Rhythmic Gymnastics: Everything You Need to Know

Rhythmic gymnastics is a complex of physical activities with one or two pieces of apparatus performed by one, two or several athletes. This is an exceptionally women’s kind of sport. Furthermore, one should understand the difference between ordinary gymnastics as a mass kind of sport and rhythmic gymnastics as a sport of sophisticated achievements. Thanks to its aesthetic peculiarities, this kind of sport is ideal for cultural programs with a lot of spectators.

Kinds of Competitions

Individual gymnastics competitions are held in a form of pentathlon with separate evaluation of particular disciplines and consist of obligatory and optional exercises. As for team competitions, they take place in a form of double-events. Teams consist of 6 gymnasts in each.

When it comes to obligatory exercises, gymnasts must clearly follow the conditions and requirements that govern a particular event. There are particular provisions that develop some requirement as to composition, degree of complexity, duration, and background music athletes should meet. For example, professional gymnasts should prepare optional exercises that will last for no less than 1-1.30 minutes.

As for the degree of complexity, it is determined by the number of medium and complex elements in a program. For example, the list of the most difficult elements in optional exercises without equipment includes waves, jumps, and rotational jumps.

Gymnastic Area

To tell the truth, one cannot identify many differences between this area for both Olympic and rhythmic gymnastics. In general, almost the same requirements are applied to its equipment to provide athletes with perfect possibilities for effective and continuous training.

The information above refers to the area construction, the features of floor, ceiling, and walls, heating, and presence of medical safety measures. The gymnastic area for training only is peculiar because its walls should be equipped with mirrors and ballet supports that are supplementary elements for athletes to train their posture and improve the quality of their movements.

In addition to that, a wall-mounted ladder and a bench are other supplementary elements. As for the floor, it can be covered with a mat to prevent injuries and make this sport safer. When it comes to official competitions, the gymnastic area usually has the dimensions of 12×12 meters. Finally, participants of the World Championships have the right to choose whether they will perform on the mat or on the bare floor.

Equipment

According to the international rules, the rhythmic gymnastics equipment is represented by ball, hoop, ribbon, rope, and clubs.

Ball

This piece of equipment should be made of rubber; its diameter should be 18-20 cm. Gymnasts are allowed to choose balls of any color except for gold and silver ones.

Hoop

Its internal diameter should be 80-90 cm; hoops are usually made of wood which determines their color. A narrow ribbon is 4-6 cm wide and 6 meters long.

Rope

Ropes are made of hemp, and a length of every particular rope depends on a gymnast’s height. In some cases, it is allowed to consolidate the rope in its center.

Clubs

Wooden clubs are 45 cm long, and their weight is around 360-450 g.

Ribbon

Gymnasts are allowed to use ribbons of various sizes. Thus, they can be 4-15 cm wide, while their length should be 6 meters only. If a gymnast is going to perform with two ribbons, they can be 1 meter shorter. These items of equipment are made of polymeric amide or silk.

Uniform

Rhythmic gymnasts should wear a uniform that perfectly fit their bodies. As for colors, the athletes are free to choose their own variants.

Judging

Every official rhythmic gymnastics competition should be served by a 4-6-man judging panel consisting of a chairman, chief judge, and a few ordinary judges. These officials should have the corresponding certification to evaluate competitions of this or that level. Besides, it is a chairman who is responsible for organizing competitions and watching them to meet the official rules.

As for the chief judge, together with the other judges, he or she evaluates performance as to the succession of elements and their degree of complexity. In addition to that, the official should do his/her best to contribute to unbiased scores. To calculate final results, determine outcomes of an event, and fill in the official documents, a counting board is determined that would help the judging panel.

Classification Program

The classification program or is an obligatory document for every competition and tournament. It lasts for a few years only, after that time, it is necessary to update its main principles. In this document, the information is articulated in such a manner that consistent following these peculiarities by a gymnast will eventually lead her to the title of master of sports.

In addition, however, those gymnasts who do not want to follow the classification program can participate in common events. They consist of 4 optional exercises – individual and group obligatory exercises.

Scoring System

All the exercises are evaluated according to a 10-point system in decimal parts. In an attempt to evaluate every exercise in the most versatile manner, the following point distribution is applied in modern rhythmic gymnastics:

1. Optional exercises (individual classification) can get up to 7 points for complexity, composition, creativity, and the conformity of movement to the background music;
2. A gymnast can get up to 3 points for expressive performance;
3. Obligatory exercises are estimated up to 4 points for the successive showing of all elements, precise orientation within the gymnastic area, following the rhythm and time limits.
4. The rest 6 points can be given for confidence, movement amplitude, and the conformity of movements to the background music.

Mistakes and Point Deduction

The number of points to be deducted depends on the severity of a mistake. In general, 0.1 point is deducted for minor errors, 0.3 points – for unessential errors, and 0.5 points – for serious mistakes. These mistakes have their representation in each rhythmic gymnastics discipline:

1. Ball routine. The ball falls – 0.1-0.5 points; a gymnast grapples the item – 0.3 points; a gymnast catches the ball noisily – 0.3 points; a gymnast touches the ball with her body part – 0.1 point.
2. Rope routine. The rope falls – 0.1-0.5 points; a gymnast fails to draw an evident loop with the item – 0.1-0.3 points; the rope touches the gymnast’s body – 0.3 points.
3. Hoop routine. A gymnast loses the item – 0.1-0.5 points; a gymnast either throw or catch the item improperly – 0.1-0.3 points.

History

Rhythmic gymnastics is considered one of the most ancient kinds of physical activities and sport in general. It appeared in the 5th century B.C. In the Greek slave-owning community, it was a set of physical and military exercises for the wealthy youth, which contributed to the balanced development of a person.

In the 14th-16th centuries, the given kind of sport became extremely popular among warriors, athletes, and rich people. As a result, the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG), the most popular official body in the world of rhythmic gymnastics, was created in 1881.

Starting in 1963, rhythmic gymnastics World Championships have been taking place every two years. This event is said to be one of the most popular and prestigious competitions in the whole world. The given sport is in a constant state of development thanks to the fact that there are numerous gymnastics federations that were created at different periods and by different people. As a result, these bodies introduce their own vision of how the sport should move and what significant changes, if any, are necessary at this or that point.

Rhythmic gymnastics appeared at the Olympic Games for the first time in 1984. Since then, it is impossible to imagine any Olympic event without these expressive and spectacular performances.