At what age should you start doing rhythmic gymnastics? Rhythmic gymnastics: pros and cons

Young gymnasts learn to master a rope, hoop, ball, and ribbon, and their performances to music resemble a beautiful dance. Gymnastics for children contains elements of choreography and acrobatics. At what age should a girl be sent to gymnasts, and what awaits her in the future, caring parents think with excitement.

Short story

Until the end of the last century, only women participated in this sport; only thanks to Japanese athletes, men’s competitions began to be held. But only girls are recruited into gymnastics sections.

Rhythmic gymnastics for children is a beautiful and spectacular sport

This sport, whose homeland is Russia, appeared about a century ago thanks to the Russian school of ballet. And in the 80s of the 20th century he entered the program Olympic Games. Since then, Russian athletes have often become Olympic champions, bringing home gold, silver and bronze medals.

At the beginning of the 21st century, Russia occupies a leading position in the world in terms of the level of development of this sport. Every city has amateur or professional rhythmic gymnastics schools.

At what age should you start rhythmic gymnastics classes?

Performing a complex performance program requires good memory and a certain level of physical development. Therefore, girls are recruited for rhythmic gymnastics in specialized schools no earlier than 8–9 years old. And in sport sections Four-year-old children also come, engaging in general physical development for the first time.

To enroll in an Olympic reserve school, it is necessary to undergo physical training, which children receive in sports gymnastics sections.

Lessons for little gymnasts last several hours a day. At an older age, daily training time can reach up to 14 hours. After the age of 16, girls move from rhythmic gymnastics to ballet or choose teaching jobs, and only a few continue their career until the age of 25.

The benefits of rhythmic gymnastics

During daily training, children develop ideal stretching, flexibility and muscle strength that will last their entire lives. Parental support, dedication, hard work and willpower help to achieve good results.

At what age you can bring girls to gymnastics depends on the rules of the section, you can do it at 4 years old

Rhythmic gymnastics gives young girls beauty and grace. This is a very versatile sport that requires flexibility, precise coordination of movements, and masterful control of your body.

Gymnasts are always distinguished by their proud posture, the ability to present themselves, harmonious movements and a strong, balanced character. All this is the result of hard work and many hours of training. Every day you need to do morning exercises, do push-ups, pump up your abs, and stretch certain muscle groups. The lack of summer holidays and time for walks in the yard does not guarantee victory at the Olympic Games. But a smart girl, when she becomes an adult, will be grateful to her parents for an excellent upbringing.

Passion for spectator sports - expensive pleasure, but this game is worth the candle.

Rhythmic gymnastics forms a beautiful figure, makes movements flexible and graceful, even if at first the child is slouched and clubbing.

In September, it is customary to send children to sports sections and centers additional education. At the same time, parents, inspired by the all-round development of the child, do not always understand the level of expenditure - effort, time and money - that this or that type of activity will require. Let's bring those who dream and see their girl in the beautiful role of a rhythmic gymnast up to date.

shopping.altapress.ru shares the pros and cons of practicing this sport with the audience Anastasia Rudik. Her daughter has been passionately involved in gymnastics for the sixth year, and last season she received her first adult rank. As Anastasia says, “we don’t regret one bit that rhythmic gymnastics is in our lives.”

"+" Early start

The ideal age for starting rhythmic gymnastics is from 4 to 6 years, when children’s ligaments and joints are still very mobile and can easily tolerate the forced stretching necessary for this sport. In addition, gymnastics is not as dangerous as many other sports, and therefore is allowed for young children.

"-" Complaints

Parents should be prepared for the fact that the child will get tired, complain of lethargy, pain in the back and legs. Over time, complaints may decrease, depending on the character and endurance of the individual child.

For girls who were sent to gymnastics very early, stretching comes easily.

"+" Physical development

Doctors believe that rhythmic gymnastics classes initial stages useful for a young body: basic exercises form a muscle corset and correct posture, develop dexterity and coordination. The child grows flexible, strong, and resilient.

