that this sport was known in Ancient Egypt more than 2000 years ago.

Moreover, acrobatic exercises were practiced in ancient Greece and Crete. In ancient Rome, acrobatic exercises were demonstrated by travelling artists. Some wealthy Romans kept “acrobats and all sorts of magicians” with them. There is evidence of acrobats performing various exercises on a pole, which was held on the forehead.

During the Renaissance era, there were “contests of living architecture”, i.e. the construction of acrobatic pyramids. The Senate awarded a prize to the group, which built the highest pyramid. According to scientific research, sometimes such constructions were about 9 meters high.

At the end of the XVIII century, acrobatic exercises became an integral part of professional circus performances in Europe. In the XIX century, acrobatic exercises began to be included in the national systems of gymnastics. By this time, two lines in further development of acrobatics were outlined: professional circus and sports amateur.

As an independent kind of sports, it was formed only in the 20th century. However, this sport was not included in the Olympic program, even though it is considered to be very spectacular. Nevertheless, acrobatics is widespread on both sides of the Atlantic.

The International Federation of Acrobatics was established in 1973, and the initiator was the Soviet Union.  In 1974, the first World Championship in acrobatics was held in Moscow.

Although this sport is extremely popular, there are many myths about acrobatics, because quite often, it is mistaken for other sports.

For example, some people believe that this sport is a type of artistic gymnastics. Of course, these sports have a lot in common, but they also have many differences. The main difference is that acrobatics is a group sport, i.e. one athlete will never perform on the mat. Consequently, there are no attributes of gymnastics (maces and tape or balance beam and bars).

Circus acrobatics and sports acrobatics are, of course, also different things. Trampoline jumping is also different. Yes, sports acrobats practice on the trampoline and on the track, but they do it only to practice some jumps that are just additional to the show, not the basis of it.

All in all, acrobatic gymnastics is a fascinating sport that is very similar to artistic gymnastic, circus gymnastics and other sports. Yet, it has its own peculiarities that make it unique.