Rhythmic

Gymnastics
History, Equipment, Athletes
(Gymnast), Components and Attire

What is Rhythmic Gymnastics?

A women-only event in which gymnasts
perform on a floor with a rope, hoop, ball,
clubs or ribbon accompanied by music, in
individual or group events.
The perfect combination of sport and art,
linking expressive dance steps with skillful
manipulation of these equipment.

The History of a
Rhythmic
Gymnastics

 Faster and stronger

In the 1800s rhythmic gymnastics operated
under the guise of group gymnastics, and
included a trace of elementary
choreography. It grew slowly until the first
experimental competitions appeared in
eastern Europe in the 1930s, when its
newfound complexity began to draw a
wider audience.

 First tournament
The FIG recognized rhythmic gymnastics as
an official discipline in 1963, and a year
later organized an international
tournament in Budapest. In 1964 the
tournament was officially declared the first
Rhythmic Gymnastics World
Championships, and Ludmila Savinkova
of the Soviet Union became the first world
champion.

 World sport
The number of athletes grew as interest
spread to other parts of the world.
Gymnasts from the United States first
appeared at the championships in 1973,
and rhythmic gymnastics slowly emerged
from the shadow of the long-established
artistic discipline to enter the Olympic
programmed in 1984.

Olympic history
Since its integration into the Games in 1984
in Los Angeles, rhythmic gymnastics has
always been a part of the Olympic
programmed. In its inaugural year, it was
Canadas Lori Fung who won the gold
medal.

 Until 1992 in Barcelona, only one

individual event was on the programmed.
A second, team event was added to the
programmed in 1996 in Atlanta.
At the 2000 Games in Sydney, the
Russian Federation won two gold medals:
the group and individual multiple
competitions.

The Equipment of a
Rhythmic
Gymnastics

Ball
The ball must be made
of rubber or soft plastic
With a diameter of 1820cm.
It must weigh at least
400g.
It can be of different
colors.

Hoop
The hoop may be made
of wood or plastic.
With an inner diameter of
80 to 90 centimeters.
It must weigh at least 300
grams.
Performances must
include at least three
leaps.
It cant touch the floor,
because it is penalized.

Rope
The rope, made from
hemp or a similar
material
It has no set length
because it is relative to
the height of the
gymnast.
Performances must
include at least three
leaps.

Ribbon
The ribbon is a single 7m
strip of ribbon made from
satin or a similar material.
One meter of its length is
folded and doubled so it may
be attached by a cord to a
cylindrical stick 50-60cm in
length which the gymnast
grasps.
The ribbon must stay in
perpetual, fluid motion
throughout the routine.

Clubs
With two bottle-shaped clubs of
equal length of 40-50cm.
Resembling a slender tenpin
bowling pin in shape.
Made of wood or plastic and
weighing at least 150g
The clubs have a wide end (the
body), a tapering middle
section (the neck), and usually
a ball on the end (the head)
with a maximum diameter of
30mm.

Freehand
Performances without
apparatus
Instead the emphasis is
on style, technique and
execution of dance skills.
Freehand is most often
seen in lower levels.

Plane
An imaginary
surface where
moves are
performed, i.e.
lateral, frontal,
horizontal or
diagonal.

 Diagonal plane
An imaginary surface, at less than a 90-degree angle to the
floor, where moves are performed.
Horizontal plane
An imaginary surface, level with the ground, where moves
are performed.
Lateral plane
An imaginary surface to the side of and parallel to the body,
where moves are performed.

Famous Athletes in a Rhythmic

Gymnastics

Evgenia Olegovna Kanaeva

She was on born 2 April
1990, in Omsk, Soviet
Union.
Also known as The
Queen
A Russian rhythmic
gymnast, known for her
consistency, elegant
routines and high level of
technical difficulty.

Evgenia Olegovna Kanaeva

At the 2009 World Championship in Mie,
Japan, Kanaeva became the first rhythmic
gymnast to win all six titles.
She is the only gymnast to hold both the
World Cup Final All-around and Grand
Prix Final All-around title in a single
season for three consecutive years.

Julie Ashley Zetlin

She was born on June 30, 1990 in Bethesda,Maryland

A veteran elite rhythmic gymnast who is the 2010 U.S. Senior
National Champion in Rhythmic Gymnastics.
In her final year as a junior competitor, Zetlin placed second allaround at 2005 Junior U.S. National Championships in Indianapolis,
Indiana, and she won the junior titles on rope, hoop, clubs and
ribbon.
She was awarded a wild card as the highest ranked gymnast from
the Americas at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London; she placed
21st in the qualifications and did not advance into the finals.

The Essential Components of

a Rhythmic Gymnastics
Training Session

Warming Up
Aerobic Activity
Music is an integral part of rhythmic gymnastics
The aerobic section of the warm-up is a good place to
teach tempo and rhythm, timing, and moving to different
types of music.
By choosing dance or locomotor movements that relate to
lively music, you can create an aerobic warm-up that will be
fun for the athletes, as well as training for essential body
skills.

Stretching
The stretching portion of the warm-up can
also be done to music.
Choose softer music with a slower tempo to
encourage long, slow stretches.
You can include graceful, flowing music to
practice arm and body waves during this
section of the warm-up.

Skills Instruction
Body Skills
Rhythmic gymnastics body skills are divided into four
categories: pivots/turns, jumps/leaps, balances and
flexibilities.
The body positions and technique are those used in classical
ballet.
It is the coachs responsibility to have a good, working
knowledge of the dance elements in the routines, as well as
progressions for teaching those elements with proper
technique and body alignment.

Apparatus Technique
There are five pieces of rhythmic gymnastics hand apparatus: rope, hoop, ball, clubs and
ribbon. For each apparatus, there are basic skills specific to that apparatus.

1.Coaches should practice new skills themselves before teaching the

athletes.
2.When teaching apparatus skills, it is important to teach the skill
correctly, with good technique, from the very first attempt.
3.Teach new skills in parts.
4.Apparatus skills should be taught progressively.
5.When the athlete has mastered several skills with a piece of apparatus,
the coach can introduce combinations.
6. Once correct technique has been learned, repetition is the key to
mastery of a skill.
7.Creativity is important in rhythmic gymnastics, but can be detrimental if
athletes are allowed to experiment on their own too much, practicing poor
technique which could easily turn into bad habits.

Rhythmic Gymnastics
Attire

Workout Attire

For training, athletes need to wear clothes which will allow them to
move freely.
Leotards are appropriate and may be worn with footless tights or
bike shorts.
Warm-up pants and a fitted t-shirt are fine for male and female
athletes.
Long hair should be pulled back securely in a ponytail or bun.
Athletes should not wear jewelry, with the exception of stud earrings
in pierced ears.
Athletes may practice in bare feet, socks, gymnastics shoes or
rhythmic half-slippers.

Leotards for Women

Leotards for Men

Acro Shoes
They are typically lace less, slip-on
shoes, with tight-fitting leather uppers
that are designed to prevent the
dancer's feet from shifting inside the
shoes.
Because of their thin, pliable leather
uppers and split soles, acro shoes have
excellent flexibility, thus enabling
dancers to attain both good dance form
and acrobatic control.

Foot thongs
Are slip-on, partial foot covers that
protect only the ball of the foot
Sometimes preferred over acro shoes
for aesthetic reasons.
Flesh colored foot thongs endow the
wearer with the appearance of having
bare feet, while retaining some degree
of the traction, cushioning, and
abrasion protection provided by acro
shoes.

Competition Attire
Refer to the Official Special Olympics
Rules for Rhythmic Gymnastics for all
regulations concerning the athletes
attire.