"-" Where it's thin, that's where it breaks

Most of all rhythmic gymnasts The back, knees and ankles suffer from high loads. The child may need specialized help - massages, pain-relieving applications, so that the body can cope with physical stress.

Rhythmic gymnastics is not as dangerous as sports gymnastics, but the snake-like flexibility of female athletes often provokes back pain.

"+" Grace and musicality

Rhythmic gymnastics is one of the most vibrant and feminine sports. From the first lessons, girls are taught to feel melody and rhythm, and to move beautifully. Their flexibility and polished movements during their performances evoke an incredible response from the viewer! After some time, the gymnast can be distinguished among her peers by her excellent posture, chiseled figure and special grace.

"-" Haute couture equipment

Leotards and objects (balls, hoops, clubs, jump ropes) for performances need to be professional - spectacular and of high quality, and therefore very expensive.

Swimsuits are made from special fabrics, with intricate patterns of rhinestones, pearls and hand painted. A suit with a “decent” finish requires more than 2 thousand Swarovski crystals (simple “glasses” are not included): the more glitter, the better the swimsuit looks during the entrance. Materials for costumes are purchased for euros. Only a few seamstresses have the technology for modeling and sewing them; you won’t go to a studio with this order.

Non-professional hoops are not suitable for performances, as they are very fragile and can break at any time.

"+" Self-control and emancipation

Classes in crowded groups, endless performances side by side with unfamiliar opponents in front of very different audiences socially adapt the child, forming a more stable psyche than his peers. Parents do not have to worry that he will be shy or scared in an unfamiliar environment.

"-" Price tag for skill

A gymnast can present to the world and confirm her successes and skills only at competitions that take place quite often. In most cases, these are commercial tournaments (not financed from the regional budget), which requires participants to pay an entry fee - from a thousand rubles.

Participation in away tournaments is highly desirable, and at least four times a year. Coaches there notice new trends, children follow stronger opponents and earn the points necessary to receive a rank. It’s good if an away tournament takes place in the region or neighboring regions, but they also invite you to the European part of the country! Naturally, parents pay for their own travel, accommodation and food. In some cases - not only your child, but also part of the coach’s trip, if the sports school does not pay for him.

Even a young gymnast knows how to “present” herself to the public - this sport is akin to acting.

"+" Strong character

It is unlikely that anyone will begin to dispute the fact that a child, accustomed to work and discipline from childhood, grows up to be a strong personality. Of course, any sport builds willpower and patience. But in gymnastics there are cases when diligence helps to “shoot” even for those who were not particularly successful in the first years of training or started training late.

Let's say, the current vice-president of the All-Russian Federation of Rhythmic Gymnastics, Evgenia Kanaeva, was brought to the gymnastics section by her grandmother at the age of 9 with the wording “we should straighten our legs.” The girl was very clubfooted, but after working out, she won everything she could in big-time sports, becoming a multiple champion of Europe, the world and the Olympic Games.

"-" Heavy workload = falling behind in school

Training for young children takes place 3 times a week and lasts 1-1.5 hours. For older students, study hours are doubled. If parents are committed to professional sports - performances in competitions and winning prizes - then there should be a lot of training and they will be long.

At the very beginning of the sports journey, the child will sincerely try to do well both at school and in the section. But, most likely, estimates will slowly and surely decline. Parents will have to help their child with lessons for which he simply will not have time and energy.

"+" Lessons for yourself

Professional sports are not the only option. Not everyone can strive for Olympic heights - you can also train “for general development". Today, in many gymnastics schools there are health groups that accept quite adult children - up to 9 years old. Girls practice in their free time, receiving good physical training, developing grace and a sense of rhythm, keeping themselves in good shape.

"-" Equality with others

Even if parents do not set a goal to raise their daughter to be a champion in rhythmic gymnastics, she may seem “worse than others” if she does not go to training camps during the holidays. In some sports schools, such trips to a sanatorium (recreation center/training complex) are practiced several times a year, in others - only in the summer. The training regime - daily multi-hour training - significantly increases the skill level of gymnasts, but also requires serious expenses from parents.

