Rhythmic Gymnastics Essay, Research Paper

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Rhythmic Gymnastics

Rhythmic gymnastics is a really genuine and flexible sport. The sport dates way back into the 1800?s. The founding of rhythmic gymnastics cannot be directed to one person or movement, but to many great thinkers and control of the body. It wasn?t until in the twentieth century that people started to know what rhythmic gymnastics was. A lady by the name of Francis Delsarte (1811-1871) who created a system of gymnastics that dealt with flexibility, strength and coordination. The Delsarte system of gymnastics was never meant to be anything big: but the method, and the healthy philosophies caught the attention of the dance world. As it got known to the world, it became more and more competitive and more gymnastics and props were added. But it wasn?t until 1984 that they made rhythmic an individual competitive event in the Olympics. The 1996 Olympics was the first to include group competition. World championships have been held biannually, in succession of host cities, since 1963.

It is a modern type of gymnastics with the performance of systematic physical exercise with the aid of such hand apparatuses such as ropes, hoops, balls, clubs, and ribbons. The elements include jumps, leaps, pivots, balances, and flexibility movements. Element routines are performed utilizing various pieces. Rhythmic gymnastics is a combination of gymnastic techniques and fluid dance-like movements, choreography, balance and agility with the hand items. Coordination and control are the two main essentials as the gymnast performs in harmony to the selected music beat.

The ropes are used for the elegant and graceful way you move. The gymnast may leap or jump through the open or folded rope. Rope movements include swings, circles, wraps, figure-eights, and tosses and catches. The rope may be hemp or synthetic rope. The way they would average the size of rope that was needed was by the height of the gymnast. It should never sag to the ground during routines and must be in constant movement. The rope also has to be knotted at both ends or therefore you get counted off.

The hoops are the most largest apparatus in rhythmic gymnastics. The most impressive things about the hoops are the high tosses and complex catches in various fashions. Other common movements include swings, rolls, spins, passes through and rotations around the hand and other body parts. The hoop is a wood or plastic, eighty to ninety centimeter diameter, 300 grams minimum weight. The hoop as well is usually wrapped with metallic tape to make it look more interesting, but at the same time, to give the hoop more support.

One of the hardest apparatus to master is the ball. Because of its shape which is hard to grip, it makes it the hardest one to get down. Every movement you make it should be very slow and smooth, in order to get the full effect of the rhythm. Movements, include circles, tosses and catches, rolling along on different parts of the body. And bouncing the ball without it touching the ground for longer than a 2 second repeat. The ball is made of rubber, eighteen ? twenty centimeter diameter and only weighs minimum of 400 grams weight.

Clubs are an interesting apparatus, which is immensely difficult to control because there are two clubs to handle throughout the whole routine. Routine use of the clubs include swings, circles, mills, tosses and catches, and rhythmical tapping. The clubs are made of wood or synthetic material. They are about forty to fifty centimeters long, and weigh about hundred and fifty grams each. They look like something mexican maracca.

The one apparatus that is most associated with the rhythmic gymnastics because of its length and color is the ribbon. The ribbon measures up to 6 meters in length. It must be in constant movement throughout the whole routine. It is very easy to get the long satin feeling piece knotted up. This apparatus consists of the stick and the satin ribbon itself. The ribbon is only four to six centimeters in width and is only about six meters in length. Some of the elements that the you could do with the ribbon are snakes, spirals, circles, tosses and catches.

While writing this paper, I have found out that the rhythmic gymnastics is a very hard sport. this sport is not only hard, but deals with a lot of emotions in the way you carry yourself and dance as doing so. I think it is one of the most exciting and fundamental of all physical activities. I also think that the rhythmic gymnastics is great way develop essential skills for any sport. It is a very exciting and beautiful sport combining the grace of a dancer, the coordination of an athlete. The best thing that I liked about the whole sport was the use of all of the apparatus used in this sport. Its is so crazy that someone could do all that dancing around and still hold something in there hand.