Rhythmic Gymnastics
What is it?
"Oh, gymnastics...like balance beam, parallel bars, ...".
Well if you were thinking that is the only type of gymnastics
you are wrong! Even though Artistic gymnastics is more well known and
understood, Rhythmic gymnastics is nothing to laugh at.
Rhythmic gymnastics has been growing for a few decades now and is reaching
new heights in popularity. In 1984 Rhytmic Gymnastics became a part of the
Summer Olympics.
Originally it was established in only Europe,
but now all the continents have been exposed and introduced
to the grace and beauty of rhythmic gymnastics.
Rhythmic gymnastics is a sport where a girl or a group of girls (4/5)
perform a routine on a matt. Each season there are about 4
routines you perform with different equipment.
You can perform a floor routine, a ball routine,
hoop, ribbon, clubs, and rope routine. Depending
on the level and season the options change of which equipment you will use.
This form of gymnastics combines the grace and technique of ballet
and dancing with the strength of artistic gymnastics.
While there are no flips, the elements, what the girls
are judges on executing throughout their routine are from
the categories of various, jumps, turns, balances, and
flexibilities, along with the technique that they show
with their apparatus. The routines are breath-taking and
show amazing talent that can be achieved through the right
coaching and practice. Routines usually are about a minute
or so each, with various genres of music.
This sport is very
elegant, with a lot of expression involved, which gives it a theatrical vibe.
It is one of the most unique, new-upcoming sports in America. And the benefits
of being a Rhythmic gymnast are endless from gaining flexibility to avoid injury
later on in life to physical and emotional strength for any other activities and
an impressive college resume and so on.