In some sports schools, it is customary to conduct training camps abroad, which requires parents of gymnasts to have an appropriate financial level.

"+" Temptations on the side

Bad companies and bad habits, as a rule, are bypassed by those who are passionate about sports. Gymnasts simply do not have time to wander aimlessly along the street, look for adventures on their own, or indulge in energy drinks or alcohol.

"-" Without sleep and rest

While other children usually have a variety of leisure activities on the weekend, the young gymnast is training or performing. Her summer holidays cannot last longer than a month, otherwise the acquired shape, flexibility and stretching will go down the drain. And since the mission of maintaining a fairly strict regime falls on the parents, they must withstand it first of all themselves and literally “live” through rhythmic gymnastics. Otherwise there will be no point.

With all the restrictions and stress that girls experience in gymnastics, they fall in love with this sport.

How much does it cost*

• Training uniform (T-shirt-shorts/leggings) - from 800 / 1.2 thousand**
• Working shoes: half shoes - from 200/1.4 thousand, pointe shoes included - 2.7 thousand.
• Team tracksuit - from 1.8 thousand.
• Professional equipment***:

Hoop - 1.3 thousand,

Ball - 1.8-4.4 thousand,

Jump rope - 1.1-3.2 thousand,

Maces - 1.9-4.7 thousand.

Tape included - 800-4.4 thousand.

• Swimsuit****:

Used - from 5 thousand (plus the cost of fitting and re-gluing fallen rhinestones),

New for beginners/group – from 15 thousand,

New for seniors - from 25-40 thousand,

• Additional classes with a choreographer or guest trainer - from 300/hour
• Rent of a commercial hall - from 1.5 thousand/month.
• Away tournament - from 7.5 thousand / Novosibirsk: 3 days (travel, accommodation, meals).
• Departure for training camp

In the vicinity of Barnaul - from 15 thousand / 3 weeks

To Kazan - 23 thousand/week,

To Kaliningrad - from 50 thousand / 10 days,

Abroad - from 100 thousand.

*Average prices are indicated in rubles. Valid at the time of preparation of the material.

**Requires regular replacement. Due to intense training, the uniform quickly wears out to holes, and is periodically lost during training camps and competitions.

*** Beginners can buy non-professional equipment, but working with “analogues” is difficult: the hoops are deformed, the balls do not have the required weight and surface. So it’s better to learn from the good stuff right away. At the same time, you can “grow out” of a hoop or jump rope already in the first year, and gymnastic balls easily become unusable from careless handling.

**** Senior gymnasts are usually given two leotards for single performances, and if they are also involved in group routines, then three suits. Taking into account the growth rate of the child and the obsolescence of the design of the model, it is necessary to sew a new swimsuit on average every 1.5-2 years.

Rhythmic gymnastics is a sport that requires a lot of physical effort from the athlete. But even with many hours of training, it is not always possible to achieve the desired result. The gymnast's figure must comply with the standards accepted in this discipline. Only this will help you perform all the elements with ease and look impressive. What parameters are considered ideal in this sport?

Ideal parameters for gymnasts

Girls with light weight and thin figure have an advantage.

Gymnast competing for high awards must have an ideal figure. This will help her not only attract the attention of the judges, but also perform most of the exercises efficiently. Girls with light weight and thin figure have an advantage. This helps them perform all-around exercises without errors and get high scores.

For each gymnast, the parameters are determined individually.

The weight that is desirable for a particular girl is suggested by the coach. He takes into account her physique, all volumes and load. If the indicators are slightly exceeded, the girl is recommended to lose weight.

When calculating the ideal weight for this discipline, it is important to know not only the height of the gymnasts. All body proportions must be taken into account. The height and weight table for gymnasts provides only approximate values.

Gymnastic parameters are far from those accepted by WHO.

