The aim of this study was to examine the short-term effects of different types of warming up on the range of motion and on motor abilities of rhythmic gymnasts and ballet athletes. Twenty-five athletes participated in this study (11 ballet dancers and 14 rhythmic gymnasts), aged 14,72±1,43. All participants followed an intervention consisting of two warm-up protocols, one with static stretching exercises and the other with dynamic warm up protocol. The two protocols were implemented on two different days for one week. Range of motion (ROM) and hop test measurements were carried out before and after each warm-up session. For the statistical analysis, non-parametric (Wilcoxon) tests and Friedman test were used, and the level of significance was set at p < 0.05. The results showed that both warm-ups had positive effects on ROM and on motor abilities. After applying both protocols, significant differences were observed in all joints. In conclusion, both types of warm-up routines resulted in almost the same level of improvement in ROM and motor abilities; however, it was observed that after the dynamic warm up there was a slightly increased improvement in motor abilities, but it was not statistically significant.
In recent decades, women have begun to take up types of physical activity traditionally considered masculine. They appeared in previously one-gender team sports such as football or water polo, and nowadays they are also involved in ice hockey, canoeing, and are active in numerous combat sports as well. On the other hand, men have entered sport fields previously only available to women, such as rhythmic gymnastics. By this, sport can be regarded not only as a scene of gender stereotyping, but also a scene of redefining the concepts of masculinity-femininity in the negotiating of gender relations. Owing to these phenomena, there has been an emergence of studies analyzing sports from a gender aspect as well as the generalizations related to athletes involved in these sports. These studies have primarily focused on the constructions of gender identities and gender roles of women participating in traditionally masculine sports (football, weightlifting, and bodybuilding). This paper presents the results of empirical research designed to explore the opinions of top athletes involved in sports considered to be the most masculine and most feminine by the public and by sport experts: rhythmic gymnastics and boxing. They discussed their own sport and each other’s sport. With the information obtained from the structured interviews (n=22), it became possible to compare their social background, sport socialization and sport selection, as well as their conceptions of gender roles, femininity, and masculinity. As a conclusion of the research, it can be stated that from the aspects examined differences could mostly be observed in the circumstances of sport selection, but representatives of the two sports also diverged remarkably in their judgments about each other’s sport. While female boxers did not voice extreme opinions about rhythmic gymnastics, representatives of the sport regarded to be the most feminine reflected on boxing in a stereotypical and prejudiced way, even given their lack of experience.
Background: Until now, analyses gave no information about the numerous quantitative parameters that might affect the level of performance of a group composition. The research was undertaken with a more advanced computer program to analyze competitive performance using the performance parameters such as space parameters, running path, throwing distances, movement network, arrangement forms, etc during the 2008 Baltic Rhythmic Gymnastics Cup (Senior) in order to find which quantitative and qualitative criteria distinguish the performance of the best teams.Material/Methods: Videos from the Baltic Rhythmic Gymnastics Cup 2008 in Poland were analyzed. In the final analysis results of national teams from Poland, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Japan and Lithuania were taken into consideration. Each team included 5 participant plus one substitute, aged 16-25 (senior group), practicing rhythmic gymnastics for 11 years. Participants executed 2 routines performance: with ropes and with hoops and clubs. The computer software "SIMI Scout" developed by University of Magdeburg in co-operation with the firm SIMI GmbH Munich was applied.Results: For the evaluation of results, data are summarized and considered logically by groups. The first group documents is the spatial behavior of 5 gymnasts in the competition area. The second group contains data on selected difficulties, such as mobility elements, waves, turns, balance elements and standing. In the third group, data are recorded for the behavior of the hand apparatus, for example, apparatus changes and distances covered by the hand apparatus without body contact. The fourth group gives an overview of the degree of difficulty of the techniques in different categories, while the fifth group contains data on the synchronicity of motor actions.Conclusions: The number of formation parameters, the throws parameters, the number of artistic elements parameters and the catch parameter can be considered as important criteria in the ropes performance of the group competition.This research failed to show any important criteria in the clubs and hoops performance of the group competition.
The aim of this study was to analyze the practical skills of rhythmic gymnastics judges and to identify how their degree and experience influence the assessment of these skills. Sixty one rhythmic gymnastics judges participated in the study. A questionnaire was used for data collection. This tool was composed of 28 questions and divided into six categories: identification, experience, initial training, continuing education, skills and training needs. The results suggest that the most valued skills are those related to the sport´s technical parameters and the ability to adapt to any level of competition with self-confidence and self-assuredness. Significant differences were found regarding the variables for: the ability to communicate (p = 0.002) and for the ability to observe, identify and register performance (p = 0.005). The results showed that experience was not a decisive factor in assessing skills. This study thus presents evidence that rhythmic gymnastics judges must implement and optimise a set of skills that contribute to the effectiveness of the assessment process. These findings might help in the design of programs and training models that contribute to effective professional development.
Body size and build influence performance in many sports, especially in those belonging to the group of female aesthetic sports (rhythmic gymnastics, artistic gymnastics, and figure skating). These sports pose high specific demands upon the functional, energy, motor and psychological capacities of athletes, but also upon the size, body build and composition of the performers, particularly of the top-level female athletes. The study of the top athletes (rhythmic gymnasts, in this case) may provide valuable information on the morphological requirements for achieving success in this sport. Therefore, the main objective of this research was to analyze the somatotype of 40 Serbian top-level rhythmic gymnasts, aged 13.04±2.79, and to form the five age group categories. The anthropometric variables included body height, body mass, the selected diameters, girths and skinfolds, and the Heath-Carter anthropometric somatotype. All of the anthropometric data were collected according to International Biological Programme, and then processed in the Somatotype 1.2. The applied analysis of variance indicated an increase in endomorphic component with age. The obtained results show that the balanced ectomorph is a dominant somatotype, being similar for all of the athletes that took part in the research (3.54-3.24-4.5). These results are in line with the ones obtained in previous studies.
Introduction. Body build and the ability to maintain balance play an important role in the development and improvement of specialised motor habits and complex technical elements necessary to achieve significant sporting results in rhythmic gymnastics. The aim of this study was to determine changes in the level of ability to maintain dynamic balance and in the construction of somatic young female rhythmic gymnasts during a period of two year training. Material and methods. The research material consisted of 13 girls. When the first measurements were taken gymnasts were aged 7 - 12 years. In the study we utilised posturography and the Heath-Carter Anthropometric Somatotype Method. The analysis of the study showed that there were statistically significant differences (p <0.05) in the values of the dynamic balance indicators of the gymnasts' bodies in all three consecutive measurements over a course of years. Results and conclusions. It was noted that as the young gymnasts progressed in their training, their ability to maintain dynamic balanced increased. Based on the characteristics of the model, we developed an exemplary set of dynamic balance of rhythmic gymnasts. The somatotype of the tested athletes surveyed had been changing in the direction of increase in the proportion of components of endomorphy and mesomorphy. The balance ability of rhythmic gymnasts stabilised during their puberty associated with changes in body proportions ratio i.e.: height, weight and somatotype. The results and conclusions drawn can be an important part of selection and choice and can be used to control the dynamic balance in rhythmic gymnastics.
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