Girls competing in this discipline must adhere to a certain diet and consume vitamins.

The norms calculated for performing athletes will help you get closer to victory. Recommended parameters are approved by international sports organizations.

Nutrition

Table of height and weight of gymnasts

For heights up to 169 cm, the deviation should not exceed 1 kg.

If height exceeds 170 cm, then the permissible deviation is 2 kg.

The proportionality coefficient of the leg length ratio should be no more than 50.

Perhaps the most beautiful and graceful sport is rhythmic gymnastics. Regular training helps girls develop excellent posture, the ability to present themselves and monitor their every move. ordinary life, but only a few become champions. Is it so difficult to get a rank in rhythmic gymnastics, on what basis are they given and what are the other features of evaluating this sport - below.

Live and learn

Interesting, but experienced craftsmen Sports professionals, even working as coaches, still continue to regularly gain new knowledge and skills. The rules for assigning sports categories in rhythmic gymnastics change periodically, as do general rules competitions.

This usually happens during the new Olympic period and greatly influences the performance of athletes. Some elements lose their value and have to be removed from the program, others, on the contrary, appear among the mandatory ones, and gymnasts need to train their body again, accustoming them to new movements.

Grading Rules

To receive a rank in rhythmic gymnastics, not only the coach, but also the athlete herself must know them. Over time, girls gradually master the exercise requirements they need and do not ask such questions when defending their titles. For those who wish to familiarize themselves with the rules in full and immediately, a special edition of “Rules for Rhythmic Gymnastics” is offered. They are written there on 250 pages, and given that some can change every few years, then hardly anyone will want to read them just for fun. For beginners, it is enough to know that each element has its own “price” in points. The simplest ones, even if performed perfectly, cannot bring the athlete more than 0.1 points, but when included in the program difficult exercise you can get a full point.

A gymnast can increase her performance score by correctly combining certain elements. For example, for sequentially performing an exercise of 1 point and 0.1 point, you can get a total score of 1.2, since an additional tenth of a point will be awarded for the connection.

Individual approach

All categories in rhythmic gymnastics are awarded to girls only for performing mandatory elements in the program and gaining a certain number of points for a performance. Despite this, the performances of all famous champions are completely different from each other. This is due to the fact that the coach takes into account individual characteristics each gymnast, creating a program that can show the maximum of her capabilities and at the same time not focusing on weaknesses.

For example, a girl does not have very developed back flexibility, but at the same time she flutters in jumps like no one else. Naturally, her performance will focus on jumping.

Mandatory program

Despite the individuality of each athlete’s abilities, it is prohibited to deviate from the rules, which means that mandatory elements must be present in the performance. Their maximum and minimum number and definition are also prescribed in the rules of this sport. So, for example, in order to get the first adult category in rhythmic gymnastics, you need to create a program of 10 mandatory elements. These should include one combination of two body difficulties, 1 rotation difficulty, 1 multiple rotation difficulty, 2 isolated waves and 2 pre-acrobatic elements at the beginning or end of a complex element. It is also necessary to make at least 8 seconds of dance tracks in the performance. In the program of masters of sports, there are already 12 mandatory elements in the performance, and their complexity has been increased.

As for working with apparatus, there must be risks of loss when the apparatus is thrown into the air and the gymnast at this time performs rotational movements. Here you can get additional points when catching a projectile without visual control.

Technical Judging Panel

Previously, the athletes were assessed by 3 teams of judges, but today their composition has been reduced to two. How are discharges given in rhythmic gymnastics? To be awarded them, the gymnast must receive an overall score from all judges with a certain minimum.

The first team evaluates the skill of performing the technique itself. It consists of 4 judges, two of whom write down on sheets of paper all the elements performed with the appropriate notations and, based on them, give a point for working with the subject, difficulties in body movement and dance steps in individual program. As for group performances, instead of the last criterion, the complexity of the exchange is considered. Two other judges also record the elements performed, but only evaluate the degrees of skill and risks, which in group numbers are called cooperation. Together they produce an overall score for the difficulty of the number, which cannot exceed 10 points.

Artistic Score

Second panel of judges evaluating appearance and the performance of the number is determined by the letters E and already consists of 6 people, as in artistic gymnastics. The judges give points for technical errors, artistry and overall beauty of the body. The overall score is also derived from the average and cannot exceed 10 points. Thus, the maximum score for the entire performance cannot exceed 20.

Thus, you can get a rank in rhythmic gymnastics by overtaking your opponents not only in technique, but also simply in artistry, that is, a beautiful girl in a beautiful swimsuit and with a good presentation of herself will definitely receive a higher grade for the beauty of her body than her plain-looking rival, even if she fulfilled all the elements with dignity. It may seem unfair, but this is, first of all, a beautiful sport, and these are the rules in it.

Younger age

Girls can only get the 3rd youth level in rhythmic gymnastics from the age of 6, but many start training earlier. In fact, you can come to this sport from the age of three to seven. The first real achievements in children will appear at the same age. This is due to the fact that children begin to feel their own body and be able to move to music only at school age. Everything that happens up to this point is just some kind of physical preparation, and no one should focus on certain achievements at this time. Experienced trainers confidently declare that real awareness own body And competent work with the subject begins only in adolescence, when girls have long had ranks in rhythmic gymnastics in ascending order and have reached the MS defense. Of course, this only applies to a few who have not dropped out of sports by this age.

According to the program of the youngest category, young athletes are required to score only 7 points for one performance during a performance, which is achieved by almost everyone. This title does not require confirmation, and it can be awarded at competitions of any scale.

Requirements for youth categories

To receive the youngest category, a gymnast must perform in the year in which she turns 6 years old and present a routine to the panel of judges without an apparatus and with any apparatus of her choice. Based on the results of each performance, its score must be at least 7 points, which totals 14 points.

After a year, the athlete can already qualify for the 2nd youth category, and for this she must perform a routine without an apparatus and already 2 routines with any apparatus of her choice. To receive the title, judges of the 1st category must evaluate it and give at least 7.2 points for each program, which is a total of 21.6.

In another year, a girl can already receive 1 youth level by completing the BP number and 3 programs with any apparatus, gaining 7.5 points in each. At least 2 judges must have a republican category. In total, the athlete must receive 30 points for her performances.

Requirements for adult categories

An athlete can receive the third adult category in rhythmic gymnastics already in the year when she turns 9 years old. To do this, you need to perform in front of two judges of the republican category at any competition and present 4 numbers - 1 BP and 3 with any apparatus. In total, performances must score 32 points, but each must score a minimum of 8.

The 2nd adult category in rhythmic gymnastics is assigned after a year and is assessed more seriously. The composition of the performance is similar to the previous one, but for each program you need to get 8.2 points with a total of 32.8. The requirements for judges are the same.

At the age of 11, an athlete can qualify for 1st category if she already has all the lower ones. In this case, you need to score 70 points for numbers of a similar composition. In this case, you need to perform only in competitions with republican judges and the participation of at least 5 teams.

Mandatory confirmation of ranks in rhythmic gymnastics starts with 1 adult and above. It represents a double repetition of the result at other competitions during the year with similar statuses and judges. It is important that you are allowed to perform once as part of a group and once individually in the all-around or twice in the all-around.

Senior ranks

Receiving the title of Master of Masters at the age of 12 is not only honorable, but also difficult. In this case, you need to get 76 points according to the international quadathlon program, competing with at least five teams that already have such a title in tournaments of 1, 2 or 3 groups or twice in competitions of 4 groups.

To receive an MS, you need to score 96 points in competitions of only 1 group. Having achieved this goal, many quit sports because they get the opportunity to work as coaches on their own.

So, many now understand how discharges are given in rhythmic gymnastics and what needs to be done for this. It is important not to demand high results from a young athlete at the very beginning of her training. With age, she can open up on her own, realizing her own abilities.

“Rhythmic gymnastics is a sport for strong, very strong girls. Doing the splits for the first time is very painful, and any achievement comes through severe pain, which not every child can withstand,” says 2012 Olympic bronze medalist Lyubov Cherkashina.

The experienced athlete believes that parents play the most important role in the development of a girl gymnast. If you feel sorry for your daughter all the time, then she will not become a champion; many leave precisely because they cannot stand the pain, she notes. So is it even worth sending your baby to such a cruel sport?

Why is it worth sending your baby to gymnastics?

• The girl will develop a toned figure, correct gait and even posture.
• Successful gymnasts have an “iron” character, because they have to endure hellish pain. Whether your baby needs such a character is up to you to decide.
• Willpower, endurance, discipline, patience - all these qualities are cultivated by gymnastics.
• In addition to physical characteristics, the girl will develop an ear for music.
• Developed and stretched muscles make it possible to forget about ordinary childhood injuries outside of training.

Why shouldn't you do rhythmic gymnastics?

At performances, girls seem to flutter around the carpet, bending like plasticine dolls, but such skills are very difficult for them. The first years of training become real torture for them; to stretch their muscles they have to endure severe pain.

“I always really liked rhythmic gymnastics, I was happy to give it to my daughter and was looking forward to beautiful performances. Parents were not allowed into the gym during training, but my daughter came out crying all the time. The coach said that this is normal, the first two or three years are really very painful. On open lesson I was convinced of this myself, my baby sat down on the splits for the first time with burning tears. I felt sorry for her, we didn’t go to training anymore,” says the mother of the failed five-year-old athlete, Victoria Katkova.

So, the main disadvantage of this sport is strong pain which the child will have to endure. And here the appropriate question is: for what? Olympic champion becomes one in millions, and the rest end their careers at 20 years old, best case scenario becoming a coach. In addition, gymnasts receive sprains and sometimes ruptured ligaments, go on diets, and train five times a week.

Another drawback is the financial component. Fees and prize funds are much smaller than in mass sports. But swimsuits and sports equipment are not cheap. For example, a children's swimsuit for classes will cost at least five thousand rubles, and an outfit for performances can cost as much as 50 thousand.

Who is contraindicated for rhythmic gymnastics?

• Children with diabetes.
• For heart disease.
• For any diseases of the musculoskeletal system.
• Girls diagnosed with scoliosis.
• For those with impaired vision.

Who is rhythmic gymnastics suitable for?

• A fragile, graceful girl.
• A girl of medium to small height.
• That little girl who has a sense of rhythm and an ear for music.
• A girl with character, not a little crybaby.

When should I send my baby to classes?

Any trainer will tell you that you need to start classes as early as possible. Without proper training, children's flexibility and plasticity “weaken” every year, and therefore many mothers bring their daughters to a sports school as early as three years old. Pediatricians are strongly against such an early introduction to rigorous sports; they advise starting classes no earlier than five years.

If you are seriously thinking about a career as a gymnast for your little one, then don’t waste time! After the age of six, flexibility begins to decline, and by the age of eight it is almost impossible to join the sport.

How are gymnastics classes conducted?

For the first year, no one will “stretch” the baby with all their might, put her in the splits and put her on the bridge. First, the coach will “check” what the child is capable of, evaluate his natural abilities, and only then begin to improve them. The first few months of training take place in game form, then enter the most simple elements: shoulder stand, wave, bridge, and already in the second year of training the girls begin to train at full strength.

If you decide to send your daughter to this sport, then the first thing you should do is trust the coach! You should not give advice or take part in training. Do not dictate your own rules, even if it seems to you that the coach is too strict with your baby.

We told you about what rhythmic gymnastics is and how difficult it is for young athletes to perform beautifully and gracefully. Should I send my daughter to this sport? Yes, if you are brave enough! And not to the girl, but to you – the parents. You will have to console and support her after each workout, and reassure her that she can handle the next stretch.

Have you ever imagined your daughter as a rhythmic gymnast?